Podcast Summary: "Puerto Rico in 8 Songs"
Podcast: On the Media – La Brega (WNYC Studios)
Host: Alana Casanova Burgess
Episode Date: February 1, 2023
Key Guests: Bobby Sanabria, Elena Martínez, Bianca Graulau
Episode Overview
In this special episode, On the Media features the first episode of Season 2 of "La Brega," hosted by Alana Casanova Burgess. The season, subtitled "The Puerto Rican Experience in 8 Songs," explores Puerto Rico's history, identity, and struggles through the lens of iconic songs. This episode uses “Preciosa” — often considered the island’s unofficial anthem — to examine Puerto Rico’s cultural legacy, the bittersweet realities of diaspora, and the parallels between past and present generations of Puerto Rican musicians, from Rafael Hernández to Bad Bunny.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Musical Arrival: The Spell of "Preciosa" (00:56–02:52)
- Opening Anecdote: Alana describes arriving in Puerto Rico and hearing a fellow passenger sing “Preciosa” spontaneously on the plane, capturing the unifying power of music for Puerto Ricans.
- Quote: “Every passenger was under a spell listening to Preciosa, the most Puerto Rican of songs, come from nowhere.” [01:28]
- Purpose of the Season: Each episode interprets Puerto Rican identity through a different song, unveiling stories of home, belonging, race, and resistance.
2. From Boleros to Bad Bunny: Puerto Rico’s Musical Weight (02:52–05:30)
- Global Influence: Puerto Rican music spans genres from boleros to reggaetón, with artists like Bad Bunny and Marc Anthony impacting the world stage.
- Quote: “He’s sharing so much of Puerto Rico as he tops the charts over and over and over again.” [03:08]
- Music as Story: Lyrics embed narratives about identity, struggle, and aspiration, making every hit song a vessel for cultural memory.
3. The Story of "Preciosa": Origins and Impact (05:30–13:05)
- Song’s Meaning: “Preciosa” is a love song to Puerto Rico, evoking nostalgia and longing—especially potent for those living in diaspora.
- Quote: “It’s like a love song to a place instead of to a lover.” [06:32]
- Protest Power: Alana recounts a protest where thousands sang Marc Anthony’s passionate version, highlighting the song’s unifying protest role.
- Composer Rafael Hernández: Paralleled with Bad Bunny as an uncompromising Boricua; Hernández's multifaceted artistry and influence are explored.
- Bobby Sanabria (08:10): “He was a supreme musician... He wrote pieces for symphonic orchestra, for chamber ensembles, string quartets.”
4. Hidden Histories: Puerto Rican Roots in Jazz (07:58–13:05)
- World War I and Harlem Hellfighters: Hernández joined the Harlem Hellfighters’ band, bringing Puerto Rican musicianship to the birth of jazz in Europe.
- Quote (Bobby Sanabria, 11:11): “Every jazz musician that has come from Europe exists because of the monumental performances that this military band did. If that band didn’t have those musicians from the island, it wouldn’t have sounded the way it did.”
- Marginality and Musical Excellence: Elena Martínez attributes Puerto Rican musical success to resilience and adaptability forged by life on the margins.
- Quote (Elena Martínez, 12:00): “When you live on the margins, you have to know a lot of other things to survive. And I think Puerto Ricans have done that very well.”
5. Diaspora, Nostalgia, and Complex Patriotism (13:05–16:31)
- Global Legacy: Hernández wrote anthems like “Lamento Borincano” and “Preciosa” while in Mexico—reinforcing the theme of longing from afar.
- Quote: “Many of our most famous anthems... are infused with the longing that comes with displacement in diaspora...” [14:07]
- Race & Erasure: While “Preciosa” praises Spanish and Taíno roots, it omits African heritage—a painful erasure, given Hernández's Afro-Boricua identity.
- Quote: “There appears to have been no room to praise blackness in the 1930s Puerto Rico that Preciosa describes. But in another line of the song, he erases nothing...” [15:38]
- Colonial Critique: A lyric calling the US a “tyrant” almost prevented its adoption as the anthem; Hernández refused to soften his critique.
6. Contemporary Resonance – Bad Bunny’s "Honest Love" (19:15–22:44)
- La Brega, the Struggle: The podcast’s title refers to the inescapable hustle and challenges faced in Puerto Rico.
