Lydia Mendoza – The Best of Lydia Mendoza / Arhoolie CD-536

Description

CD 536

Born in Houston in 1916 Lydia Mendoza learned at a young age to play the 12-string guitar touring the country with her family band. She scored her first hit in 1934 with “Mal Hombre” a song that made her wildly popular on both sides of the border and became her signature hit. Lydia went on to record more than 200 songs on more than 50 albums in a long and varied career that lasted into the 1980s. She passed away in December 2007.

1.Mal Hombre (Canción Tango)
2.Tú Dirás (Canción)
3.Adiós Muchachos (Canción Tango)
4.Delgadina (Corrido)
5.Piensa En Mi (Bolero)
6.Se Murió La Cucaracha (Canción Polka)
7.Medalla De Dios (Vals Ranchera)
8.Contestación A “Amor Que Malo Eres” (Bolero)
9.Aunque Me Odies (Canción)
10.Enredaste Mi Vida (Ranchera)
11.Si Fue Por Eso (Bolero)
12.No Es Culpa Mia (Vals Ranchera)
13.Besando La Cruz (Canción)
14.Luis Pulido (Corrido)
15.Amor Bonito (Ranchera)
16.Flores Negras (Bolero)
17.Pero Ay Qué Triste (Canción)

REVIEW

“Her main instrument was the 12-string guitar which she played with sweet fluidity; her voice was sweetly caressing her diction immaculately clear and her manner wonderfully relaxed.  On the opening track from 1934 you get an eerie echo of Bessie Smith though her guitar-playing is entirely Hispanic; three years later we get her charmingly playing the violin accompanied by her family; later she’s accompanied by sundry other groups but her unique musical personality always shines through.”

– Michael Church The Scotman