LA HISTORIA DE LOS TIGRES DEL NORTE

     Los Tigres del Norte all began with a man by the name of Jorge Hernández. He formed the band with his brothers Hernán, Eduardo and Luis, as well as his cousin Oscar Lara. The members varied over the years but there are currently five family members in the band today.
     Their name arose when an immigration official called the boys "little tigers" as they crossed the border, eventually bound for San Jose. (Reference)

In 1968, the band of young teens moved from Sinaloa, Mexico to San Jose, California in search of better means of supporting their family following an injury that prevented their father, D. Eduardo Hernández, from ranching any longer. The group began recording and were sponsored by a local record company, Discos Fama. At first, the group was only locally popular but once their hit song, "Contrabando y Traición" (1974) was heard by the public, their career began to skyrocket. The song, meaning Contraband and Betrayal, is about a couple of drug runners, Emilio Varela and Camelia la Texana. There had been occasional ballads (corridos) about the cross-border drug trade ever since Prohibition in the 1920s, but never a song as cinematic as this. It features a woman smuggler who shoots the man and takes off with the money. It hit big time on both sides of the border and began one of the most remarkable careers in Spanish-language music. (Reference)

Click here to watch a quick video with more history on Los Tigres del Norte!

MÚSICA NORTEÑA

Definition of norteño

noun

1. (plural norteños) an inhabitant or native of northern Mexico.

2. (also norteña) a style of folk music, associated particularly with northern Mexico and Texas, typically featuring an accordion and using polkas and other rhythms found in the music of central European immigrants.

(Oxford Dictionary)

The accordion and the bajo sexto are norteño's most characteristic instruments.

     The accordion is a box-shaped instrument that is played by compressing and expanding the bellows while pressing keys. When an accordionist presses the keys, the valves, called pallets, open and allow air to flow across the steel, called reeds. The reeds vibrate and produce a sound inside. (Reference)
     The bajo sexto is a Mexican string instrument with 12 strings in 6 double courses. This instrument creates a strong rhythm of a low pitch. (Reference)

     Los Tigres del Norte have been able to portray their lives in their music in a way that attracts many people across borderes. A plethora of their most popular songs consist of tales or corridos about life, love and the struggles of survival in an imperfect world. They often talk about narcotics and illegal immigration. These types of corridos are called, narcocorridos. (www.starpulse.com)
   
To watch a NPR video about narcocorridos, click here!

          In this NPR interview, Leila Cobo from Billboard Magazine, discusses why Los Tigres del Norte are so popular. She says they sing not only of heroes, but of antiheroes. Cobo describes the band as a Mexican group "whose music combines dance tunes with protest themes." Cobo also discusses how many of their songs have been banned by the Mexican government because they write very controversial lyrics. Los Tigres refer to their concerts as "dances." They want their fans to enjoy their time dancing while listening to their very important lyrics. To listen to the full interview, click here!

Definition of corridos

noun

a Mexican ballard or folksong about struggle against oppression and injustice

(Dictionary)

     Los Tigres del Norte have taken the century old tradition of ‘corrido' as an art form. They’ve made it their own mission to express the journies of many who have come to this country from different parts of the world seeking a better life for their families, but also to bring attention to the many challenges faced by working people. (Reference)
     Los Tigres have a huge variety of fans. People of all different countries love to listen to their music because they can relate to the stories they tell. Los Tigres create their songs to connect with their fans that share similar histories.
     In this article from NPR, written by Felix Contreras, he discusses how he was interested in writing an article about how the immigrants from Mexico and Central America are changing our country. Contreras wanted to travel with Los Tigres to a place where the members have never played before. To his surprise, the publicist could not find a single location where Los Tigres have not played once before. In other words, Los Tigres have played "wherever the immigrants were." Contreras was able to experience how the members of the band spend countless hours after their shows talking to their fans. He says, "Those after-show testimonials become elements of the next album." Los Tigres are extremely connected to their fans in a very personal way. The members of the band and their fans are able to share stories of "heartache, triumph, frustration and celebration." (Reference)

Click here to watch a video of Los Tigres and some of their dedicated fans. The video features their popular song "Tres Veces Mojado."

LISTEN TO THE LYRICS

Vivan Los Mojados (1976) -  Meaning "Long Live the Wetbacks." Wetbacks is a derogatory term used in the U.S. for a non-American foreigner, most often a Mexican illegal immigrant. This was one of the band's earlier attempts to send out messages about immigration to the public. Their message in this song was very straightforward, singing the lyrics: "You may try to stop us from coming in the U.S. but you won't because you need us. If we're gone, who will pick the onions, lettuce, and beets? You will lose your crops and beyond that, the dance halls will be empty." The band did not waste any time with subliminal messages. They wanted their audience to have a clear understanding of their feelings. Americans may feel they can't live with immigrants in their country, but they can't live without them either!


