Marvin Santiago
Encyclopedia
Marvin Santiago was a Puerto Rican
salsa
singer who became famous all across Latin America during the 1970s. He was also a part-time comedian
on Puerto Rican television. His brother, Billiván Santiago, had some success in Puerto Rico as a plena
singer.
public housing project in his youth; he was eventually nicknamed "El Grifo de Canales" ("The kinky-haired, fair-skinned-one of Nemesio Canales") by close friends and fans. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at a young age.
During his youth, Santiago would participate in jam sessions in his neighborhood, as well as in school talent shows, as both a singer and a comedian. Later he became a member of an orchestra led by Roberto Valdés.
With Rafael Cortijo
Santiago was originally groomed as a bolero
singer (a genre he didn't feel comfortable with) and was a struggling salsa singer with Valdes. He was hired on short notice by Rafael Cortijo
, during the "Cortijo y Su Bonche" days, to cover for Camilo Azuquita, who had left his band. He toured the Dominican Republic
, New York City
and Chicago
with Cortijo's band. On an impulse, he decided to base himself in Chicago and play alternate occasional dates in San Juan.
One of the songs Santiago was forced to learn in a hurry was "Sorongo", written by Tite Curet Alonso
and arranged by Cortijo's pianist and arranger at the time, Jorge Millet. It followed a syncopated rhythm called mozambique, which Millet later used in various other songs.
Santiago remained with Cortijo until 1971, when he joined the orchestra led by Bobby Valentín
, another type 1 diabetic.
With Bobby Valentín
Their first LP, "Rompecabezas", ("Puzzle") sold well, and their second LP, "Soy Boricua" ("I'm a Boricua") is considered by many to be a salsa classic and an informal patriotic anthem for Puerto Ricans. That album's title song and the Tite Curet Alonso
-written "Pirata de la Mar" ("Pirate of the Seas"), both sung by Santiago, became major international hits.
Valentin was one of the original members of the Fania All-Stars
, an exclusive salsa conglomerate of Fania Records
musicians that showcased other performers such as Celia Cruz
, Rubén Blades
, Hector Lavoe
, Roberto Roena
and many others. Santiago would become an impromptu member of the group, and later a member in his own right.
Another strong hit by Valentín's band was "El jíbaro y la naturaleza", a nostalgia / protest song with environmental overtones, which featured Fania All-Stars member Barry Rogers
in a trombone solo.
Santiago and Valentín continued making hits together during \the 1970s until Valentín was forced to drop Santiago off his band due to Santiago's strong cocaine
addiction at the time.
(PRAS). PRAS was a rival to the Fania All-Stars. Santiago provided background vocals for the original PRAS lineup.
, consonance
and rhythm that was described once by Rubén Blades
this way: "(Rhythm-wise) Marvin is capable of fitting a Mack
truck
into a parking space where a Volkswagen Beetle
won't fit." He also used strong Puerto Rican figures of speech and slang
that eventually granted him the moniker of "El Sonero del Pueblo" (The People's Sonero).
He attained a major hit in Puerto Rico and Venezuela
with Cortijo's song "Fuego a la jicotea" ("(Light a) Fire to the Tortoise , a thinly-veiled ode to marijuana
. Other hits were newer versions of two Cortijo songs: "Al Son de la Lata (baila el chorizo)" and "Vasos de Colores". Santiago also had other original hits of his own, particularly "El Mangoneo" (a mozambique very much in the style of Cortijo's "Sorongo") and "La Picúa", a veiled homage to the female anatomy
.
possession. This was his second conviction, and the amount confiscated implied that he intended to distribute the drug. He served five out of nine years of a prison sentence. He became a born-again Christian in prison, and recorded an album, "Desde Adentro", behind bars. A minor hit spawned from the album was "Auditorio Azul" ("Blue Auditorium", based on the fact that Puerto Rico prison uniforms are usually blue in color). Blades visited him in prison, something for which Santiago would be eternally grateful to him.
groups such as the Puerto Rico-based Conjunto Quisqueya and Freddie Kenton orchestras, as well as new local talent such as Eddie Santiago
, Gilberto Santa Rosa
, and Frankie Ruiz
who popularized the so-called "romantic salsa", which eventually displaced more urban-based subject matter in salsa songs. Santiago, however, kept a busy schedule through the 1980s, making several Latin American and inter-Puerto Rico
tours and appearing on Puerto Rican television shows several times, often as a comedian in Luisito Vigoreaux
's television programs. Poor vocal coaching eventually affected Santiago's vocal cords, turning it raspier with time.
