PBH / colombia (active forums more▼ | travelguide | pictures) / post

A marriachi serenade

Being a European, I was quite surprises to learn that romance still exists in Colombia. More specifically, serenades still exist. Any poor lovesick soul has the opportunity to declare his love completely romantically and all! What a country! What a people!

Romance needs rules though.

1. You need to be drunk.

Sorry, but such are the rules. It seems to be customary to get seriously drunk before attempting any kind of serenade. (And we're not talking about just half a bottle of rum.)

2. You need a reason.

Usually you'll want to a) declare your love, or b) ask for forgiveness.

However, if you really don't have a reason, don't panic. The subject of your serenade probably will come up with a good one (any combination of the two above). Other reasons can be: mothers day (Yep!), someone died, ...

How to do a serenade.

[image:2614]So you're well drunk and have a reason. You head for the Marriachi quarter (where they hang out), and hire a band (5 or 6 men with guitars and belly's. Usually, the bigger the belly's, the better).

You negociate a price (depends on the number of songs), typically about 100 - 150 US $ for the band. There's traditional songs for every occasion, so just tell them what's it about and they'll tell you which song to use. After that, you head for the woman's place.

The woman's part.

The girl should follow some rules too. If she's interested, she'll turn the light on. If she's more interested, she'll go on the balcony. And if she's even more interested, she'll come out of the house.

If the father of the girl likes the guy, he may invite him in and they'll get more drunk together. (If she doesn't like him she can throw out hot water, but that's considered a bit rude...)

There is much more to marriachis and serenades than this introduction, and I can't hope to understand it all.

Here are some more pictures.

By Peter (Moderator) on Aug 21, 1999, 13:10 in Friendly Talkzone.

Peter (Moderator) says on Nov 11, 2003, 13:11:

How do I find musicians in Bogota By Jim 2002-08-20
My girlfriend (a Colombiana) is going to Colombia for a few weeks, and I wanted to fly there from the U.S. to bring a serenata for her. I was wondering if anyone here has a recommendation of where I can find musicians who do serenatas in Bogota (or a website where I could find them)? I understand that I can ask in a hotel for them to help me arrange one, but I prefer going directly from the airport to her house. I also wanted to know if anyone had a particular song that would be appropriate (I was thinking of "Si Nos Dejan"). Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Jim

Poor but snappy

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Peter (Moderator) says on Nov 11, 2003, 13:11:

Serenade in Bogota By Rogelio 2002-09-04
there are no web sites were you can hire musicians, I recomend you to, first, find a local friend, very important to be acompanied, you cant be alone, an important reason is security, the second one is that is not nice to drink alone, and third after the serenade you have to keep drinking and there is nothing better that talk and sing with a friend about your newly lived experience, of course absolutly drunk. your local friend will know for sure where to find musicians or you can ask a trustable taxi driver, the ones that you can hire in the hotel, are a little bit more expensive but are secure. Thre is a song that you cant miss in a serenade is "La cuchilla", the Colombianas love that song.

Poor but snappy

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Peter (Moderator) says on Nov 11, 2003, 13:12:

Women give serenades too By Pedro, xciscoz at hotmail.com 2002-09-09 Women give serenates two, birthdays are comun ocassions for serenates, I was given one by my girlfriend who hired three musicians, (a trio), each one with his own guitar.

She paid four songs, they sang tree, and the other one is for the honored to request a song for whoever hired them. Once I find their business card I will post again, with the names of the songs.

http://www.musicacol.com By the way I only need to be in love to give a serenate. or thankfull with somebody.

Poor but snappy

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Peter (Moderator) says on Nov 11, 2003, 13:12:

True By Danielote, DanAtreides at msn.com 2003-01-14 Well it's true...Serenades can be very romantic but sometimes you can get sick and tired of them b/c some Colombian men can't think of anything else to bring out the romance or, should I say, show it to their women. Yes, it's nice to serenade someone and hehe...wake up the neighborhood in the process, but I who lived for 13 years in beautiful Bogota (hincha del Santafecito lindo) think that Serenades, like all romantic milieus and stuff, have to have their time and place, and not be overused lest it'll become tedious routine for everything.

Examples? Plenty. My mother had an eye surgery. What was the suggestion made by my family? "Llevemosle una serenata" (Let's give her a serenade). Nanna came from US...another serenade. My sister's boyfriend, drunk as a skunk and back then a violin player at the Philarmonic Orchestra of Bogota, had the one-synapse-short-of-an-Einstein-genius idea of a serenade. And if I go this year to Colombia, what's expecting me on arrival? Another friggin' serenade!!!! STop the goddamn serenades. I'll shoot the guy with the guitarron mexicano if I see another serenader and most certainly I will hate being the serenadee, capisce?

Unless it's for another hot girl, then hey let's give her a serenade!!! She'll like it lots.

Poor but snappy

0 funny, 0 helpful.

jsloan says on Nov 29, 2003, 10:17:

A "Serenade - o - gram"

My best friend is back home in Bogota(Suba) for a couple of months and I have wanted to send flowers. I appreciate the info posted on this site and I'll be sending flowers soon - but now I'm thinking of the possibility of sending a "marriachi serenade"

I know, pretty corny, but it would be understood both for it's corniness as well as its romantic ovetures

I could enlist the help of her family, but I would like for it to be a suprise for them also... maybe it's a crazy notion... so ideas would be welcome.

jim

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Peter (Moderator) says on Jan 10, 2004, 16:15:

Marriachi I think you must use the word Mariachi instead of Marriachi.

Thanks

Julián García

Poor but snappy

0 funny, 0 helpful.

pjkeezer says on Mar 8, 2005, 08:16:

100-150$ WOW I read that and just had to respond. I can't imagien prices are that different in Bogota from Barranquilla. I frequently hired bands my last trip, maybe 10 times. Cost me no more than 10$ for an hour and 5 guys.

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Amigagringa says on Jan 27, 2006, 14:42:

Serenades If there is something I miss about Colombia is the serenades.
Your first serenade is given to you by your parents on your 15th birthday.
I hope they never loose that tradition is so beautiful

Amigagringa

Amigagringa

0 funny, 0 helpful.