Tengo Fe
Encyclopedia
Tengo Fe is the third major-label album by Colombian
singer/composer Carlos Vives
.
Released on August 12, 1997, it is Vives's eighth album overall (when counting earlier releases). The album follows La Tierra del Olvido
, with a sound that is less dance-oriented, further emphasizing Vives's desire to be taken seriously as a songwriter. The resulting album would be Vives's first major release without a hit single, and garnered a mixed reception due to a departure in Vives's sound and image.
and rock fusion soldified his status as a major force in Latin American music. In the 10 year rise of Carlos's stardom, he had eclipsed his former success as a telenovela
star and romantic balladeer, and turned to his Santa Marta
roots singing classic vallenato in the Escalona soundtracks. Clásicos de la Provincia
followed, marking a breakthrough for Carlos, updating and rearranging Colombian classics to a new generation. La Tierra del Olvido
would mark his career with a mix of both classics, as well as new compositions, in the vallenato
sound. Carlos's desire to seek further credibility as both singer and songwriter would become a major theme in this release, culminating in his first album of nearly all original music.
With his crossover success as a singer and composer, Vives had left behind his soap opera roots, in favor of his musical aspirations. After numerous album sales, hit singles, and a successful tour, Vives took some time off from the public. During this time, his fans had grown hungry for his next release of infectious music. When Vives appeared the following summer to promote his newest album, many were shocked by what they saw. Gone was his trademark long hair, his rugged clothing, and his extensive jewelry. Instead, Vives appeared clean-cut and casually dressed, trading in his denim for a conservative suit. Aside from his physical appearance, Vives's musical direction would reflect another change, his desire to be heard as composer, and not just another pop singer.
The album released, Tengo Fe (I Have Faith), was Vives's desire to break free of limiting himself to singing vallenato
standards and party anthems. With a total of ten tracks, all but one track was written by Carlos, both in collaboration or alone. The first single, "Que Diera" ("What I Would Give") was released, with the accompanying video featuring Colombian model/actress Sofia Vergara
. The song itself would prove a change of pace from "La Gota Fria" and "Pá Mayté". Despite its rich melody and luscious rhythms, "Que Diera" is of a slower tempo, and sung in ballad form. Layered with the signature sounds of wah-wah guitar from Ernesto "Teto" Ocampo and Egidio Cuadrado's accordion, the song makes prominent use of Mayte Montero's flute during the song's bridges. Despite its lackluster performance on the Billboard Charts
, it is considered by many fans as one of Vives's finest compositions.
As it turned out, Tengo Fe was an album intended to be heard above all else. While Clásicos and Olvido maintained hip-shaking from party-goers and dance enthusiasts, Tengo Fe was much more darker and subdued in its approach. The surprise came when "Que Diera", along with the Vives/Egidio Cuadrado track "Amores Escondidos" (Hidden Love), were the album's more upbeat tracks. Songs such as the album opener and title track, one of two songs written with pianist Carlos Ivan Medina, are piano driven, accompanied with cellos to give the song a darker atmosphere. Though the middle of the song builds towards familiar vallenato, it reverts back to its somber tone, ending with an extended guitar solo. Other songs such as "Los Buenos Tiempos" (The Good Times), and "Pambe", make extensive use of piano-driven compositions, dealing with Carlos's commentary on innocence and nostalgia.
The theme of Tengo Fe makes for Carlos's most personal album to date. The singer's struggle with fame and what is expected of both his sound and image in "Malas Lenguas" ("Gossips") is Vives's swipe at critics, where he claims after encountering criticism for his distinctive look, the same persons are now criticising him for his more conventional appearance. While tracks such as "Cumbia Americana" is Vives's stab at mixing hard rock with his vallenato
sound, the music itself resonates with a rhythm more experimental in comparison to Carlos's previous dance numbers. Other songs such as "Interior" and "Sol de Mediodia" ("Midday Sun") are further examples of the album's introspective ballads. The album concludes with a traditional arrangement of "Caballito" ("Rocking Horse"), which, unlike Vives's usual vallenato
covers, is a popular song sung in children's playgrounds.
With Carlos's desire to spread his wings in both his writing and style, the album would result in a lukewarm reception. While many fans and critics found this album to be uncatchy and too much of a departure from the infectious vallenato
rock Vives was known for, others point out the music's darker and introspective tone resulted in one of Carlos's finest albums, giving birth to Vives's career as a serious composer.
