Songs About Mexico History, Cortez
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| Title page from the You Tube Video "Cortez 2015 Remix |
Last year I released my third digital album
Fire of Love (on CD Baby) and it included one of my
favorite songs,
Cortez, a song about Mexico history. I wanted to get a crowd review on it at Reverbnation at the time but I was advised to get one on Heavy Metal Harley instead.
However, I did get good reviews of
Cortez and probably one of the most interesting one was that the song was reminiscent of Jethro Tull. That’s funny as Jethro Tull never has been an influence, nor do I even listen to them.
What makes it even funnier is that I wanted to sing the song as if I were Ricardo Montalban telling a story. Ricardo had a speaking voice that no matter what he was talking about it was super interesting (Corinthian leather, Fantasy Island, or the Wrath of Khan for example).
Ricardo does not sound like Ian Anderson, so maybe the similarity is in the guitar work, although I do not hear it. The song started with the basic guitar riff where I play the chords sans pick and use a sweeping motion and at a beat similar to Bo Diddly classic rhythm.
What tends to give this song a unique flavor is that instead of me using metal power chords or major seventh chords (that I employ in many of my acoustic numbers), I use and emphasize thirds.
The lead guitar is mostly thirds and the interlude solo revolves around thirds. If you guys need to learn what a third is, it is the third note in relation to the root of the chord. For example, the notes of A major are A (root) C# (third) and E (fifth).
The song had such a unique sound that I had to use lyrics that would be unique as well. I wanted something historical in nature with a happy ending. I had written three versions of “Cortez” -- the Spanish explorer who came to Mexico where the people were sacrificing their young and eating their enemies--, each time losing those lyrics somewhere when I left Detroit. The fourth time written, however, was a charm.
The original recording was heavier with more distorted guitars, a different bass line, and a secondary bass added to the solo. That recording is on the books and is available at CD Baby – just look up “
Fire of Love: by Rob Lattin Music.
The song was a labor of love and one I am most proud. Yes the song is about Cortez the explorer and the Aztecs and the history of Mexico. No, this is not about Spanish conquistadors subjugating the indigent peoples. That may have happened, but also the people were sacrificing their children, themselves and neighboring tribes resulting in the death of millions over the years.
Although many of Cortez' men may have had evil intentions and evil deeds, Cortez himself was actually in trouble with the governor and the Spanish crown and was not present when the people were abused. Cortez tried negotiations when he re-arrived and wanted to put an end to the self-slaughter of the Aztecs.
Some regard Cortez as a heel, others as a hero, nevertheless he was historic in what he did.
The ultimate story –
the big picture – is none of that. It’s a true story of
Good VS Evil.
Here, Cortez was a tool in helping the people get freedom from a demon god, whose real name is Molloch.
Molloch seeks the sacrifice of people especially children because he wants to wipe out humanity.
He is one of the lead demons responsible for the slaughter of the unborn in the 20th and 21st century.
This song, as I mentioned, is a labor of love, and when I listen to it with no personal artistic critical review, I get a tear in my eye. People were brainwashed to worship a false idol, under another name, and engaged in battle with the Spanish and the whole world of the Mexican land was dripping in warm blood.
So, then with my personal artistic critical review, I thought it appropriate to remix Cortez.
I reduced the guitars to 2 and did some other things to enhance the song.
I am even more proud of the remix. I’ve added a simple video to it and you can watch it here:
You Tube/Rob Lattin .
You can listen to the song without the video at my
Reverbnation Profile Page . You can buy it there or even buy the original song at CD Baby.
FREE DOWNLOAD
I’ve also recorded a remix with a Spanish voice-over narration on You Tube. You can see it at
You Tube Rob Lattin Video.
You can download the Spanish version
FREE at my
Soundcloud page.
Lyrics:
Cortez (in English) by Rob Lattin
Related Article:
Cortez Remix with Spanish Translation
UPDATE 2020: I will be making this song and others available on a new site so hang in there!
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