- Quote: “When I hear or use La Brega, I’m referring to the struggle.” [19:15]
- Bad Bunny’s Unvarnished Lyrics: Newer songs address contemporary hardships—blackouts, natural disasters, gentrification—with honest pride, not nostalgia.
- Quote: “But there are potholes and blackouts in Bad Bunny’s Puerto Rico. This is estamo bien. We’re good. Said in the same tone as Aqui Bregando.” [21:23]
7. Gentrification and Belonging (23:15–25:38)
- Bianca Graulau’s Mini-Doc: Embedded in Bad Bunny’s “El Apagón” video, Graulau reports on gentrification and displacement in San Juan.
- Quote (Bianca Graulau, 24:03): “The school in Puerta A was shut down... the government sold it to an investor who is now turning it into luxury apartments with an ocean view.”
- Universal Story: Viewers around Latin America relate to the struggle against dispossession and loss of home, sparking cross-national solidarity.
- Quote (YouTube comment, cited at 25:38): “The idea that you can’t live where you’re from, from that your government isn’t working for you... We all get it. I send you strength to continue fighting.”
8. Legacy and Lessons in Song (26:18–27:17)
- Music as Collective Memory: Whether through protest, celebration, or critique, Puerto Rican songs—past and present—teach, unite, and push listeners to imagine better futures.
- Quote: “There’s always more to our music than meets the ear. Sometimes to do a lot of work, you gotta speak all the languages.” [26:52]
- Emotional Resonance: These songs inspire pride, longing, and the persistent desire to return home.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On Puerto Rican musical exceptionalism:
- “When someone Puerto Rican takes the stage, it can feel as if your own cousin were up there.” [04:53] — Alana Casanova Burgess
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On musical roots in jazz:
- “If that band didn’t have those musicians from the island, it wouldn’t have sounded the way it did.” [11:24] — Bobby Sanabria
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On unresolved pain & nostalgia:
- “It has this nostalgic energy... Many of our most famous anthems are exactly like this, infused with the longing that comes with displacement in diaspora that gives them this quality of gauziness.” [13:38] — Alana Casanova Burgess
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On uncompromising artistry:
- “No, the governor wanted to swap tyrant for destiny destino... But Hernandez refused. Tyrant stays in.” [16:24] — Alana Casanova Burgess
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On Bad Bunny’s role:
- “He’s changed pop music and made it ours.” [03:13] — Alana Casanova Burgess
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On music as resistance:
- “When Benito and fans all over the world scream Puerto Rico tabien cabron at the top of their lungs, the whole world is screaming about La Brega...” [22:41]
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On shared Latin American struggle:
- “We saw ourselves in that story. Even though we’re not Puerto Rican, we have those same issues here.” [25:29] — Bianca Graulau
Important Segment Timestamps
| Timestamp | Segment | Content Summary | |-----------|-----------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------| | 00:56 | Arrival in Puerto Rico | The spontaneous singing of “Preciosa” on the plane | | 02:52 | Puerto Rican music on the world stage | Bad Bunny & pop’s new era, national pride | | 07:58 | Rafael Hernández’s musical legacy | His virtuosity & historical jazz context | | 13:05 | Diasporic nostalgia in music | The longing and displacement in anthems | | 15:38 | Race and erasure in "Preciosa" | Critiquing lyrical omissions and colonial critiques| | 19:15 | Defining "La Brega" | The meaning of struggle in Puerto Rican life | | 21:23 | Bad Bunny’s social critique | Songs about blackouts and post-Maria Puerto Rico | | 23:15 | Gentrification and displacement | Graulau’s reporting on “El Apagón” video | | 26:52 | Music as layered lesson | Songs as tools for teaching, uniting, resisting | | 27:17 | Emotional longing for Puerto Rico | Songs inspiring a longing to return home |
Closing Thoughts
Through layered storytelling, musical history, and insightful interviews, this episode deftly illustrates how iconic songs like “Preciosa” echo decades of Puerto Rican struggle, joy, and aspiration. Drawing a line from Rafael Hernández to Bad Bunny, Alana Casanova Burgess and her guests show how music continues to serve as a conduit for identity, protest, resilience, and hope—both on the island and across its diaspora.
End of Summary