Musical Monday: Flor de Mayo (Spn / Eng)
Greetings and happy week. As May 2025 draws to a close, a month in which we celebrate a perhaps forgotten anniversary in my country, Venezuela. I'm referring to May Flower Day, a holiday that falls on May 23rd every year. This celebration has existed since 1951, when the orchid, specifically the Cattleya mossiae, was chosen as the National Flower. I had also forgotten that day, but yesterday morning I was listening to a radio program, and they remembered this anniversary with songs that in one way or another refer to the May Flower. They played a tune that immediately took me back in time, to my childhood, when we would go on family trips and Mom and Dad would play music in the car. This tune is called “Flor de Mayo”, and I want to share with you four versions of this musical beauty, here, on MUSICAL MONDAY, the wonderful initiative created by @eugelys, where we can share our memories and musical experiences.
La canción “Flor de Mayo” fue escrita y compuesta por el maestro Otilio Galíndez, aunque fue dada a conocer en 1978 por otro maestro, Simón Díaz. Luego se grabaron más versiones de esta bella tonada, todas muy hermosas, pero en lo personal, la que más me gusta es la del Tío Simón. La letra de esta canción no hace referencia a la orquídea, como Flor Nacional, sino que es una tonada de ordeño, en donde Flor de Mayo es una vaca, aunque también habla de la sabana y el campo. Pero aún con la sencillez, esta poema hecho canción es una joya, tanto en letra como en música. Dicho lo anterior, veamos mis cuatro canciones de hoy.
The song "Flor de Mayo" was written and composed by the master Otilio Galíndez, although it was released in 1978 by another master, Simón Díaz. Later, more versions of this beautiful tune were recorded, all very beautiful, but personally, the one I like the most is the one by Tío Simón. The lyrics of this song do not refer to the orchid, like national flower, but rather it is a milking tune, where Flor de Mayo is a cow, although it also talks about the savannah and the countryside. But even with its simplicity, this poem-turned-song is a gem, both in lyrics and music. That said, let's look at my four songs for today..
Mis canciones para este Musical Monday / My songs for this Musical Monday
I'm starting with SIMÓN DÍAZ's 1978 version of "Flor de Mayo." Here, you can hear Uncle Simón's beautiful voice, both clear and powerful, making this milking tune unforgettable. As I mentioned, this was one of the songs that made up the soundtrack of my childhood trips. Dad always had music playing in his cars, and back then, he used cassettes that he recorded himself. This song was on several of these cassettes. Here I share the audio of this beautiful tune.
The second version of "Flor de Mayo" that I will share is performed by the singer CECILIA TODD, another beautiful Venezuelan voice, about whom I will write a post later. I remember that on more than one occasion I was able to enjoy this beautiful tune live, in concert, in the voice of Cecilia Todd, and also in the voice of LILIA VERA, although I think I heard it more in Cecilia Todd's concerts and very rarely in those of Lilia Vera. In any case, both sang it very well. Below I leave you a presentation that Cecilia Todd did in 2015, interpreting this beautiful melody, and I also leave you the audio of the version made by Lilia Vera.
Y ya finalizando este bonito MUSICAL MONDAY, les he traído una versión de “Flor de Mayo” en la voz de la cantante venezolana FABIOLA JOSÉ. A continuación el video de una presentación en vivo, del año 2008, en Argentina, en donde esta tonada se enriquece por el uso de otros instrumentos, además de que es interpretada con mucha emotividad.
And to end this emotional and beautiful MUSICAL MONDAY, I share with you another tune, whose lyrics are also by ALBERTO ARVELO TORREALBA and the music by SIMÓN DÍAZ, the beautiful “ARBOLITO SABANERO” (SAVANNAH LITTLE TREE), a song that my dad and mom loved because it is poetry made into a song, and that also accompanied us on our trips. Here you can also appreciate the great voice of LILIA VERA. Here I leave you the audio of this unique piece
Esta ha sido mi participación de esta semana para esta estupenda iniciativa de @eugelys, compartiendo con todos ustedes parte de mis recuerdos de infancia, así como cuatro versiones de la bella tonada FLOR DE MAYO
This has been my participation this week for this wonderful initiative by @eugelys, sharing with all of you some of my childhood memories, as well as four versions of the beautiful tune FLOR DE MAYO
- La foto de portada está adecuadamente identificada // The cover photo is properly identified
- Los divisores son de libre uso y se pueden encontrar / Dividers are free to use and can be found:
Todo el contenido, (excepto la foto de portada, los enlaces de YouTube y los divisores), es de mi propiedad y está sujeto a derechos de autor // All content (except the cover photo, YouTube links and dividers), is my property and subject to copyrigh
Delegations welcome!
Que bonita tradición de su país espero que nunca quede en el olvido amiga y siempre sea un buen motivo para celebrar, un fuerte abrazo y feliz inicio de semana
Las tradiciones sirven de anclaje para la cultura y la identidad, y sí, la Flor de Mayo es una celebración muy linda, que lamentablemente se ha ido perdiendo, espero que de ahora en más tenga un nuevo empuje y se mantenga.
Muchas gracias por pasar a leer y comentar.
¡Que tengas una estupenda semana!
Es genial cuando la musica forma parte de la cultura de un lugar ,persona o fecha , espero que siga manteniendose asi, saludos
La música tiene la capacidad no sólo de hacer que las emociones humanas se exalten, también puede amalgamar las diversas expresiones artísticas, y si tienen raíces culturales, es aún mejor. Muchas gracias por tu visita y bonito comentario.
Que tengas una gran semana!