Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. That’s what I kept hearing from the backseat as we drove to the beach, hoping to find some relief from the September, 100 degree midday sun. I had wanted to share Cat & Mouse with my granddaughter, since the first time I heard it last December, so I popped Glad Christmas Tidings into the CD player. Was there a more perfect song to share with a 4yr. old? Next up was Gesu Bambino. She liked them both. Then came Los Pastores a Belén. Again. And again. Anddddd again. I looked back in the mirror to see her mouth forming the words, not yet singing out loud. I started to sing (sorry, David!) and we were into the EY EYYY EYYYYS and LA LAA LAAAAS before we hit the parking lot.
When it came time to leave, she asked for Los Pastores again. She asked me to pronounce the name, carefully repeating each syllable after me. Having taken 4 years of high school Spanish a number of years ago (!!!!), I felt confident in my pronunciation. She repeated it perfectly. (She also counted to 10 in English, Spanish, French and Italian…show off!)
I tried to slip a Silent Night in there, “Grandma, that’s too slow (sorry, Richard, Sam and David), Los Pastores a Belén again!” She was really curious about what the song meant and asked me for a translation, commenting that there were 2 girls in her class who spoke Spanish. I could detect a slight hit of jealousy in her tiny little voice that her friends knew something she didn’t so I promised to pull up a google translation when we got home.
Once we arrived, she burst through the door, wanting to share her new favorite song with her mom, dad, little brother and her other grandmother. She insisted we all pile into my car (a lovely silvery grey color like my hair, hence we call it The Granny Mobile, lol) to give it a listen. My sound system is excellent, so it’s a great place to hear a song for the very first time. My daughter-in-law, son and Grandma D loved it while the lil bro occupied himself with the knobs, buttons and steering wheel.
After numerous listens, we went inside where she asked to see it on YouTube. Finally, for the first time, I got to share with my family what I had experienced last December, something I had waited 10 months to do. She couldn’t take her eyes off the video and neither could my daughter-in-law. I often wonder if David knows his music is the soundtrack of our lives, if he knows that his music creates lifelong memories that binds families together, if he knows that shared music between generations is a seldom occurrence and a precious gift?
I told her I might be seeing David in concert. She made me promise to tell David she loved his song. I told her, “Tell him yourself. If he has a show near us, I’ll take you to meet him, would you like that?”
The lyrics:
Los pastores a belén
Corren presurosos
Llevan de tanto correr
Los zapato rotos
Hay hay hay
Que alegres van
Hay hay hay si volverán
Con la pan pan pan
Con la pan
Con la pandereta
Y las castañuelas
Un pastor se tropezó
A media vereda y
Un borreguito grito:
Ese aquí se queda!
Hay hay hay
Que alegres van
Hay hay hay
Si volverán
Con la pan pan pan
Con la pan
Con la pandereta
Y las castañuelas
La la laaaa
Los pastores a belen
Estan muy contento
Porque nació el Niño Dios
Un como ellos
Hay hay hay
Que alegres van
Hay hay hay
Si volverán
Con la pan pan pan
Con la pan
Con la pandereta
Y las castañuelas
Laa Lala lalala lalalalaaaaaa!
Los Pastores a Belén always makes me think of my audiophile, Jewish, male friend. He talks a lot about Los Pastores a Belén, having it on repeat as well since the song came out.. What is it about music that crosses age, gender and religious lines? What is it about music that turns an ordinary drive to the beach into a memorable occasion? Share your own stories of connection in the comments below.
Special note: The lovely omygoshashley pointed out that the violinist says “BRAVO” and the end of David’s performance. Check it out on your DVD, it’s a really sweet and genuine moment. Here’s a screencap as he turns to tell her thank you…
Love your story Janey! I especially love this line: “shared music between generations is a seldom occurrence and a precious gift”.
Though not quite as awesome experience as with your granddaughter, I remember coming home from the American Idol 7 show at the Staples center with my then 12 year old son belting out from the back seat “It’s tooo late to apologize, it’s to laaaaaaaate” all the way home.
ArchieFanDoc(Quote)
Just heard from my d-i-l. That night, my granddaughter went around the house wanting to know the Spanish word for a bunch of things, how cool is that? I love how music opens doors and educates.
