What are the key elements in hit songs for the Latin market?
When you listen to Elton John, let’s say “Yellow Brick Road” I’m just showing my age now. [laughs] Maybe Alanis Morrissette would be more appropriate! Elton says, “Hunting the horny-backed toad” and whatever, and “yellow brick road.” You don’t understand what he’s saying. You hear a beautiful melody. It was a huge hit for him. But you don’t know what the hell he’s saying unless you get the lyrics off of the record. In the Spanish music world, if you don’t understand every word, it’s not going to make it. It’s like country music, in other words. Exactly.You listen to Seal’s “Kiss From a Rose.” It’s hard to tell for half of the song what the hell he’s talking about. He kind of does that intentionally, from what I’ve read in his CD. That would never happen in the Spanish market.
