By Erica Roa, Dec. 12, 2023
Oldies are at the forefront of most social gatherings for Chicanos. Oldies, according to the article “A History and Definition of Oldies Music,” are a blend of doo-wop, soul and funk from the ‘50s and ‘60s. James Brown, Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson are among the artists who are in this category.
In the 1997 classic, “Selena,” Edward James Olmos described being Chicano as fighting the thin line between being “not Mexican enough for the Mexicans but also not American enough for the Americans.”
“Mexicans born in Mexico still identify with the musical genres that feel closer to home such as mariachi music, corridos and ranchera music. People like my grandfather and his generation, who are originally from Mexico, grow up with the classics of their era and community,” says Jesse Vallejo Professor of Ethnomusicology at Cal Poly Pomona.
Artists such as Vicente Fernández, Chalino Sánchez, Rocío Dúrcal and more fall within these categories.
“Aspects of mariachi music is cohesive in some ways with oldies,” Vallejo said. “In mariachi music, you have serenades. With the way oldies were curated by disc jockeys like Art Laboe, there was that same dedication element. It’s a radio serenade.”
Chicano culture is heavily influenced by American culture although with Hispanic aspects, creating a subculture of its own.
The merge of oldies and Chicanos began during the zoot suit riots, when people in positions of power frowned upon being Chicano, according to History.com.
“Music has an evolution, there were eras when rock ‘n’ roll ruled, and then in the ‘60s Motown ruled, then the Beatles,” said Alvaro Huerta, a professor of Chicano studies at CPP and fellow at Harvard University. “You must look at it with the population of Black and Chicano kids that want to express themselves.”
Chicano youth began to rebel not only with the clothes they were wearing but also with the music they were listening to. The zoot suit riots took place in 1943, according to History.com. During this era Chicanos were influenced by the music of the era, which was swing music says rumboacalifornia.org.
The genre of oldies derives from artists of the Black community.
Almost all of the music in this genre is credited to the Black community but is deeply embedded in Chicano culture.
“Areas where there are a lot of people of color, we do tend to flock to the same neighborhoods, which sets up the possibility for cultural sharing,” said Ernest Harrison, professor of musicology and ethnic studies at CPP . “Oftentimes when sharing across cultures, we always start with the arts, with our music, how we dance, how we talk. It’s very clear why there’s such a crossover.”
Black and Chicano communities share these cultural aspects in being banded together within school systems, finding a sense of unity within their music tastes.
“Despite not being from the Black community, being Chicano, we listen to oldies, we listen to hip hop, and we embrace it as part of who we are but also paying respect to where it comes from,” Huerta said. “As a community, we can relate to each other and relate to the struggles in the words of the songs.”
As a subculture, Chicanos have fully adopted oldies as their own. Oldies are cohesive with lowrider culture, which is coined with the misconception that only “Cholos” or “gangbangers” listen to this genre. NPR explains that lowrider culture is often associated with gangs and crime.
“Some of my family members who have been to prison do listen to oldies, but also some of my family members who are well educated still listen to oldies because that’s the way they grew up,” said Pedro Rosales, a sociology student at CPP. “It’s natural to them. It was never about where they were in life but about their culture.”
In understanding where oldies derive from and what they mean to Chicanos can bring awareness to these false narratives.
New artists are passing down the torch, singing “souldies” and renditions of old songs to keep the tradition alive. Thee Sacred Souls, Durand Jones & The Indications and The Altons are all among artists who use the soulful ballads of oldies but maintain new rhythms appealing to the current generation.
Events such as Scam and Jam, a monthly event held at The Regent in Los Angeles, are dedicated to keeping the spirit of oldies and ‘80s funk alive and helps bring people together of similar backgrounds.
These monthly events are hosted by the creators of the well-known LA lifestyle brand Bella Doña, LaLa Romero and Natalia Durazo, who post on their Instagram page monthly. Hosting these events pays homage to generations of people who started these traditions.
“I grew up listening to oldies,” said Nelly Mora, a criminology student at CPP . “My parents played it, their parents played it for them, and now my kids will grow up listening to them, too.”
Featured image courtesy of Surya Urs