Heya Doc, I remember that story about your son and Apologize…nice memory
janey(Quote)
wow, that is truly beautiful, Janey! <3333 Connecting across generations through David's music, so lovely.
Los Pastores is actually one of the few MoTab songs I can listen to in public, lol, TCATMC, GB and of course SN make me burst into tears every.single.time. Los Pastores just makes my cheeks hurt from smiling!
TOfan(Quote)
This morning I thought I had my odd weepy-ness from yesterday under control. And now this! Thanks a lot Janey!! Seriously, this is a beautiful story (hence the tear ducts!) and how I would love it for David to know, to really know how special his gift is. Loved your statement “shared music between generations is a seldom occurrence and a precious gift.” Your granddaughter sounds like a very special little girl. And lastly, thanks for pointing out the violinist saying “Bravo” and David’s response. I have to watch again. <3
penciltopaper(Quote)
Such an adorable story. Thanks for sharing, Janey.
ozarko(Quote)
What a precious story, Janey! I have transportation duties for teen grandson today.. and while he is at a study group now, I stopped in at a internet cafe b/c I read AFD’s tweet (before I left home) to read your story. Your story reminds me of the days that I had 6 young grandchildren around, listening to various genres of music. Now that the youngest is 11 yo, I’m missing those days of interacting with the young and innocent! LOL
Thanks for bringing back cherished memories with your story… loved it!!! =)
PlatinumArchie(Quote)
For anyone who’s interested…I spent today with my granddaughter. As you can guess, she asked for Los Pastores again and again while we were driving. She told me she knew the entire song but wanted her friend, Hallie, whose first language is Spanish to come over, listen to it in my car with us and have us sing it all together just to be sure we’re pronouncing the words correctly. She’s a keeper, that one
janey(Quote)
So, what was Hallie’s verdict on your pronounciations?
ArchieFanDoc(Quote)
Doc, Hallie hasn’t been over yet, we’ll have to set a date soon.
janey(Quote)
She’s a keeper alright!
marc(Quote)
I’ll witness David singing this song in a few minutes. I’ve received my dvd! SO HAPPY! I thought I had to wait till October but here it is! I’m watching as I speak
frio(Quote)
Love this Janey :0) !!!!
I LOVE this song…so far my almost 6 year old has said it isnt for him BUT he is in love with Pat A Pan…and dances to it…so, I agree, My son and I can share a song that means something different to each of us but means one thing for he and I and that is we both love the same song!!!
Thank YOU David for singing songs that everyone can love together…
JenLeighBarry(Quote)
Btw, she greeted me with, “Hola Abuela” at the door yesterday. This song has really set something in motion for her. I have David to thank for getting her interested in Spanish.
janey(Quote)
Cute “Grandma” story, Janey….thanks for sharing! While I was visiting our daughter and family the week GCT came out, I popped the DVD in and our 4 yr old granddaughter asked “Is that David Archuleta?” LOL Unfortunately, they live a distance away and we don’t see them that often, but obviously somewhere along the way she’s learned who Grandma’s favorite singer is….just doing my job as a Grandma!!
JH(Quote)
Hmmm…that’s my previous avi, not the one I have now. Does anyone know how to change that?
JH(Quote)
Here is a video of my son dancing to Pat A Pan in the car…he loves the part when the song gets faster. Sadly he is not singing in the video but normally sings a long
.
JenLeighBarry(Quote)
Haha, Jen, I didn’t know that was your son! Cute!
janey(Quote)
janey that is a really nice story. I love that song, and pat a pan.
Dorothy(Quote)
This is the best interpretation of this “villancico”. Archuleta is a great artist and interpreter.
There are some spelling errors in the lyrics. Instead HAY HAY HAY should be AY AY AY.
Hay = There is. Is the third person singular.
Ay in Spanish is an interjection.
Angel Caba(Quote)
This song became a spot of joy for our family during the difficult Christmas of 2011. Our sixth child was born with a heart defect early in December and was in the NICU for a long time after Christmas. This was the one song that helped our family feel like it was still Christmas and that our baby boy would get better. I can listen to this song a year later and still feel the happiness I felt while I sang it to him in the NICU while he fought for his life. It helped erases the trauma of that time.
KW(Quote)