Siembra

{{short description|1978 studio album by Willie Colón & Rubén Blades}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Siembra | type = studio album | artist = Willie Colón and Rubén Blades | cover = Rubén Blades & Willie Colón - Siembra.png | alt = | released = {{Start date|df=yes|1978|09|7}} | recorded = 1977–1978 | venue = | studio = La Tierra<br>New York City | genre = Salsa | length = {{Duration|m=43|s=45}} | language = {{hlist|English|Spanish}} | label = Fania | producer = {{hlist|Willie Colón|Jerry Masucci|Johnny Pacheco}} | prev_title = Metiendo Mano! | prev_year = 1977 | next_title = Canciones del Solar de los Aburridos | next_year = 1981 | misc = {{Singles | name = Siembra | type = Studio | single1 = Siembra | single1date = 2 September 1978 | single2 = Pedro Navaja | single2date = 19 March 1979 | single3 = Plástico | single3date = 24 June 1979 }} }} '''''Siembra''''' ({{Translation|"Sow"}}) is the second collaborative studio album by Panamanian singer and songwriter Rubén Blades and Puerto Rican-American singer and Willie Colón as producer. It was released through Fania Records on 7 September 1978. It was the best selling salsa album in the history of salsa music.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1ISQkQtaJg ''Pedro Navaja': el éxito de Rubén Blades ¿fue rechazado por Fania?''] Salserísimo Perú. At 4:40/10:39 mins. 11 May 2020. Accessed 17 September 2021.</ref><ref name="Sales"/><ref name="Sales2">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CS49AAAAYAAJ&q=Siembra|publisher=Enslow Publishers|title=Rubén Blades: Salsa Singer and Social Activist|access-date=August 2, 2023|first=Bárbara|last=Cruz|date=1997|isbn=9780894908934 |quote=Their album Siembra, produced in 1978, is considered to be the best - selling salsa album in history, selling over 3 million copies}}</ref> The album was recorded by Jerry Masucci and Johnny Pacheco at the La Tierra Sound Studios between 1977 and 1978.

==Background== ''Siembra'' is the second of five collaborative duo albums produced by Rubén Blades and Willie Colón. During its time, it was the best-selling salsa record in history.<ref name="billboard">{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OBYEAAAAMBAJ&q=best+selling+salsa+album+siembra&pg=PA46|title=Home to the Music|date=July 8, 2006|magazine=Billboard |pages=46|accessdate=2009-10-25}}</ref><ref name="TIME">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,926688,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101029134919/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,926688,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 29, 2010|title=Music: The Keen Edge of Rub|date=July 2, 1984|magazine=TIME|accessdate=2009-10-25}}</ref> It has sold over three million copies worldwide,<ref>{{cite book|title=A Genre Approach to Celebrity Politics|chapter=The Harvard Lawyer vs the Bad Boy from the Bronx: Explaining the Political Performance Gaps between Rubén Blades and Willie Colón (Abstract)|quote=Siembra was also a best-selling album for a salsa record, with 3 million copies sold around the world|last=Ribke|first=Nahuel|chapter-url=https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9781137409393_5|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|location=Londres|page=75|year=2015|doi=10.1057/9781137409393_5|isbn=978-1-137-40939-3|accessdate=2020-05-10}}</ref> and almost all of its songs were hits in various Latin American countries. With its rousing social commentary and unconventional sound, "Siembra" remains one of the most original and influential works in that genre.<ref name="LA TIMES">{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/1184965941.html?dids=1184965941:1184965941&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+23%2C+2006&author=Agustin+Gurza&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=It%27s+Fania+salsa+remastered%2C+with+a+true+kick&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130131224301/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/1184965941.html?dids=1184965941:1184965941&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+23,+2006&author=Agustin+Gurza&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=It's+Fania+salsa+remastered,+with+a+true+kick&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 31, 2013|title=It's Fania salsa remastered, with a true kick|date= December 23, 2006|work=Los Angeles Times|accessdate=2009-10-25 | first=Agustin | last=Gurza}}</ref> Blades' "Pedro Navaja," a song that he fashioned after Bertolt Brecht's "Threepenny Opera," is considered one of this greatest songs.<ref name="Sun">{{cite web|url=http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/features/arts/music/blog/2008/07/siembra_by_willie_colon_and_ru.html|title="Siembra," by Willie Colón and Rubén Blades, turns 30|work=Sun Sentinel|accessdate=2009-10-25}}</ref>