Santiago's health began to decline during the 1990s, but he still went on with his music, releasing "Donde lo Dejamos" ("Where we Left It") in 1992 alongside Valentin. Later on, a "greatest hits" album of his solo songs was released.
Santiago, who adopted Marvin Hagler
's "Marvelous" nickname (both because of their common first name and the fact that, at one time, his head was shaved bald like Hagler's), had begun conversations to join a Fania All-Stars comeback as a tribute to Celia Cruz by the summer of 2004, but then, he became severely ill.
, Santiago lost vision from one eye and suffered severe kidney
, heart
and liver
damage on the weeks prior to his death. At about noon (AST) on October 6, 2004, he died at a Bayamón
hospital. His funeral was well attended, with his brother Billyván paying a plena tribute to Marvin.
Santiago left a legacy of songs still heard and popular phrases still in current use in Puerto Rico. One phrase was an affirmation: "¡O-fi-cial!". Another was a stream of references to Puerto Rican towns: "¡Baya-móntate, Barran-quítate, Vega Bájate, Ad-júntate!", roughly translated to "get on, get out of the way, get down, get together!", mentioned along the names of Bayamón
, Barranquitas
, Vega Baja
and Adjuntas, Puerto Rico
. A third one was: "¡Linda melodía!", (Beautiful melody!), which he uttered when a musical arrangement was particularly complex or remarkable.
He also used code phrases to refer to drugs: "¡Guayacol
, con uña rallá!" was his code phrase for cocaine
, and "¡Acetileno
!" his reference for heroin. After his religious conversion, however, Marvin affirmed that the only substance in his life from that moment on, besides the insulin he needed daily for his diabetes, was "Cristomicina", a portmanteau of the name of Christ
and erythromycin
.
Urban band Calle 13
has recorded a version of "Sorongo" for an upcoming tribute to Tite Curet, to be released in December 2011.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
salsa
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
singer who became famous all across Latin America during the 1970s. He was also a part-time comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
on Puerto Rican television. His brother, Billiván Santiago, had some success in Puerto Rico as a plena
Plena
Plena is a folkloric genre native to Puerto Rico. Its creation was influenced by African and Spanish music.-History:The music is generally folkloric. The music's beat and rhythm are usually played using hand drums called panderetas, but also known as panderos or pleneras. The music is accompanied...
singer.
Early life
Santiago was born in San Juan. After residing in various neighborhoods in the Santurce subsection of the city he moved to the Nemesio CanalesNemesio Canales
Nemesio R. Canales was a Puerto Rican essayist, journalist, novelist, playwright, politician and activist who defended women's civil rights...
public housing project in his youth; he was eventually nicknamed "El Grifo de Canales" ("The kinky-haired, fair-skinned-one of Nemesio Canales") by close friends and fans. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at a young age.
During his youth, Santiago would participate in jam sessions in his neighborhood, as well as in school talent shows, as both a singer and a comedian. Later he became a member of an orchestra led by Roberto Valdés.
With Rafael CortijoRafael CortijoRafael Cortijo , was a Puerto Rican musician, orchestra leader, and composer.As a child, Cortijo became interested in Caribbean music and enjoyed the works of some of the era's most successful Plena music musicians...
Santiago was originally groomed as a boleroBolero
Bolero is a form of slow-tempo Latin music and its associated dance and song. There are Spanish and Cuban forms which are both significant and which have separate origins.The term is also used for some art music...
singer (a genre he didn't feel comfortable with) and was a struggling salsa singer with Valdes. He was hired on short notice by Rafael Cortijo
Rafael Cortijo
Rafael Cortijo , was a Puerto Rican musician, orchestra leader, and composer.As a child, Cortijo became interested in Caribbean music and enjoyed the works of some of the era's most successful Plena music musicians...
, during the "Cortijo y Su Bonche" days, to cover for Camilo Azuquita, who had left his band. He toured the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
with Cortijo's band. On an impulse, he decided to base himself in Chicago and play alternate occasional dates in San Juan.
