Contents
Origins of the group
In June 1971, the Bolivarian singers and musicians Mauricio Castro Rodríguez (countertenor and drums), Hernán Gamboa (tenor and cuatro player), Iván Pérez Rossi (baritone and second cuatro player) and César Pérez Rossi (bass and drums) who were already experienced in playing and singing in other musical groups, met to sing together informally with some friends at the house of the then-governor of Bolívar State, Manuel Guarrido. Mr. Guarrido asked them to make a recording of the music of the Guayana Region. They accepted and decided to record it with a Bolívar group led by the veteran musician and composer Carmito Gamboa (father of Hernán Gamboa), including players of the mandolin, violin, accordion and the Venezuelan cuatro (played by Hernán Gamboa), with the voices of the four young singers standing out. This LP was produced independently that August and called "Serenata Guayanesa" and it was released for the Zapoara Feria, celebrated in Ciudad Bolívar in 1971.
It seems that a copy of that LP arrived at the offices of the Caraqueño TV station "Cadena Venezolana de Televisión" (now VTV) and the four singers took part in a variety programme. When the presenter asked the name of the group, one of them answered that it was the same as the LP – until then none of the group had considered what the name should be.
In 2000, for the Expo 2000 in Hannover, Germany, they had one of their rare concerts outside South-America. In honor to the "Venezuelan Day", they sang with a German Childrens Cuatro Group. One of the Visitors was the Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Discography
Serenata Guayanesa
Serenata Guayanesa
Serenata Guayanesa Vol. 1, first album of the group
Serenata Guayanesa Vol. 1, first album of the group
First edition of Cantemos con los niños
First edition of Cantemos con los niños
Una Amistad de 25 Años first live album of the group
Una Amistad de 25 Años first live album of the group
Wanting to boost their popularity in the Venezuelan capital, the four members of the new group obtained their first recording contract in 1972 with the company "Palacio de la Música" (Music Palace), which put their recordings out under the label "Decca-London" (although the group were not formally contracted to Decca). That year a record “Serenata Guayanesa” appeared, with a different content to their first recording. The numbers "El Sapo" and the aguinaldo "Casta Paloma" by the Bolivaran composer Alejandro Vargas appeared, as well as the first composition by Iván Pérez Rossi (integrante), the aguinaldo "¿Donde está San Nicolás?", which became a hit later. However, their real success began with the album "Serenata Guayanesa Volume 2" (1973), with the songs "Calypso del Callao" (composed by the "Sociedad de Amigos del Calypso de El Callao") and the classic Venezuelan Christmas number "Aguinaldo Criollo" (by the writer Isabel de Umérez and composer Luis Morales Bance), both great hits, as well as the llanero number "Fiesta en Elorza" by the Venezuelan musician, composer and singer Eneas Perdomo. In 1978 the group decided to record an album of Christmas music, which was not widely known across Venezuela. This album, entitled "Serenata Guayanesa Volume 5: Popular Venezuelan Aguinaldos " included the hits "Corre Caballito" (anonymous) and "El Furruquero" (Iván Pérez Rossi). On this album the group’s singers, together with the singers and drummers Mauricio Castro and César Pérez Rossi, played their own accompaniment on instruments like the chineco and the furruco (vinculados for Christmas music). In 1981 their contract with "Palacio de la Música" expired and they signed with the Organización Diego Cisneros Sonorodven, who brought out an album of their greatest hits, including one new number "Señor Gabán". That contract also expired quicly and they signed with Sonográfica. By this time the group was established as the biggest in Venezuelan popular music. They then hit upon the idea of making an album of music for children, called "Cantemos con los niños" (Let’s sing with the children), which included specially written songs, poems set to music and traditional folk songs. This album was again a great hit, even among adults, with the numbers "La Pulga y el Piojo" and "Este Niño Don Simón". It is interesting to note that one very sentimental song was called "En Mi Pueblo Había Un Río" (In my village there was a river), which told the story of a village in which the