Ritchie Valens: Blending Traditional Mexican Music and Rock and Roll, Lecture notes of Spanish

Download Ritchie Valens: Blending Traditional Mexican Music and Rock and Roll and more Lecture notes Spanish in PDF only on Docsity! ESSENTIAL QUESTION How did Ritchie Valens meld traditional Mexican music and Rock and Roll? OVERVIEW Ritchie Valens has become one of the most celebrated Rock and Roll musicians of the 1950s. His recording career lasted less than a year, cut short in February 1959, when he was killed in the same plane crash that took the lives of Rock and Roll star Buddy Holly and disc jockey/musician J.P. Richardson (better known as “The Big Bopper”). Valens released only two singles during his lifetime. The second, featuring the love ballad “Donna,” soared to No. 2 on the Billboard Pop singles chart and established Valens as a rising star. Newspaper accounts of his death referred to him as “a young sensation… rapidly becoming one of the hottest singing talents in the country,” and even “the next Elvis Presley.” But it was the B-side of that single, featuring the traditional Mexican wedding song “La Bamba,” that secured Valens’ legacy. The lyrics of the song were entirely in Spanish, sung over a tune that would have been immediately recognizable to most Mexican-Americans. Born Richard Valenzuela to a Mexican family in Southern California, Valens had played the song growing up and with various bands at school. His biographer reports that he may have been reluctant to record a Rock and Roll version of the song, both because he thought it might be disrespectful to the original and because he didn’t speak Spanish very well. But his recording, driven by Latin percussion, enjoyed commercial success—particularly for a single’s B-side— cracking the Top 40 and peaking at no. 22. In this lesson, students will compare Valens’ version of “La Bamba” to a traditional version of the song, and examine how Valens was able to successfully incorporate a Latin feel into a mainstream Rock and Roll recording. They will further evaluate why the song became influential, paving the way for later artists, and how it illustrates Rock and Roll’s capacity to absorb multiple influences and redefine itself. Ritchie Valens (Elementary School Version) OVERVIEW B O O K 2 : T E E N A G E R E B E L L I O N R I T C H I E VA L E N S ( E L E M E N T A R Y S C H O O L V E R S I O N ) B O O K 2 : T E E N A G E R E B E L L I O N ACTIV IT IES MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY 1. Tell students that they will be watching a short video featuring three musicians of Native American heritage. Play clip Fitting In. Ask students: • What role did each musicians’ ancestral heritage play in their work as a musician? Did it play different roles or the same role? • How did each musician describe the impact of their heritage on their musical career? Which of them described their Native American heritage as a motivation for their music? • Is there another artist you know of who you feel was inspired by their heritage? How do you know? (For example, students might name Bruno Mars, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, or Bob Marley.) 2. Optional: If the teacher feels comfortable, they can share the ways their own heritage might have shaped them, and ask students volunteers to discuss their heritage. OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this lesson, students will: 1. KNOW (KNOWLEDGE): • Ritchie Valens’ role as a Rock and Roll pioneer • The origins of Valens’ “La Bamba” as a traditional Mexican folk-dance song or huapango • Highlights of the brief career of Valens, who died at age 17 in the same plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, in 1959 • The use of a timeline to show events in the order that they occurred 2. MASTERY OBJECTIVE • Students will be able to explain Ritchie Valens’ contribution to Rock and Roll by comparing the traditional Mexican song “La Bamba” to Valens’ Rock and Roll version. PROCEDURE: 1. Pass out and go over with students Handout 1 - Introducing Vocabulary. Have them create a quick sketch for each term on the handout. 2. Divide students into pairs. Distribute Handout 2 - Ritchie Valens Biography to each pair. Instruct pairs to read the handout aloud to each other, alternating by paragraph. Each student should follow along as his/her partner reads, underlining key words and phrases. R I T C H I E VA L E N S ( E L E M E N T A R Y S C H O O L V E R S I O N ) B O O K 2 : T E E N A G E R E B E L L I O N COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Reading Reading 1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. Reading 2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas. Reading 3: Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text. Craft and Structure 4: Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 7: Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words. Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 9: Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take. College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Writing (Extension Activities Only) Text Types and Purposes 3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences. Production and Distribution of Writing 4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Language Language 3: Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listing. Vocabulary Acquisition and Use 4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate. R I T C H I E VA L E N S ( E L E M E N T A R Y S C H O O L V E R S I O N ) B O O K 2 : T E E N A G E R E B E L L I O N College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards for Speaking and Listening (K-12) Comprehension & Collaboration 1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. Comprehension & Collaboration 2: Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. NATIONAL CURRICULUM STANDARDS FOR SOCIAL STUDIES – NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE SOCIAL STUDIES (NCSS) Theme 1: Culture Theme 2: Time, Continuity, and Change Theme 4: Individual Development and Identity Theme 5: Individuals, Groups, and Institutions NATIONAL CORE ARTS STANDARDS Responding Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work. Anchor Standard 8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work. Anchor Standard 9: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work. Connecting Anchor Standard 10: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art. Anchor Standards 11: Relate artistic ideas and work with societal, cultural and historical context to deepen