Technical Credits
Colombian people
Colombian people are from a multiethnic Spanish speaking nation in South America called Colombia. Colombians are predominantly Roman Catholic and are a mixture of Europeans, Africans, and Amerindians.-Demography:...
singer/composer Carlos Vives
Carlos Vives
Carlos Alberto Vives Restrepo is a Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy Award winning-Colombian singer, composer and actor.-Biography:...
.
Released on August 12, 1997, it is Vives's eighth album overall (when counting earlier releases). The album follows La Tierra del Olvido
La Tierra del Olvido
La Tierra del Olvido is the second major-label album by Colombian singer/composer Carlos Vives.Released on July 25, 1995 it is considered Vives' second proper release, and his seventh album overall...
, with a sound that is less dance-oriented, further emphasizing Vives's desire to be taken seriously as a songwriter. The resulting album would be Vives's first major release without a hit single, and garnered a mixed reception due to a departure in Vives's sound and image.
Overview
The success of Vives's vallenatoVallenato
Vallenato, along with cumbia, is currently a popular folk music of Colombia. It primarily comes from the Colombia's Caribbean region. Vallenato literally means "born in the valley". The valley influencing this name is located between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Serranía de Perijá in...
and rock fusion soldified his status as a major force in Latin American music. In the 10 year rise of Carlos's stardom, he had eclipsed his former success as a telenovela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
star and romantic balladeer, and turned to his Santa Marta
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is the capital city of the Colombian department of Magdalena in the Caribbean Region. It was founded in July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, which makes it the oldest remaining city in Colombia...
roots singing classic vallenato in the Escalona soundtracks. Clásicos de la Provincia
Clásicos de la Provincia
Clásicos de la Provincia is the breakthrough album by Colombian singer/composer Carlos Vives.Released in late 1993, internationally on February 22, 1994, it contained three chart-topping hits that propelled Vives to fame in Latin America...
followed, marking a breakthrough for Carlos, updating and rearranging Colombian classics to a new generation. La Tierra del Olvido
La Tierra del Olvido
La Tierra del Olvido is the second major-label album by Colombian singer/composer Carlos Vives.Released on July 25, 1995 it is considered Vives' second proper release, and his seventh album overall...
would mark his career with a mix of both classics, as well as new compositions, in the vallenato
Vallenato
Vallenato, along with cumbia, is currently a popular folk music of Colombia. It primarily comes from the Colombia's Caribbean region. Vallenato literally means "born in the valley". The valley influencing this name is located between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Serranía de Perijá in...
sound. Carlos's desire to seek further credibility as both singer and songwriter would become a major theme in this release, culminating in his first album of nearly all original music.
With his crossover success as a singer and composer, Vives had left behind his soap opera roots, in favor of his musical aspirations. After numerous album sales, hit singles, and a successful tour, Vives took some time off from the public. During this time, his fans had grown hungry for his next release of infectious music. When Vives appeared the following summer to promote his newest album, many were shocked by what they saw. Gone was his trademark long hair, his rugged clothing, and his extensive jewelry. Instead, Vives appeared clean-cut and casually dressed, trading in his denim for a conservative suit. Aside from his physical appearance, Vives's musical direction would reflect another change, his desire to be heard as composer, and not just another pop singer.
The album released, Tengo Fe (I Have Faith), was Vives's desire to break free of limiting himself to singing vallenato
Vallenato
Vallenato, along with cumbia, is currently a popular folk music of Colombia. It primarily comes from the Colombia's Caribbean region. Vallenato literally means "born in the valley". The valley influencing this name is located between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Serranía de Perijá in...
standards and party anthems. With a total of ten tracks, all but one track was written by Carlos, both in collaboration or alone. The first single, "Que Diera" ("What I Would Give") was released, with the accompanying video featuring Colombian model/actress Sofia Vergara
Sofía Vergara
Sofía Margarita Vergara Vergara is a Colombian actress, comedian, television hostess and model.Vergara had been widely known for co-hosting two TV shows for Univisión in the late 1990s. Her TV career opened up for her a window of exposure to North American audiences prior to her first notable...
. The song itself would prove a change of pace from "La Gota Fria" and "Pá Mayté". Despite its rich melody and luscious rhythms, "Que Diera" is of a slower tempo, and sung in ballad form. Layered with the signature sounds of wah-wah guitar from Ernesto "Teto" Ocampo and Egidio Cuadrado's accordion, the song makes prominent use of Mayte Montero's flute during the song's bridges. Despite its lackluster performance on the Billboard Charts
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
, it is considered by many fans as one of Vives's finest compositions.
