Cri-Cri is known as the "grillito cantor" or "the singing cricket". He is a character created by Francisco Gabilondo Soler in his childhood and may even be considered "his inner personality"
The character became so famous and gave its author such renown, that it became a second name for Gabilondo. In the mid part of the 20th century he became the most recognizable singer of children's songs in Spanish. Gabilondo's dedication to this segment of the population has been greatly admired, comparable to Walt Disney in his honest approach to making life fun for those who are getting started in life.
Cucurumbe
Cri-Cri Lyrics
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se fué a bañar al mar
para ver si en las blancas olas
su carita podía blanquear.
La Negrita Cucurumbé
a la playa se acercó
envidiando a las conchitas
Quería ser blanca
como la Luna,
como la espuma
que tiene el Mar.
Un pescado con bombín
se le acercó,
y quitandose la bomba
la saludó:
¡Pero válgame Señor!
¿Pues qué no ves
que así negra estás bonita,
Negrita Cucurumbé?.
Un pescado con bombín
se le acercó,
y moviendo la colita
le preguntó:
¡Pero válgame mujer!
¿Pues qué no ves
que bonita es tu carita,
Negrita Cucurumbé?
The song "Cucurumbé" by Cri-Cri tells the story of a young Black girl named Cucurumbé who goes to the sea to bathe and hopes to lighten her skin by washing it in the white waves. She envies the color of the shells on the beach, as their pale hue signifies beauty in her mind. As Cucurumbé is contemplating how to become whiter, a fish with a bowler hat approaches and greets her. He tells her that she is already beautiful in her natural state, and there is no need to change her appearance. The fish praises her facial features and tells her that her blackness is part of her beauty.
The song provides social commentary on the topic of colorism, which is the belief that lighter skin is more valued and desired than darker skin within a particular racial group. It highlights internalized colorism within Black and Brown communities and the impact it can have on self-esteem and self-worth. The story shows that everyone has value and beauty, regardless of skin color, and that the standard of beauty should not be based on a Eurocentric ideal.
Line by Line Meaning
La Negrita Cucurumbé
The young black girl named Cucurumbé
se fué a bañar al mar
went to swim in the sea
para ver si en las blancas olas
to see if the white waves
su carita podía blanquear.
could bleach her face.
a la playa se acercó
approached the beach
envidiando a las conchitas
envying the little shells
por su pálido color.
for their pale color.
Quería ser blanca
She wanted to be white
como la Luna,
like the moon,
como la espuma
like the foam
que tiene el Mar.
that the sea has.
Un pescado con bombín
A fish with a top hat
se le acercó,
approached her,
y quitandose la bomba
and taking off his hat
la saludó:
greeted her:
¡Pero válgame Señor!
But oh my Lord!
¿Pues qué no ves
Don't you see
que así negra estás bonita,
that you are beautiful as a black girl?
Un pescado con bombín
A fish with a top hat
se le acercó,
approached her,
y moviendo la colita
and wagging his tail
le preguntó:
asked her:
¡Pero válgame mujer!
But oh my lady!
¿Pues qué no ves
Don't you see
que bonita es tu carita,
how beautiful your face is
Negrita Cucurumbé?
Cucurumbé the little black girl?
Contributed by Isaiah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.