Listen Here!
(Reference)

Juala de Oro (1985) - This is one of their most well-known songs. The title translates to "Golden Cage," and tells the story of an undocumented worker in the United States. He swam across the border ten years prior, however, still does not have his papers. His wife and kids have long since forgotten about Mexico, while he longs to return yet cannot; he asks his son if he would like to go back to Mexico, and his son responds, in English, "What are you talking about, Dad? I don't want to go back to Mexico -- no way, Dad!"

Listen Here!
(Reference)

Los Hijos de Hernandez (1986) - This is a song about Mexican immigrants and their children who have fought for their lives in the United States. These immigrants have become a part of the U.S. armed forces and supported our country, even though it is not their homeland. This shows how dedicated and strong these people are because they are willing to sacrifice their lives to not only come to the United States, but to fight for our country as well.

Listen Here!

Tres Veces Mojado (2006) - This song is based on the struggles of immigrants coming from Central America. These immigrants were escaping poverty and civil war in El Salvador. Not only did they have to cross in to the U.S. illegally, but they had to pass through Guatemala and Mexico. In this song they honor those who have struggled to cross into the United States, just as they did.

Listen Here!
(Reference)

Mis Dos Patrias  (2008) - This song represents the upbringing of a child of two Mexican immigrants. In the song, the main character defends his decision to become naturalized as a way to receive his benefits. He does not want to be considered what some in Mexico will call "Un Malinchista," meaning a traitor to his own. He is still Mexican but lives in the United States.

Listen Here!

AL OTRO LADO: TO THE OTHER SIDE

     Los Tigres del Norte were featured in the documentary film, Al Otro Lado: To the Other Side. This film was based on songs, drugs and dreams along the U.S./Mexico border. The film follows Magdiel, an aspiring corrido composer from the biggest drug capital of Mexico. He faces difficulty when it comes to choosing a path for his life; to traffic drugs or to cross the border illegally into the United States. 

Click here to watch the trailer.

Los Tigres del Norte's main member, Jorge Hernández was interviewed on the groups decision to be featured in this film:

Q: Why did you decide to participate in the film "Al Otro Lado"? What message do you hope Mexicans, Mexican Americans and non-Mexican Americans get out of the film?

A: We participated because we found that this documentary offered an opportunity to yet again express the truth — the truth of Los Tigres del Norte. I had the good fortune of meeting Ms. Almada, who approached us and shared her vision for the documentary with us, and we found it to be a good vehicle to express the truth of all our fellow Mexican citizens who wish to come to this country.
As for the message, I would like all immigrants to be aware of the huge risks that are present when one leaves their homeland, and to affirm that the danger is not a myth, it is real. (Reference)


     In this article in the New York Times, the author Jon Pareles discusses how Los Tigres del Norte have "weightier topics in mind" to sing about. In the documentary, Los Tigres are featured singing in one of their concerts as their fans cheer while they sing the lyrics: "They've yelled at me a thousand times to return to my country/ because there is no room for me here/ I'd like to remind the gringos/ I didn't cross the border, the border crossed me/ America was born free, man divided it."
     Pareles says the documentary continuously "crosses the border to present music that's inseparable from social conditions, particularly the poverty and unemployment in Mexico that lead some people to try to emigrate and others to the quick, dangerous profits of crime." "Al Otro Lado" really shows the struggles these people have undergone for their lives. They dream of coming to America for better lives, but more often than not, the journey to arrive here and stay here is a struggle they underestimate.
     The author creates the parallel between "gangsta rap" and the narcocorridos created by Mexican-American musicians. He says both genres touch upon crime as a way of survival. Pareles says both present tales of "desperation and violence." The author makes the connection of most rappers promising to "keep it real," while several norteño artists promise to "speak without lies." It is interesting to see how common it is for musicians to sing about the reality of their lives. If you listen to the lyrics that an artist creates, you can discover their struggles. (Reference)

CONCIERTOS Y PREMIOS

The band has won five Latin Grammy awards and sold 32 million records so far.

Click here to view a list of Los Tigres del Norte's greatest accomplishments!

To see the band's upcoming concerts and purchase tickets, click here!

Los Tigres are known for their incredible concerts and outstanding encores. They have performed encores that have lasted more than an hour and a half long. To view a video of the band performing, click here!

     

LOS IDOLOS DEL PUEBLO Y LOS JEFES DE JEFES

Los Tigres del Norte, were also known as Los Idolos del Pueblo and Los Jefes de Jefes throughout their career. Both of those names are very positive names, showing that people look at them as idols, leaders and bosses.
The members of Los Tigres have tried to maintain a positive image while singing about serious issues like the drug trades and criminal activity involving drugs. They sing about these topics but in a way that make people of aware of what is going on in the world rather than glamorizing these things. This has led to them being respected by the public because they are genuine. They don't waste their time singing about an unrealistic world and we feel that people appreciate this about them. Their popularity has become international, spreading to countries all over. The genre that they created, Norteño, has also become an international genre.
(Reference)