13 Rock, Pop & Rap Songs That Talk About Tijuana

From Nortec Collective to Primus and Lil Wayne

BAJA CALIFORNIA.- Tijuana is a city that has gained a fame compared to Las Vegas and even Amsterdam, becoming cities that are frequently featured in movies and television, as a place for sin and doom. Yes, we've all heard that saying..."Tijuana, tequila, sex and marihuana", rumors about the infamous donkey show, drugs and ill fortune motels.

Of course, those who live in the city know that Tijuana isn't more dangerous than Chihuahua, Nuevo Laredo, Obregon or Culiacan, however, Tijuana is known by (almost) everyone, not just for its mentions on the big or small screen, but also for its music.

SDR Archive
SDR Archive

San Diego Red's team searched among hundreds of songs to create this playlist where we quote some of the most famous singers talking about Tijuana. How do they talk about the city? Our only filter was music genre, given that neither reggeaton nor "corridos" where included in this article.

We invite you to leave a comment if you remember any other that you think we should add to this playlist, we trust your judgment. Ready? Here we go!

1.- Espiral-Porter: "Un grupo de doctores en Tijuana dijo ven yo te puedo ayudar" (A group of doctors in Tijuana said, come, I can help you)

2.- Mexican Radio-Kinky: "Quisiera estar en Tijuana comiendo barbacoa de iguana. I take requests on the telephone. I'm on a wavelength far from home."

3.- Back To You-Lil Wayne: "I drink tea, she drink wine, call it Tijuana. I'm down to meet a girl, but she want me to meet her mamma."

4.-No Me Importa Nada- Ricardo Arjona: "Vino el barrio: Martin, Melchor, Tania y la Juliana. Jose Luis, Humberto, Sandra y la Mariana. Cada quien un pomo y muchas ganas. Y no falto, quien dijo que invito a las miss Tijuana." (Along came the guetto: Martin, Melchor, Tania and Juliana. Jose Luis, Humberto, Sandra and Mariana. Each one with a pommel and lots of urges. Still, there wasn't that one who said he invited Miss Tijuana.)

5.-Tijuana Taxi- Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass: "Down in old Tijuana town, there's this happy honkin' sound, something you just can't put down. It's the world renown Tijuana Taxi cab." -

6.- La Mera Mera- Juan Gabriel: "Lo mas bonito de San Diego es Tijuana por que Tijuana es una tia a todo dar." (The prettiest thing of San Diego is Tijuana because Tijuana is surely a very cool aunt.)

7.- Shake Hands with Beef - Primus: "Pull out the cannon boys, steal us some wine, puff Tijuana Smalls, shake hands with beef".

8.-Cowboy - Kid Rock: "Give a toast to the sun, drink with the stars. Get thrown in the mix and tossed out of bars. Zip to Tijuana... I wanna roam".

9.- Welcome to Tijuana - Manu Chao: "Welcome to Tijuana. Tequila, sexo y marijuana. Welcome to Tijuana, con el coyote no hay aduana".

10.- Tijuana Rock and Roll -Agente Calavera:"Yo nací aquí en Tijuana y aquí me quiero morir. La vida da golpes duros, tocando rock n roll los puedo resistir". (I was born here in Tijuana and here I want to die. Life gives you hard blows, but playing rock & roll I get by.)

11.- La Esquina Del Mundo- Tijuana No: "Aquí en la esquina de un mundo tierra. Penúltima calle de Latinoamérica. La línea nos marca desde afuera. El límite entre pueblo y piedra". (Here at the world's corner. Second to last street of Latin America. The line is marked from the outside. The limit between town and stone.)

12.-Poem dedicated to Tijuana- Joaquin Sabina: "Agridulce como una botana, cuando llega la hora de alzarse el telón, es un lujo volver a Tijuana".(Bittersweet as a snack, when is time to raise the curtain, coming back to Tijuana is a luxury.)

13.- Tijuana Makes Me Happy- Nortec: "Some people call it the happiest place on earth, others say it's a dangerous place, it has been the city of sin but you know I don't care..."

BONUS:

As honorable mention, we added two more songs that for different reason didn't make it to our playlist. Celtic Frost, a Swedish metal band only because they are covering Kinky, who did made it on the list, as for the second song, it was simply just too good to be left out, and although it doesn't mention Tijuana, it does talk about Mexicali, state capital, and if that wasn't enough is by Jimi Hendrix. What other song can you think of?

Mexican Radio - Celtic Frost: "I'm on the Mexican radio. I'm on the Mexican radio. Wish I was in Tijuana, eating barbecued iguana".

Who Knows - Jimi Hendrix: "I just came back from Mexicali. Just came back in town, lookin' for my Sally."

Stay connected to San Diego Red through Facebook and Twitter.

Elizabeth.rosales@sandiegored.com

zyanya.figueroa@sandiegored.com

Comments

  • Facebook

  • SanDiegoRed

 
 
  • New

  • Best

    Recent News more

    Subir
    Advertising