The song is a currulao, an Afro-Colombian style of music originally from the Pacific coast of Colombia. Call and response chanting and horn section arrangements are important features of the style. Drums, percussion and the marimba are used as melodic and rhythmic instruments.
This song is inspired on nature. The rivers, oceans, mountains, seas, jungles and forests. The lyrics talk about our connection to nature, how we all come from nature and go back to it. It also reflects on the importance of taking care of nature and how it is affected directly by our actions. The message is to remember that we need to care of nature because we live thanks to it and its beauties can remain shining or disappear with our actions.
This song is dedicated to Augusto Franco, mentor y maestro.
credits
released April 14, 2016
Title: Allá en el Río
Language: Spanish
Origin: Colombia
Performed by: La Descarga Band
Written and Arranged by: Jorge Leiva
Recorded and Mixed by: Santiago Valero and Benjamin Beracasa
Mastered by: Ben Lustig BL Mastering
Jorge Leiva - Vocals/Alegre and Llamador (traditional drums)
Claudia Escobar - Vocals/Traditional maracon
Eduardo Venegas – Vocals/Tambora (traditional drum)
Felipe Paz - Vocals/Alegre
Federico Jimenez- Vocals/Tambora
Henry Peña - Bass and Marimba de Chonta
Kathleen Gonzales - Backing vocals/ Maracon and Guasa
Claudia Vidal - Backing vocals
Maria Paula Espinosa – Vocals/Maracon
Steve Carrier – Alegre
Daniel Parker: Trumpet
Anthony Tropea: Trumpet
Danielle Anderson: Saxophone
Jay Scarlett: Trombone
Lauren Mullarvey: Clarinet
Luna Leiva-Escobar: Vocal effects
Lyrics
Spanish:
Alla en el rio (bis)
Alla en el mar(bis)
Te encuentras tu
Me encuentro yo
Nos encontramos (bis)
En la vida
Con la vida
Alla en el bosque (bis)
Alla en la selva (bis)
Te encuentras tu
Me encuentro yo
Nos encontramos (bis)
En la vida
Con la vida
Alla en el monte (bis)
Alla en la sierra (bis)
Te encuentras tu
Me encuentro yo
Nos encontramos (bis)
En la vida
Con la vida
Y fui a la tierra
No había tierra
Y fui al mar
No había mar
No estabas tú
No estaba yo
En la vida
Por la vida
Y fui al bosque
Y fui a la selva
Y ya no estaban
Ya no hay selva
Y fui al monte
Y fui a la sierra
Y ya no estaban
Ya no hay sierra
No la perdamos
Es nuestra tierra
Se pierde ella
Me pierdo yo
Cuida la tierra
Cuida las aguas
Se pierden ellas
Te pierdes tu
English:
There, in the river (bis)
There, in the sea (bis)
You find yourself
I find myself
We find each other (bis)
In life
With life
There, in the forest (bis)
There, in the jungle (bis)
There, you are
There, I am
There we meet (bis)
In life
With life
There, in the mountain (bis)
There, in the ranges (bis)
You find yourself
I find myself
We find each other (bis)
In life
With life
And I went to the land
There was no land
And I went to the sea
There was no sea
You weren’t there
I wasn’t there
In life
With life