I absolutely love Latin culture and Latin music, and the following songs provided a soundtrack to an amazing trip to Central America and the beginnings of a killer post-Latin America surf trip playlist. If you have any additions, by all means post them below. They will help my life (and I suspect the lives of others, too). – Zach
La Jirafa by Calle 13
Calle 13 is smart. He has a lot of great songs. And I like this lyric:
Aqui no hay cuchillos, ni pistolas.
Aqui hay mucha mucha mucha caserola
Aqui hay mucho sol, muchas playas, muchas olas.
Aqui todo en melaza – nada de pangola.
Google translate that beast. It’s fun to practice until you can say it quickly.
Ai Se Eu Te Pego by Michel Telo
Yes, this song is in Portuguese and from a Brazilian artist, but 341 million people can’t be wrong (number of YouTube views). When this song comes on in a club in Nicaragua, everyone goes crazy. And it has a cool synchronized dance that’s pretty easy to follow and makes everyone happy. That is good.
Golpes en el Corazon by Los Tigres Del Norte ft. Paulina Rubio
Los Tigres del Norte are Mexican legends. And failed relationships are best lamented in Spanish. Always.
Danza Kuduro by Don Omar
Ignore the boat intro and cheesy video. This song is fun. Period.
La Llave de mi Corazon by Juan Luis Guerra
Juan Luis Guerra. Also a legend. Hailing from the Dominican Republic, he’s sold more than 30 million records.
Tengo Ganas by Victor Manuelle
Salsa = mandatory.
Again, bring on more recommendations please!
