Random Music: "Cuando Canto" by Ozomatli

I first heard this band when a friend of mine let me rifle through a stack of promotional CDs he took home from his stint in radio and publications. (Trust me, those folks get a TON of freebies.) I don't know what it was that led me to take the CD. Perhaps it was my strong, yet budding, interest in Latin and Latin-influenced music. Perhaps it was because it was free and, let's face it, who am I to turn down a gift? Whatever the reason, I took it. And I played it. Over and over again. I was not only left speechless by the mixture of musical styles but also by the talents of the musicians, the power of the words, and the emotion in the songs.

But who is Ozomatli?

Ozomatli is hard to explain. So I'll let Wikipedia get into the weeds for me. I can say that their music defies categorizations at times and that they are one of the more obviously activist bands performing today. If you've ever seen Never Been Kissed, then maybe you remember the club scene ... the one with the "special brownies". No? It starts around the 4:05 mark on this YouTube video. The band performing onstage? Ozomatli.

Okay then.

I've been a fan of the band since my first listen. Their music is powerful. And catchy. And fun. Of the many songs of theirs that I wanted to post, one kept coming to the forefront of my mind. It's not their most upbeat tune. It's not their most political tune. But the music is incredibly moving. And the words, I believe, echo the sentiments of a great number of people out there:

Cuando canto mi canción quero inspirar mi gente con una solución
Cuando desperto en la mañana sé que tengo el poder para un dia triumfar
Cuando me acuesto en la noche puedo mirar estrellas que me dan esperanza
Cuando sueño en la madrugada ojala que mi trabajo no es temporal
Cuando demuestro mi corazón con mis aciones puedes entender que no soy hombre perfecto no soy pero trato mucho, trato decidir lo mas major para el mundo y lo pongo en una canción
Cuando canto mi canción

Roughly translated:

When I sing my song, I want to inspire my people with a solution.
When I wake up in the morning, I know that I have the power for any triumph.
When I go to bed at night, I can see the stars that give me hope.
When I dream in the early morning, I hope that my work is not temporary.
When I show my heart through my actions, you can understand that I am not a perfect man. I am not, but I try to make the best decisions for the world and I put it in a song,
When I sing my song.