Can anyone identify the singer in this 1967 film about 1999?

April 11, 2014 1:13 PM

This retro-future film went viral sometime in 2007 because of how many things it predicted correctly (e-commerce) but also missed (women's lib). But the performance at 19:30 is amazing, and I can't find anything that even mentions it. Not even in the two times it appeared on metafilter. Shazam doesn't correctly identify it. Can you?
posted by onehalfjunco to Media & Arts (3 answers total)

If it helps, the bit right before offers a (fictional?) introduction of a "concert from Puerto Rico" with a singer "from down San Juan way". Perhaps a bomba or guaracha duo of the era, but not, as far as I can tell, the most famous (Rafael Cortijo and Ismael Rivera) -- but maybe that will provide someone a jumping off point?
posted by dhartung at 3:24 PM on April 11, 2014

Best answer: Wow, I really wish I could answer this...and I hope that someone can.

The unhelpful thing I can tell you is that the song is "La Paloma" -- unhelpful because it's one of the most recorded songs of all time.

BUT...that means there are actual "La Paloma" experts, and maybe you could reach out to them.

The German record label Trikont has put out six volumes of "La Paloma" versions, compiled by sound artist Kalle Laar. There is also a German documentary about the song, made by Sigrid Faltin.

I think you can find contact info for all of the above on their websites. If you write, they might enjoy trying to solve the mystery.
posted by neroli at 3:52 PM on April 11, 2014 [2 favorites]

Not to complicate matters, but it's also possible that the voice you hear is not the actress you see.
posted by SemiSalt at 4:29 PM on April 11, 2014