As it turned out, Tengo Fe was an album intended to be heard above all else. While Clásicos and Olvido maintained hip-shaking from party-goers and dance enthusiasts, Tengo Fe was much more darker and subdued in its approach. The surprise came when "Que Diera", along with the Vives/Egidio Cuadrado track "Amores Escondidos" (Hidden Love), were the album's more upbeat tracks. Songs such as the album opener and title track, one of two songs written with pianist Carlos Ivan Medina, are piano driven, accompanied with cellos to give the song a darker atmosphere. Though the middle of the song builds towards familiar vallenato, it reverts back to its somber tone, ending with an extended guitar solo. Other songs such as "Los Buenos Tiempos" (The Good Times), and "Pambe", make extensive use of piano-driven compositions, dealing with Carlos's commentary on innocence and nostalgia.
The theme of Tengo Fe makes for Carlos's most personal album to date. The singer's struggle with fame and what is expected of both his sound and image in "Malas Lenguas" ("Gossips") is Vives's swipe at critics, where he claims after encountering criticism for his distinctive look, the same persons are now criticising him for his more conventional appearance. While tracks such as "Cumbia Americana" is Vives's stab at mixing hard rock with his vallenato
Vallenato
Vallenato, along with cumbia, is currently a popular folk music of Colombia. It primarily comes from the Colombia's Caribbean region. Vallenato literally means "born in the valley". The valley influencing this name is located between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Serranía de Perijá in...
sound, the music itself resonates with a rhythm more experimental in comparison to Carlos's previous dance numbers. Other songs such as "Interior" and "Sol de Mediodia" ("Midday Sun") are further examples of the album's introspective ballads. The album concludes with a traditional arrangement of "Caballito" ("Rocking Horse"), which, unlike Vives's usual vallenato
Vallenato
Vallenato, along with cumbia, is currently a popular folk music of Colombia. It primarily comes from the Colombia's Caribbean region. Vallenato literally means "born in the valley". The valley influencing this name is located between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Serranía de Perijá in...
covers, is a popular song sung in children's playgrounds.
With Carlos's desire to spread his wings in both his writing and style, the album would result in a lukewarm reception. While many fans and critics found this album to be uncatchy and too much of a departure from the infectious vallenato
Vallenato
Vallenato, along with cumbia, is currently a popular folk music of Colombia. It primarily comes from the Colombia's Caribbean region. Vallenato literally means "born in the valley". The valley influencing this name is located between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Serranía de Perijá in...
rock Vives was known for, others point out the music's darker and introspective tone resulted in one of Carlos's finest albums, giving birth to Vives's career as a serious composer.
Track listing
- "Tengo Fe" (C. Vives, C. Medina) – 3:43
- "Que Diera" (C. Vives) – 4:12
- "Buenos Tiempos" (C. Vives) – 3:51
- "Pambe" (C. Vives) – 3:46
- "Amores Escondidos" (C. Vives, E. Cuadrado) – 3:41
- "Interior" (C. Vives, C. Medina) – 3:33
- "Sol de Mediodia" (C. Vives) – 2:59
- "Cumbia Americana" (C. Vives) – 4:11
- "Malas Lenguas" (C. Vives)– 4:15
- "Caballito" (Traditional Arrangement) – 3:44
Album credits
Performance Credits- Carlos VivesCarlos VivesCarlos Alberto Vives Restrepo is a Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy Award winning-Colombian singer, composer and actor.-Biography:...
- Primary Artist, Vocals - Egidio Cuadrado - Accordion
- Luis Angel Pastor - Bass
- Heberth Cuadrado - Caja
- Luis Diaz - Cello
- Yesid Torres V. - Chicote
- La Provincia - Choir, Chorus
- Roberto Milanes - Double Bass
- Pablo Bernal - Drums
- Einar Escaf - Drums, Percussion
- Mayte Montero - Gaita
- Eder Polo - Guacharaca
- Andrés Castro - Guitar
- Carlos Huertas - Guitar
- Ernesto "Teto" Ocampo - Guitar
- Carlos Ivan Medina - Keyboards, Piano
- Gilbert Martínez - Percussion
- Alfredo Rosado - Tamboura
- Ricardo Hernández - Viola
- Mario Diaz - Violin
Technical Credits
- La Provincia - Arranger
- Tommy Afont - Engineer
- Ray Bardani - Engineer
- Carlos VivesCarlos VivesCarlos Alberto Vives Restrepo is a Grammy Award and three-time Latin Grammy Award winning-Colombian singer, composer and actor.-Biography:...
- Producer - Ted Jensen - Mastering