One of the songs Santiago was forced to learn in a hurry was "Sorongo", written by Tite Curet Alonso
Tite Curet Alonso
Tite Curet Alonso was a renowned composer of over 2,000 salsa songs.- Early years :Born Catalino Curet Alonso in the southern town of Guayama in Puerto Rico. Alonso's mother was a seamtress and his father a Spanish teacher and musician in the band of Simon Madera...
and arranged by Cortijo's pianist and arranger at the time, Jorge Millet. It followed a syncopated rhythm called mozambique, which Millet later used in various other songs.
Santiago remained with Cortijo until 1971, when he joined the orchestra led by Bobby Valentín
Bobby Valentin
Bobby Valentin, also known as "El Rey del Bajo" , is a musician and salsa bandleader.-Early years:...
, another type 1 diabetic.
With Bobby ValentínBobby ValentinBobby Valentin, also known as "El Rey del Bajo" , is a musician and salsa bandleader.-Early years:...
Their first LP, "Rompecabezas", ("Puzzle") sold well, and their second LP, "Soy Boricua" ("I'm a Boricua") is considered by many to be a salsa classic and an informal patriotic anthem for Puerto Ricans. That album's title song and the Tite Curet AlonsoTite Curet Alonso
Tite Curet Alonso was a renowned composer of over 2,000 salsa songs.- Early years :Born Catalino Curet Alonso in the southern town of Guayama in Puerto Rico. Alonso's mother was a seamtress and his father a Spanish teacher and musician in the band of Simon Madera...
-written "Pirata de la Mar" ("Pirate of the Seas"), both sung by Santiago, became major international hits.
Valentin was one of the original members of the Fania All-Stars
Fania All-Stars
The Fania All-Stars was a musical ensemble established in 1968 by the composer, Johnny Pacheco, as a showcase for the musicians on the record label Fania Records, the leading salsa record company of the time.-Beginnings:...
, an exclusive salsa conglomerate of Fania Records
Fania Records
Fania Records was a New York based record label founded by Dominican-born composer and bandleader Johnny Pacheco and Italian-American lawyer Jerry Masucci in 1964. The label took its name from an old Cuban song by the singer Reinaldo Bolaño. Fania is known for its promotion of what has become...
musicians that showcased other performers such as Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz was a Cuban-American salsa singer, and was one of the most successful Salsa performers of the 20th century, having earned twenty-three gold albums...
, Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres...
, Hector Lavoe
Héctor Lavoe
Héctor Juan Pérez Martínez , better known as Héctor Lavoe, was a Puerto Rican salsa singer. Lavoe was born and raised in the Machuelito sector of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Early in his life, he attended a local music school and developed an interest inspired by Jesús Sánchez Erazo. He moved to New York...
, Roberto Roena
Roberto Roena
Roberto Roena is a salsa music percussionist, orchestra leader, and dancer. Roena was one of the original members of El Gran Combo Puerto Rican's first successful salsa music orchestra. He later became the leader of his own band, "Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound", arguably one of the best Latin...
and many others. Santiago would become an impromptu member of the group, and later a member in his own right.
Another strong hit by Valentín's band was "El jíbaro y la naturaleza", a nostalgia / protest song with environmental overtones, which featured Fania All-Stars member Barry Rogers
Barry Rogers
Barry Rogers was a salsa musician and jazz fusion trombonist.Born Barron W. Rogers in The Bronx, he descended from Polish Jews who came to New York City via London and was raised in Spanish Harlem...
in a trombone solo.
Santiago and Valentín continued making hits together during \the 1970s until Valentín was forced to drop Santiago off his band due to Santiago's strong cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
addiction at the time.
Solo career
Santiago went solo in 1977. In that year he had done some small work for another salsa conglomerate that featured Puerto Rican musicians exclusively, called the Puerto Rico All StarsPuerto Rico All Stars
The Puerto Rico All Stars was a salsa & latin jazz ensemble band that was founded in 1977 by Frankie Gregory. Based in Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico All Stars were an alternative and rival to the New York based Fania All-Stars created by Johnny Pacheco.PRAS...
(PRAS). PRAS was a rival to the Fania All-Stars. Santiago provided background vocals for the original PRAS lineup.
Jorge Millet
After a hiatus to recover from his addiction, Santiago had a very successful pairing with Jorge Millet, who had become a record producer; they would record two albums together. In his solo records Santiago improvised "soneos" (rhyming verses common to salsa) with a strong sense of alliterationAlliteration
In language, alliteration refers to the repetition of a particular sound in the first syllables of Three or more words or phrases. Alliteration has historically developed largely through poetry, in which it more narrowly refers to the repetition of a consonant in any syllables that, according to...