==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1Score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name ="allmusic">{{cite web|last=Bush|first=John|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=siembra-r102170/review|pure_url=yes}}|title=Siembra: Review|work=AllMusic|publisher=Rovi|accessdate=2010-11-24}}</ref> | rev2 = ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' | rev2score = {{rating|4|5}}{{r|larkin}} | rev3 = ''MusicHound World'' | rev3score = {{rating|4|5}}{{r|mh}} }} John Bush of AllMusic praised the composition of the songs by Blades as well the arrangements by Colón. Bush emphasizes the use of disco arrangements at the beginning of the first track, "Plástico", until Colón's band "slip into a devastating salsa groove". He also praised Blade's vocals, noting his high-tenor voice on "Buscando Guayaba" and tender tones on "Dime".<ref name="allmusic"/> The album was inducted into the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|title=Latin GRAMMY Hall Of Fame|url=http://www.latingrammy.com/en/node/21336|website=Latin Grammy Award|publisher=Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences|accessdate=August 19, 2014|year=2007}}</ref> It was listed in the book ''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die''.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060113075534/http://www.rocklistmusic.co.uk/steveparker/1001albums.htm 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die]}}</ref> In 2024, it was ranked in first position on the “Los 600 de Latinoamérica” list compiled by a collective of music journalists, highlighting the top 600 Latin American albums from 1920 to 2022.<ref>[https://www.600discoslatam.com/discos/estados-unidos/siembra-willie-colon-ruben-blades/ Los 600 de Latinoamérica]</ref><ref>[https://www.panoramacultural.com.co/musica-y-folclor/10034/abisaja-ruben-blades-el-intelectual-de-la-salsa ¡Abisajá!: Rubén Blades, el intelectual de la Salsa]</ref> The album was ranked number one of the 50 greatest salsa albums of all time by ''Rolling Stone'' Magazine in October 2024.<ref name=rs-salsa>{{citation |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-salsa-albums-1235139298/ |title=The 50 Greatest Salsa Albums of All Time |work=Rolling Stone |author=Ernesto Lechner |date=2024-10-30 |access-date=2024-10-31}}</ref>

==In pop culture== The song "Buscando Guayaba" was featured in the 1988 Disney animated film ''Oliver & Company''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Oliver & Company OST - 10 - Buscando Guayaba|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdV3HCQ1NVI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/JdV3HCQ1NVI |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|website=YouTube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Once Upon A Time In New York City: Oliver & Company's Director George Scribner! – Animated Views|url=https://animatedviews.com/2009/once-upon-a-time-in-new-york-city-oliver-companys-director-george-scribner/|access-date=2025-11-30|language=en-US|first=Jérémie|last=Noyer|date=February 3, 2009}}</ref>

==Track listing== {{track listing | all_writing = Rubén Blades, except where noted | headline = ''Siembra'' track listing | extra_column = Producer(s) | title1 = Plástico | length1 = 6:37 | writer1 = Rubén Blades | title2 = Buscando Guayaba | length2 = 5:43 | writer2 = Rubén Blades | title3 = Pedro Navaja | length3 = 7:21 | writer3 = Rubén Blades | title4 = María Lionza | length4 = 5:27 | writer4 = Rubén Blades | title5 = Ojos | length5 = 4:50 | writer5 = Johnny Ortiz | title6 = Dime | length6 = 6:59 | writer6 = Rubén Blades | title7 = Siembra | length7 = 5:21 | writer7 = Rubén Blades | total_length = 43:45 }}

==Personnel== *Willie Colón: Album Producer, music director, Chorus Ensemble, Trombone *Rubén Blades: Composer, Songwriter, Lead Vocals, Chorus Ensemble *Jon Fausty: Audio Engineer, Recording Schemes, Mixing *Kevin Zambrana: Asst. Audio Engineer * Leopoldo Pineda: Trombone * Jose Rodriguez: Trombone * Angel (Papo) Vazquez: Trombone * Sam Burtis: Trombone *José Torres: Piano, Fender Rhodes, Electric Piano *José Mangual Jr: Bongos, Maracas, Chorus Ensemble *Jimmy Delgado: Timbal *Adalberto Santiago: Percussion, Chorus Ensemble *Eddie Montalvo: Tumbadora, Percussion *Johnny Ortiz: songwriter ''(Ojos)'' *Bryan Brake: Drums ''(Plástico)'' *Salvador Cuevas: Bass *Eddie Rivera: Bass *Jerry Masucci: Executive Producer

== Sales == {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Venezuela|nocert=true|salesamount=500,000|salesref=<ref name="Sales">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l76_BwAAQBAJ&dq=Siembra&pg=PT77|work=A Genre Approach to Celebrity Politics|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|title=Willie Colón: discovering Latin America from left to right|access-date=August 2, 2023|first=Nahuel|last=Ribke|date=2015|isbn=9781137409393 |quote=Siembra, in comparison, sold 500,000 copies in Venezuela alone, reaching a total number of 3,000,000 albums sold worldwide}}</ref>}} {{End}}

==References== <references>

<ref name=larkin>{{cite book|author=Colin Larkin|author-link=Colin Larkin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|edition=3rd|volume=II|date=1998|publisher=Muze|page=1180{{ndash}}1|isbn=0-333-74134-X|chapter=Colón, Willie|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofpo02lark/page/1180/}}</ref>

<ref name=mh>{{cite book|editor=Adam McGovern|title=MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide|date=2000|publisher=Visible Ink Press|page=169{{ndash}}171|isbn=1-57859-039-6|chapter=Willie Colón|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/musichoundworlde00mcgo/page/169/}}</ref>

</references>

Category:1978 collaborative albums Category:Fania Records albums Category:Willie Colón albums Category:Rubén Blades albums Category:Latin Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients Category:Salsa albums Category:1970s Spanish-language albums Category:Albums produced by Willie Colón

Siembra

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