Movida Madrileña Makes For Great YouTubing

Kate Richardson | April 24, 2008 4:30 am

almodovar.jpg
In light of Clevertrousers’ comment earlier today, I thought it might be fun to take a look at what was going on in the Madrid music scene back during the Movida Madrileña, a cultural movement in the years directly following the death of Franco when Spanish people basically freaked the F out (i.e. lots of drugs, sex, and drag). At the forefront of this movement were people like Pedro Almodóvar (surprise surprise) and his singing parter Fanny McNamara, who possessed precious little musical talent, but more than made up for it with campy theatrics. These days Almodóvar y McNamara (as the duo was known) are good for two things: fodder for crusty Spanish art professors to wax poetic about the Movida (I’ve experienced this first hand), and YouTube videos.

“Voy a ser mamá”

Probably one of the best of their songs available on YouTube music-wise. You know there’s something special about a country when this is how they instinctively react to freedom after thirty plus years of repression.

“Monja jamón”

Translates to “Nun ham.” Probably my personal favorite simply because of the amazing background documentary footage, which combines Spain’s two biggest cultural attributes: Catholicism and ham. These days religion is kind of on the back burner here, but ham remains God-like in the Spanish mentality, I can assure you.

“Gran ganga”

Another slightly-less-musically-dubious track. It’s actually pretty catchy, plus Almodóvar looks like a tranny pirate.

“Suck it to me” (Clip from Almodóvar’s Labertino de Pasiones)

Thankfully there were also more legitimate bands coming out of the Movida, perhaps the most important of which (or at least the one I hear about most often) being Nacha Pop.

“Chica de ayer”

The music says ’70s easy listening, but the vocals say New Wave. Que moderno.

“Relojes en la oscuridad”

Woops, somebody gave Nacha Pop the keys to the synthesizer room.