, consonance
Consonance
Consonance is a stylistic device, most commonly used in poetry and songs, characterized by the repetition of the same consonant two or more times in short succession, as in "pitter patter" or in "all mammals named Sam are clammy".Consonance should not be confused with assonance, which is the...
and rhythm that was described once by Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres...
this way: "(Rhythm-wise) Marvin is capable of fitting a Mack
Mack Trucks
Mack Trucks is an American truck-manufacturing company and a former manufacturer of buses and trolley buses. A wholly owned subsidiary of Renault Véhicules Industriels since 1990, Mack Trucks is currently a subsidiary of AB Volvo. The company's headquarters are located in Greensboro, North Carolina...
truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
into a parking space where a Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
won't fit." He also used strong Puerto Rican figures of speech and slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
that eventually granted him the moniker of "El Sonero del Pueblo" (The People's Sonero).
He attained a major hit in Puerto Rico and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
with Cortijo's song "Fuego a la jicotea" ("(Light a) Fire to the Tortoise , a thinly-veiled ode to marijuana
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
. Other hits were newer versions of two Cortijo songs: "Al Son de la Lata (baila el chorizo)" and "Vasos de Colores". Santiago also had other original hits of his own, particularly "El Mangoneo" (a mozambique very much in the style of Cortijo's "Sorongo") and "La Picúa", a veiled homage to the female anatomy
Vagina
The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the...
.
Drug arrest and sentence
At the height of his popularity, however, Santiago was arrested and imprisoned for cocaineCocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
possession. This was his second conviction, and the amount confiscated implied that he intended to distribute the drug. He served five out of nine years of a prison sentence. He became a born-again Christian in prison, and recorded an album, "Desde Adentro", behind bars. A minor hit spawned from the album was "Auditorio Azul" ("Blue Auditorium", based on the fact that Puerto Rico prison uniforms are usually blue in color). Blades visited him in prison, something for which Santiago would be eternally grateful to him.
Post-release and decline
After his drug conviction, Santiago's fame waned. By the time he finished his prison sentence, Jorge Millet, the musical architect of Santiago's sound, had died from a heart attack. Due to his spiritual reawakening, Santiago cleaned up the subject matter of his lyrics considerably, something that his hardcore fans did not approve of. Other notable facts that further pushed his fame's decline included the surge of merengueMerengue music
Merengue is a type of music and dance from the Dominican Republic. It is popular in the Dominican Republic and all over Latin America. Its name is Spanish, taken from the name of the meringue, a dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar...
groups such as the Puerto Rico-based Conjunto Quisqueya and Freddie Kenton orchestras, as well as new local talent such as Eddie Santiago
Eddie Santiago
Eddie Santiago is a salsa singer from Puerto Rico. At a young age, Eddie demonstrated great love for salsa music...
, Gilberto Santa Rosa
Gilberto Santa Rosa
Gilberto Santa Rosa, also known as "El Caballero de la Salsa" , is a Puerto Rican bandleader and singer of salsa and bolero.-Early years:...
, and Frankie Ruiz
Frankie Ruiz
Frankie Ruiz was a famous Puerto Rican salsa singer.-Early years:Born Jose Antonio Torresola Ruiz, he was born and raised in Paterson, New Jersey. His parents moved from Puerto Rico to the United States in search of a better way of life. In Paterson, Ruiz received his primary and secondary...
who popularized the so-called "romantic salsa", which eventually displaced more urban-based subject matter in salsa songs. Santiago, however, kept a busy schedule through the 1980s, making several Latin American and inter-Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
tours and appearing on Puerto Rican television shows several times, often as a comedian in Luisito Vigoreaux
Luisito Vigoreaux
Luis Vigoreaux Lorenzana is a Puerto Rican actor and producer. He is the son of Luis Vigoreaux, a legendary Puerto Rican media personality and Rosaura Lorenzana Vilches...
's television programs. Poor vocal coaching eventually affected Santiago's vocal cords, turning it raspier with time.
Santiago's health began to decline during the 1990s, but he still went on with his music, releasing "Donde lo Dejamos" ("Where we Left It") in 1992 alongside Valentin. Later on, a "greatest hits" album of his solo songs was released.
