Album
Donna / La Bamba
1958 · Rock
4 collectors on Gatefold own this
Donna / La Bamba is a Rock album by Ritchie Valens, originally released in 1958. On Gatefold: 118 pressings tracked, owned by 4 collectors.
The Clerk says
The Clerk knows this whole record — the pressing quirks, the credits, the take.
Sound DNA
- Rock
- Rock & Roll
- raw
- celebratory
- summer
The ballad "Donna", an ode to Ritchie Valens' high school girlfriend, was the featured title on the original October 1958 release of this single, and reached #2 in the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1959.
The B-side, an upbeat, rock & roll reworking of the Mexican folk song "La Bamba", peaked at #22 in 1959, but became the featured title on reissues after the success of a 1987 Ritchie Valens biopic of the same name. The soundtrack used a faithful cover by Los Lobos (opens in a new tab) rather than Valens' original mono, unpolished recording. The Los Lobos version reached #1 in a half-dozen countries, and the Top 5 in a half-dozen more.
Since he had only spoken English since birth, Valens learned the lyrics of "La Bamba" phonetically from his grandmother.
Credits
The people behind it.
Production & Engineering
- Bob KanePRODUCER
- Bob KeenePRODUCER
- Bob KeeneRECORDED BY
Songwriting
- Ritchie Valens
- Traditional
- Valens
4 collectors on Gatefold own this · 118 pressings tracked on Gatefold
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