native plants and wildlife died out. In 1983 Sonográfica brought out a series of records in homage to the nationalist leader Simón Bolívar including two albums with songs and fragments of speeches by Bolívar himself. The actor Gustavo Rodríguez read the speeches and the music was recorded by Serenata Guayanesa with Hernán Gamboa (his first recordings as a solo artist) and the late internationally renowned artist Jesús Soto, for the first and only time recorded singing and playing the guitar. After that Hernán Gamboa went on to pursue a solo career, while the pediatrician, singer and cuatrista caraqueño Miguel Ángel Bosch joined the group. With Bosch, the group recorded in 1984 a second album of music for children ("Cantemos con los niños, volumen 2") less successful than the first. However, the group recorded a second navideno LP entitled "Viene la parranda", with other musicians, for example a guest appearance by the cuatro and violin player Gualberto Ibarreto. Two years later, for their fifteenth anniversary, the group brought out an album "Caribe Abajo" of Latin American music, some composed specially, some already known. In this album the group was supported by the musicians Rafael, Kenny and Carlos Arrieta (on the caja, guacharaca and accordion, respectively) for a performance of the number in vallenato style "Mis Peroles" (composed by Iván Pérez Rossi), and their first videoclip was recorded in a humorous style. In 1991, the group recorded their first CD entitled "Si la tierra, tierra fuera", promoted by a further video. They had a new hit from this album with the interpretation of the pasodoble "Caracas Mi Ciudad" with the trumpeter Jorge Montenegro and the drummer Antonio Cestari. Their stay with the Sonográfica label was ended with their first live album, recorded at a concert at the Teresa Carreño Theatre, celebrating their 25th anniversary. This double album entitled "Una Amistad de 25 Años" (A 25 Year Friendship) had contributions by well known Venezuelan artists such as María Teresa Chacín, Cheo Hurtado, Simón Díaz, Gualberto Ibarreto, Vidal Colmenares, Ismael Querales, and the gaita zuliana singers Ricardo Cepeda and Abdenago "Neguito" Borjas.
After this, Serenata Guayanesa began to produce their own recordings, reissuing their previous albums with Sonográfica CD format, including numbers recorded in past times with new compositions. in 2003 the CD "Cantemos Con Los Niños" (Let’s Sing with the Children) presents a revised edition of their first album of Venezuelan music for children, in 2005 Serenata Guayanesa made the album El Ferrocarril, with new compositions and new songs.
La Pulga y el Piojo
Serenata Guayanesa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Se quieren casar
Pero no se casan
Por falta de pan.
Respodió el gorgojo
Desde su trigal:
— ¡Hágase la boda! Que yo doy el pan.
Ya no es por el Pan
Que ya lo tenemos
Hora es quien baile
¿Dónde lo hallaremos?
Respondió la vaca
Desde su corral:
— ¡Hágase la boda! Que yo iré a bailar.
Ya no es por el baile
Que ya lo tenemos,
Ahora es quien cante
¿Dónde lo hallaremos?
Respondió la rana
Desde el platanal:
— ¡Hágase la boda! Que yo iré a cantar.
Ya no es por el canto
Que ya lo tenemos,
Ahora es quien coma
¿Dónde lo hallaremos?
Exclamó el zamuro:
— ¡Qué buen paladar!
—Hágase la boda, que yo iré a almorzar.
Ya no es quien almuerce
Que ya lo tenemos,
Falta quien trabaje
¿Dónde lo hallaremos?
Saltó la pereza
Del algarrabal:
—Hágase la boda, que iré a trabajar.
Ya no es qien trabaje
Que ya lo tenemos,
Ahora es la luz
¿Dónde la hallaremos?
Respondió el cocuyo
Desde chapuzal:
— ¡Hágase la boda, que yo iré a alumbrar!
Ya no es por la luz
Que ya la tenemos,
Ahora es el perfume
¿Dónde lo hallaremos?
Salió el mapurite
Desde el matorral:
—Hágase la boda, que iré a perfumar.
Ya no es el perfume
Que ya lo tenemos,
Ahora es el padrino
¿Dónde lo hallaremos?
Brincó el ratoncito
¡Me importa un comino!
—Bueno, si encierran la gata, yo soy el padrino.
Ya no es el padrino
Que ya lo tenenos,
Ahora es la madrina
¿Dónde la hallaremos?
Respondió la gata
Desde la cocina:
— ¡Hágase la boda! Yo soy la madrina.
Todos se durmieron
Por el ron y el vino,
Entonces la gata...
Miiiauuuu
¡Se comió al padrino!
The song La Pulga y el Piojo by Serenata Guayanesa is a humorous and unique story about a flea and a louse who want to get married but are unable to do so because they lack bread. However, a weevil offers to provide the bread and the wedding is set.
