So…this meme was making the rounds (again) on Facebook in recent weeks and I went back to check what the #1 song was during my birth week in 1972 and it was Gilbert O’Sullivan’s “Alone Again, Naturally.”
By sheer coincidence, I had just picked up a Spanish-language version of the song from Amoeba the other week (and believe me when I say: I very rarely find much by way of good used records from Amoeba). It’s on a 7″ EP of four songs, from a band that I think is Guatemalan in origin:
Opus 3: Otra Vez Solo + Sanson Y Daila
From 7″ (Omega, 197?)
Converted to Spanish here, “Otra Vez Solo” isn’t a huge departure from Sullivan’s original but there are these small changes which catch your attention, such as that spooky organ that’s mixed into the background. And the lead singer hits the right tone to match Sullivan’s laconic style.
The surprise for me came on the quality of the rest of the EP, especially the jaunty, jangling “Sanson Y Daila” which I presume is an instrumental cover of a vocal song. Overall, a fun and snappy tune, like a dessert you weren’t expecting to get but completes the meal perfectly.
chatter