Santiago, who adopted Marvin Hagler
Marvin Hagler
Marvelous Marvin Hagler , is a former professional boxer who was undisputed world middleweight champion between 1980 and 1987. Hagler holds the distinction of having the highest KO% of all middleweight champions at 78%...
's "Marvelous" nickname (both because of their common first name and the fact that, at one time, his head was shaved bald like Hagler's), had begun conversations to join a Fania All-Stars comeback as a tribute to Celia Cruz by the summer of 2004, but then, he became severely ill.
Death and Legacy
Already having lost a leg to diabetes through amputationAmputation
Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma, prolonged constriction, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on individuals as a preventative surgery for...
, Santiago lost vision from one eye and suffered severe kidney
Kidney
The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
, heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
and liver
Liver
The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals. It has a wide range of functions, including detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion...
damage on the weeks prior to his death. At about noon (AST) on October 6, 2004, he died at a Bayamón
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo...
hospital. His funeral was well attended, with his brother Billyván paying a plena tribute to Marvin.
Santiago left a legacy of songs still heard and popular phrases still in current use in Puerto Rico. One phrase was an affirmation: "¡O-fi-cial!". Another was a stream of references to Puerto Rican towns: "¡Baya-móntate, Barran-quítate, Vega Bájate, Ad-júntate!", roughly translated to "get on, get out of the way, get down, get together!", mentioned along the names of Bayamón
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Bayamón is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the northern coastal valley, north of Aguas Buenas and Comerío; south of Toa Baja and Cataño; west of Guaynabo; and east of Toa Alta and Naranjito. Bayamón is spread over 11 wards and Bayamón Pueblo...
, Barranquitas
Barranquitas, Puerto Rico
Barranquitas is a small mountain town located in the central region of Puerto Rico, south of Corozal and Naranjito; north of Coamo and Aibonito; west of Comerío and Cidra; and east of Orocovis. Barranquitas is spread over 6 wards and Barranquitas Pueblo...
, Vega Baja
Vega Baja, Puerto Rico
Vega Baja is a municipality in north central Puerto Rico located in the northern coast, north of Morovis; east of Manatí; and west of Vega Alta. Vega Baja is spread over 13 wards and Vega Baja Pueblo...
and Adjuntas, Puerto Rico
Adjuntas, Puerto Rico
Adjuntas is a small mountainside municipality in Puerto Rico located central midwest of the island on the Central Mountain range , north of Yauco, Guayanilla and Peñuelas; southeast of Utuado; east of Lares and Yauco; and west of Ponce. Adjuntas is spread over 16 wards and Adjuntas Pueblo...
. A third one was: "¡Linda melodía!", (Beautiful melody!), which he uttered when a musical arrangement was particularly complex or remarkable.
He also used code phrases to refer to drugs: "¡Guayacol
Guaiacol
Guaiacol is a naturally occurring organic compound with the formula C6H4. Although it is biosynthesized by a variety of organisms, this colorless aromatic oil is usually derived from guaiacum or wood creosote. Samples darken upon exposure to air and light. Guaiacol is present in wood smoke,...
, con uña rallá!" was his code phrase for cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, and "¡Acetileno
Acetylene
Acetylene is the chemical compound with the formula C2H2. It is a hydrocarbon and the simplest alkyne. This colorless gas is widely used as a fuel and a chemical building block. It is unstable in pure form and thus is usually handled as a solution.As an alkyne, acetylene is unsaturated because...
!" his reference for heroin. After his religious conversion, however, Marvin affirmed that the only substance in his life from that moment on, besides the insulin he needed daily for his diabetes, was "Cristomicina", a portmanteau of the name of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
and erythromycin
Erythromycin
Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic that has an antimicrobial spectrum similar to or slightly wider than that of penicillin, and is often used for people who have an allergy to penicillins. For respiratory tract infections, it has better coverage of atypical organisms, including mycoplasma and...
.
Urban band Calle 13
Calle 13 (band)
Calle 13 is a band formed by stepbrothers René Pérez Joglar , who calls himself Residente and Eduardo José Cabra Martínez , who calls himself Visitante Calle 13 is a band formed by stepbrothers René Pérez Joglar (born February 23, 1978 in Hato Rey, a subsection of San Juan, Puerto Rico), who calls...
has recorded a version of "Sorongo" for an upcoming tribute to Tite Curet, to be released in December 2011.