understanding. NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR MUSIC EDUCATION – NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR MUSIC EDUCATION (NAFME) Core Music Standard: Responding Select: Choose music appropriate for a specific purpose or context. Analyze: Analyze how the structure and context of varied musical works inform the response. R I T C H I E VA L E N S ( E L E M E N T A R Y S C H O O L V E R S I O N ) B O O K 2 : T E E N A G E R E B E L L I O N Interpret: Support interpretations of musical works that reflect creators’ and/or performers’ expressive intent. Evaluate: Support evaluations of musical works and performances based on analysis, interpretation, and established criteria. Core Music Standard: Connecting Connecting 11: Relate musical ideas and works to varied contexts and daily life to deepen understanding. iw Image 1 - Ritchie Valens Discussion Questions Discussion Questions: 1. Ritchie Valens was known as a teenage Rock and Roll sensation in the style of Elvis Presley. Why do you think he is best remembered for his song “La Bamba”? 2. “La Bamba” is included on Rolling Stone’s list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” (at No. 354). Why do you think the song is regarded in this way? What has made it so influential? 3. Do you think Valens would record under the name “Valens” or “Valenzuela” if he were still alive today? 4. What does the success of “La Bamba” suggest about the way that Rock and Roll absorbs different musical influences? How has this ability helped Rock and Roll expand its audience? 5. Can you think of other influences absorbed by Rock and Roll? Handout 1 - Introducing Vocabulary Learn the following vocabulary terms and draw a quick sketch of each term in the space provided below: Inducted (Verb): The act of bringing someone into a special organization. Local Following (Noun): Known by many people in your community. Notorious (Adjective): Well-known or famous especially for something bad. Record Label (Noun): A company that records and sells music. Sensation (Noun): Someone who causes a reaction of interest and excitement. Handout 2 - Ritchie Valens Biography Richard Steven Valenzeula was born into a Mexican-American family in Los Angeles, California, in May 1941. His parents struggled to make a living, though they were able to find temporary work in a nearby arms factory during World War II. While the Pacoima section of Los Angeles in which Valenzuela was raised had a strong Latinx community, it was also one of the few communities in Southern California that had an integrated population of whites, blacks, and Asian-Americans. Though Valenzuela spoke some Spanish, by most accounts English was his primary language. Valenzuela took up the guitar at a young age, and by the time he was a teenager had gained a local following, performing at parties and in local clubs. At 16, he joined a band called the Silhou- ettes, and caught the attention of a Hollywood music producer, Bob Keene, who owned a small label called Del-Fi Records. Valenzuela signed a recording contract with Keene shortly after his 17th birthday, and soon began recording under the name Ritchie Valens. Valens released only two singles during his lifetime. The first, “Come On, Let’s Go,” was a mod- est hit. His second single, the love ballad “Donna,” reached No. 2 on the Billboard pop chart. The B-side of the single was “La Bamba,” whose lyrics were entirely in Spanish. “La Bamba” reached No. 22. On February 3, 1959, a few months before his 18th birthday, Valens was killed in the notorious plane crash that also took the lives of Rock and Roll star Buddy Holly and singer/disc jockey J.P. Richardson, a.k.a. the Big Bopper. One newspaper account of the accident referred to Valens as “a recording star billed as the next Elvis Presley” and noted that “Valens, a young sensation from Pacoima, Calif., was rapidly becoming one of the hottest singing talents in the country.” A Holly- wood film about his life, La Bamba, was released in 1987, and in 2001, Ritchie Valens was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Ritchie Valens Infographic Activity An infographic is a visual representation of information which includes images and words. Use the facts and images below to create an infographic about Ritchie Valens. • Richard Valenzuela was born in Los Angeles, California on May 13, 1941. • When he was young, he learned to play guitar. • He joined the band The Silhouettes in October 1957. • He signed a record contract with Del-Fi Records and changed his name to Ritchie Valens in May of 1958. • He released the song “Come On Let’s Go” in July 1958. • He appeared on American Bandstand, a very popular television show, on October 9, 1958. • He released “Donna” and “La Bamba” on October 18, 1958. • He appeared again on American Bandstand on December 27, 1959. • He went on tour with many famous musicians in January 1959. • He died in a tragic plane crash with Buddy Holly and JP Richardson, also known as “The Big Bopper,” on February 3, 1959. This sad day is known as the “The Day the Music Died” • He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on May 11, 1990, over 30 years after his death. • Ritchie Valens was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 42 years after his death, on March 19, 2001. Ritchie Valens Timeline Activity A timeline is a way to show events in the order that they happened. On a separate page, create a timeline showing these important events for Rock and Roll Pioneer, Ritche Valens. You can write or illustrate these events. Please make your timeline very colorful. May 13, 1941: Richard Valenzuela is born in Los Angeles, California. Early Years: As a kid, Valenzuela learns to play guitar. October 19, 1957: Valenzuela joins the band The Silhouettes. May 27, 1958: Valenzuela signs a record contract with Del-Fi Records. He changes his name to Ritchie Valens. July 1958: Ritchie Valens releases the song “Come On Let’s Go.” October 9, 1958: Valens appears on American Bandstand, a very popular television show. October 18, 1958: Valens releases the songs “Donna” and “La Bamba.” December 27, 1958: Valens appears again on American Bandstand. January 1959: Valens goes on tour with many famous musicians. February 3, 1959: Valens dies in a tragic plane crash. May 11, 1990: Valens is honored with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Match 19, 2001: Ritchie Valens is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. May 1941 Early Years October 1957 May 1958 July 1958 October 1958 December 1958 January 1959 May 1990 March 2001 February 1959 Sample Timeline: