The verses start with a man telling his fiancée, "I'm not a sailor, I'm a captain," indicating his big ambitions. In the next verse he sings, "In order to get to heaven you need a big ladder and a little ladder, a little ladder and a big ladder." At this point, he's climbing for the heavens, then comes the refrain where he says, "Up and up and up I'll go." The song if filled with the optimism of youth, and hit the mark with the teenage audience that consumed this early rock.
A young guitarist named Carol Kaye played on this track. She was playing in Jazz clubs in 1957 when she picked up some session work, and she went on to become one of the most prolific studio musicians of the '60s and '70, mostly on bass. Working on "La Bamba" was big moment for her. Said Kaye: "What was nice about working for Ritchie Valens was about that time, I was feeling like I didn't want to do studio work. Because I missed Be-Bop and I knew it was going to be rough to make a living in Jazz. But Ritchie Valens was so nice and so warm, and he made the date so pleasant. I thought if they're all like this, then studio work I can do." She went on to be one of the most requested session musicians working in LA as part of the famous Wrecking Crew. She has recorded 1000's of tracks, including tv and movie soundtracks.
A little translation:
The verses start with a man telling his fiancée, "I'm not a sailor, I'm a captain," indicating his big ambitions. In the next verse he sings, "In order to get to heaven you need a big ladder and a little ladder, a little ladder and a big ladder." At this point, he's climbing for the heavens, then comes the refrain where he says, "Up and up and up I'll go." The song if filled with the optimism of youth, and hit the mark with the teenage audience that consumed this early rock.
A young guitarist named Carol Kaye played on this track. She was playing in Jazz clubs in 1957 when she picked up some session work, and she went on to become one of the most prolific studio musicians of the '60s and '70, mostly on bass. Working on "La Bamba" was big moment for her. Said Kaye: "What was nice about working for Ritchie Valens was about that time, I was feeling like I didn't want to do studio work. Because I missed Be-Bop and I knew it was going to be rough to make a living in Jazz. But Ritchie Valens was so nice and so warm, and he made the date so pleasant. I thought if they're all like this, then studio work I can do." She went on to be one of the most requested session musicians working in LA as part of the famous Wrecking Crew. She has recorded 1000's of tracks, including tv and movie soundtracks.
A little translation:
The verses start with a man telling his fiancée, "I'm not a sailor, I'm a captain," indicating his big ambitions. In the next verse he sings, "In order to get to heaven you need a big ladder and a little ladder, a little ladder and a big ladder." At this point, he's climbing for the heavens, then comes the refrain where he says, "Up and up and up I'll go." The song if filled with the optimism of youth, and hit the mark with the teenage audience that consumed this early rock.
A young guitarist named Carol Kaye played on this track. She was playing in Jazz clubs in 1957 when she picked up some session work, and she went on to become one of the most prolific studio musicians of the '60s and '70, mostly on bass. Working on "La Bamba" was big moment for her. Said Kaye: "What was nice about working for Ritchie Valens was about that time, I was feeling like I didn't want to do studio work. Because I missed Be-Bop and I knew it was going to be rough to make a living in Jazz. But Ritchie Valens was so nice and so warm, and he made the date so pleasant. I thought if they're all like this, then studio work I can do." She went on to be one of the most requested session musicians working in LA as part of the famous Wrecking Crew. She has recorded 1000's of tracks, including tv and movie soundtracks.