However, the story does not end there, as each time a new requirement arises, a different animal steps forward to offer their services. First, a cow offers to dance, then a frog offers to sing, a vulture offers to provide the meal, a sloth offers to work, a firefly offers to provide light, and so on until a cat offers to be the godmother. However, the twist at the end of the story is that after everyone falls asleep from the wine, the cat eats the godfather.
The song has a lighthearted and humorous tone that captures the culture and spirit of Venezuela. It highlights the generous and helpful nature of animals working together to make the wedding happen while also poking fun at how easily things can go off track, especially when alcohol is involved.
Overall, the song is a unique and entertaining take on the traditional wedding concept, and it serves as a fun reminder to take life a little less seriously.
Line by Line Meaning
La pula y el piojo
There is a flea and a louse
Se quieren casar
They want to get married
Pero no se casan
But they can't get married
Por falta de pan.
Because of the lack of bread.
Respodió el gorgojo
The weevil responded
Desde su trigal:
From his wheat field:
¡Hágase la boda! Que yo doy el pan.
"Let the wedding take place! I'll provide the bread."
Ya no es por el Pan
It's not about the bread anymore
Que ya lo tenemos
Because we already have it
Hora es quien baile
Now it's time to find someone to dance
¿Dónde lo hallaremos?
"Where will we find them?"
Respondió la vaca
The cow responded
Desde su corral:
From her stall:
¡Hágase la boda! Que yo iré a bailar.
"Let the wedding take place! I'll go dance."
Ya no es por el baile
It's not about the dance anymore
Que ya lo tenemos,
Because we already have it,
Ahora es quien cante
Now it's time to find someone to sing
¿Dónde lo hallaremos?
"Where will we find them?"
Respondió la rana
The frog responded
Desde el platanal:
From the banana grove:
¡Hágase la boda! Que yo iré a cantar.
"Let the wedding take place! I'll go sing."
Ya no es por el canto
It's not about the singing anymore
Que ya lo tenemos,
Because we already have it,
Ahora es quien coma
Now it's time to find someone to eat
¿Dónde lo hallaremos?
"Where will we find them?"
Exclamó el zamuro:
The vulture exclaimed:
¡Qué buen paladar!
"What a good palate!"
—Hágase la boda, que yo iré a almorzar.
"Let the wedding take place! I'll go eat."
Ya no es quien almuerce
It's not about eating anymore
Que ya lo tenemos,
Because we already have it,
Falta quien trabaje
We still need someone to work
¿Dónde lo hallaremos?
"Where will we find them?"
Saltó la pereza
Laziness jumped out
Del algarrabal:
From the thicket:
—Hágase la boda, que iré a trabajar.
"Let the wedding take place! I'll go work."
Ya no es qien trabaje
It's not about working anymore
Que ya lo tenemos,
Because we already have it,
Ahora es la luz
Now it's time to find some light
¿Dónde la hallaremos?
"Where will we find it?"
Respondió el cocuyo
The firefly responded
Desde chapuzal:
From the brushwood:
— ¡Hágase la boda, que yo iré a alumbrar!
"Let the wedding take place! I'll go light the way!"
Ya no es por la luz
It's not about the light anymore
Que ya la tenemos,
Because we already have it,
Ahora es el perfume
Now it's time to find a perfume
¿Dónde lo hallaremos?
"Where will we find it?"
Salió el mapurite
The oppossum came out
Desde el matorral:
From the thicket:
—Hágase la boda, que iré a perfumar.
"Let the wedding take place! I'll go provide the scent."
Ya no es el perfume
It's not about the perfume anymore
Que ya lo tenemos,
Because we already have it,
Ahora es el padrino
Now it's time to find a godfather
¿Dónde lo hallaremos?
"Where will we find him?"
Brincó el ratoncito
The little mouse jumped
¡Me importa un comino!
"I don't care!"
—Bueno, si encierran la gata, yo soy el padrino.
"Well, if they trap the cat, I'll be the godfather."
Ya no es el padrino
It's not about the godfather anymore
Que ya lo tenenos,
Because we already have it,
Ahora es la madrina
Now it's time to find a godmother
¿Dónde la hallaremos?
"Where will we find her?"
Respondió la gata
The cat responded
Desde la cocina:
From the kitchen:
— ¡Hágase la boda! Yo soy la madrina.
"Let the wedding take place! I'm the godmother."
Todos se durmieron
Everyone fell asleep
Por el ron y el vino,
Because of rum and wine,
Entonces la gata...
Then the cat...
Miiiauuuu
Meooow
¡Se comió al padrino!
"Ate the godfather!"
Contributed by Noah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.