Tonight’s bafleo is a tribute to the official soundtrack for this year’s Thanksgiving festivity. Here is “La Pava” by José Barros in Juan Piña’s version. We danced to this song earlier today as we were getting ready for the dinner with Vicky la mamá who said this day felt like Christmas.

Mr. José Barros, born back in 1917 in El Banco Magdalena, lived some good 90 years and composed around 800 songs (cumbias, porros, merengues, paseos, etc). He was a man who knew what he was doing.* Among the different topics in his music, there is a recurrent concern with birds, their loves and mishaps. For example, “el gallo tuerto” (aka, the one-eyed rooster) was another unlucky bird for whom he composed a wonderful song - http://bit.ly/mLBGp0

In this version, Juan Piña is taking the song from its rural origins in Colombia to the thanksgiving festivities in the United States. In fact, he screams in joy that turkey day in New York (or in Chicago for that matter) is very lovely. The song tells us the story of lady turkey’s search for her loved mr. turkey putting a lot of pressure on her: “if the lady turkey does not search for him, mr turkey will go and fall in love with another one”. Turururu. Apparently she is a jealous lady and the turkey just wants to be happy and free like a butterfly. Yes. The unbalanced realities of love.

Today I dedicate this bafleo to Peggy Candelaria, the undisputed queen of Thanksgiving cooking. What she did to that bird tonight was just superb, just as everything else that happened in her kitchen and in Erika’s. It was a joy to share with your family and to pass out after all that beautiful food. Hugs to la mamá and el papá as well.

* Just a few highlights. El Pescador (by Totó la Momposina and from a previous bafleo): http://bit.ly/sbwOLe - La Llorona (by Tony Camargo): http://bit.ly/tuoCAx - La Piragua: http://bit.ly/bMFMQJ Las Pilanderas: http://bit.ly/s2GY5t..