Manu Chao - La Radiolina

Some people think that all world music is in another language. Wrong! Manu Chao has written songs in a number of languages... French, Spanish, English, etc. But English is one of them! Some people also think that you can't sing along to world music, well, once you learn some Manu Chao, it's pretty easy to sing along to.

"Manu Chao is a progressive Brazilian band that is particularly experimental in the field of electronic sound and overtones." -Spencer Kennedy. Manu Chao himself sings mainly in French, Spanish and English, but also in other languages. He was born in France, but his ancestors are Spanish. And he is deffinately a political activist.

"We live in an age where many artists feel compelled to release albums every year lest the music buying public forget them. Manu Chao has left a staggering six year gap between his last album and La Radiolina (Little Radio). But when you're a world music artist whose debut album was outsold only by Buena Vista Social Club, it's safe to say you're not going to be forgotten easily." -Darren Lee

Album: Manu Chao - La Radiolina (released 6/27/07)
Track listing:
1. 13 Dias
2. Tristeza Maleza
3. Politik Kills
4. Rainin' In Paradize
5. Besoin De La Lune
6. El Kitapena
7. Me Llaman Calle
8. A Cosa
9. Bleedin' Clown
10. Mundoreves
11. El Hoyo
12. La Vida Tombola
13. Mala Fama
14. Panik Panik
15. Otro Mundo
16. Piccola Radiolina


He travels the world while recording, doing his recording on his laptop and then tinkering with the sound. "For anyone who's somehow unaware, he's a truly global artist who divides his time between Paris, Barcelona, Bamako and Buenos Aires... Despite not liking the world music pigeon hole, Chao draws on many influences from around the world to create a truly global experience. We're taken to each and every continent is this collection of energetic, bite size songs. It's an anarchic mix which is fun, exuberant and passionate. It's difficult to ask for more." -Darren Lee


Manu Chao is from Brazil. He collaborated with Mario Caldato and Andrew Scheps for "La Radiolina".

Manu Chao is important because of being so progressive and I like the way that he travels the world while he writes and records, bringing a diverse view of life into his music.

His albums:
1. La Radiolina
2. Sibérie M'était Contéee
3.Clandestino [CD Single]
4.Babylonia en Guagua [Video/DVD]
5.Babylonia en Guagua [CD]
6.Live
7. Radio Bemba Sound System
8. Merry Blues
9.Me Gustas Tu
10.Proxima Estacion: Esperanza
11.Clandestino [France Bonus Tracks]
12. Bongo Bong
13. Clandestino

Track 4 on "La Radiolina" is "Rainin' in Paradize." This highly political song, in english, begins the sound of a siron, and then backround shouting of "wake up to paradize!" and the words "Today it's rainin' over and over." In the video, it goes on to show depressing imagems of children pressed up against fences of some sort of cage and other horrible images of children being alone, etc.

Track 8 on "La Radiolina" is "A Cosa" On youtube, this song plays a steady slideshow of solitary people. The rhythm and melody of the song are slow and kind of sad. Even though I do not understand the words, the slideshow of images makes me feel connected to it.
A COSA: