I wrote this song on the 30th of October 2012, recorded it the next day and mixed the audio the day after that, just in time for the Day of the Dead or El Día de los Muertos. I had so many people close to me die in the 12 months prior that I think it came naturally to me to write something for the Day of the Dead. The Day of the Dead is celebrated in many places in South America. It's also celebrated in Spain, the US and elsewhere like the Phillipines. South American friends of mine celebrate it here in Australia. So Mexico isn't the only place it occurs. The lines in the song "if you want a mariachi band don't come to me / I don't have the style or the grace / all I've got is this dumb smile on my face" pretty much sum up my feelings about musicians taking on styles of music they don't understand. Some of the best guitar players in the world are from South America. I can't come close. You've got to live a style of music for years before you get good at it. That's why I've not even tried to play in that sort of style with my song. Essentially it's an outsider's perspective. I like the sound I got on this song though. It's a great sound. I used my 1960s Defil, the first guitar I ever owned.
credits
from Sugar Skulls & Marigolds,
released July 25, 2013
Written by Konrad Lenz
Konrad Lenz: vocals, guitars, harmonium
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