Barry White: una música inolvidable de los 80 (Esp | Eng)

En mis años de adolescente, por la década del 70, crecí escuchando la música que mi hermana, estudiante de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, traía en discos de 45 rpm. Y cuando retornaba a Cumaná, los ponía en su pequeño tocadiscos portátil y yo bailaba con ella. Así, crecí escuchando a los Beatles, a los Rolling Stones, a Creedence (la inolvidable "Down on the corner"), a Elton John, a los Bee Gees, entre otros músicos y grupos, los cuales se grabaron en mi espíritu.

Mi juventud transcurrió en los años 80 y parte de los 90, en primer lugar, saboreando y bailando "salsa" (la que luego se adjetivaría como "salsa brava", para diferenciarla de una edulcorada que llamaban "salsa erótica", con un adjetivo poco apropiado).

Pero también había otra música; nunca fui muy inclinado a la denominada "música disco", pero hubo un músico —compositor y cantante— que me atrajo, si bien no tuve con su música una relación tan vital como con otros. Hablo de Barry White, en quien he reparado a propósito de que se cumplieron el 12 de septiembre 80 años de su nacimiento (12/09/1944).

Algo de Barry White sonaba en mis sentidos, pues su música tenía mucho de "alma" o "sentimiento", que en palabras inglesas quizás tengan más significación para los lectores: soul y feeling. Ese afroamericano, de una estatura y complexión casi exuberante, con cabello abundante y una voz grave, nos atraía, y más, nos hacía bailar.

El soul, como se identificó a la música hecha por afroamericanos a partir de los 60, que tuvo exponentes tan especiales como Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Stewie Wonder, por citar a tres grandes, con Barry White tuvo otro derrotero que durante algún tiempo nos atrajo.

Ya finalizando el siglo XX, creo que en 1998, fue transmitida en algún canal de la televisión venezolana, la serie Ally McBeal, por la que pudimos refrescar parte de la música de Barry White.

Creo que a Barry White y a su aporte a la música contemporánea, sea comercial o no, vale la pena rendir tributo, y es lo que intento en este post. Para lo cual les comparto algunas de sus composiciones e intervenciones, que, por supuesto, muchos de ustedes conocerán.

Rapsody in White (Rapsodia en blanco)

Just The Way You Are (Tal como eres)

You’re The First, My Last, My Everything (Eres la primera, la última, mi todo)

Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe (No puedo tener suficiente de tu amor, nena)

Referencias:
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_White

![Click here to read in english]

Barry White: Unforgettable Music from the 80s

In my teenage years, in the 70s, I grew up listening to the music that my sister, a student at the Central University of Venezuela, brought back on 45 rpm records. And when she returned to Cumaná, she would play them on her small portable record player and I would dance with her. Thus, I grew up listening to the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Creedence, Elton Jones, the Bee Gees, among other musicians and groups, which were recorded in my spirit.
My youth was spent in the 80s and part of the 90s, first of all, tasting and dancing "salsa" (which would later be described as "salsa brava", to differentiate it from a sweetened one that they called "erotic salsa", with an inappropriate adjective).
But there was also other music; I was never very inclined to the so-called "disco music", but there was a musician - composer and singer - who attracted me, although I did not have such a vital relationship with his music as with others. I am talking about Barry White, whom I noticed on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of his birth on September 12 (09/12/1944).
Something of Barry White sounded in my senses, because his music had a lot of "soul" or "feeling", which in English words may have more meaning for readers: soul and <bfeeling. This African American, of an almost exuberant height and complexion, with abundant hair and a deep voice, attracted us, and more, made us dance.
Soul, as the music made by African Americans from the 60s onwards was identified, and which had such special exponents as Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Stewie Wonder, to name three greats, with Barry White had another path that attracted us for some time.
Towards the end of the 20th century, I think in 1998, the series Ally McBeal(https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ally_McBeal) was broadcast on some Venezuelan television channel, through which we were able to refresh some of Barry White's music.
I think that Barry White and his contribution to contemporary music, whether commercial or not, are worth paying tribute to, and that is what I am trying to do in this post. For which I am sharing with you some of his compositions and interventions, which, of course, many of you will know.

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