La Popola Explained

La Popola
Type:single
Artist:Glory
Album:Glory
Released:19 March 2005
Recorded:2004
Genre:Reggaeton, merengue
Label:Machete Music
Producer:Eliel
Prev Title:La Gata Suelta
Prev Year:2003
Next Title:La Traicionera
Next Year:2004

"La Popola" is a song by Puerto Rican reggaetón recording artist Glory, from her debut studio album, Glou (2005). It was composed by Glory, produced by Eliel and released as the album's lead single. The song originally appeared on Eliel's El Que Habla Con Las Manos in 2004. It was banned in the Dominican Republic for its vulgar lyrical content.

Background

Before venturing as a solo artist, Glory appeared on several songs by artists including Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Héctor & Tito and Eddie Dee. She appeared on Yankee's successful "Gasolina", delivering the hook "dame más gasolina",[1] and Omar's "Dale Don Dale" with the hook "suelta como gabete".[2]

Composition and controversy

In the Dominican Republic, the song was banned by the countries' Comisión Nacional de Espectáculos Públicos y Radiofonía, (National Commission of Public Entertainment) in late 2004,[3] due to its vulgar lyrical content.[4] It has also been banned in several Latin American countries for its exceedingly sexual lyrics.[5] The term "popola" is used to refer to the watermelon fruit as well as the female sex organ.[6] It was considered disrespectful to women.[6] The song's musical aesthetics lean heavily toward the Dominican musical genre of merengue.[7] Musically, it features major key tonality, mixed acoustic and electric instrumentation, an accordion playing and prominent percussion according to the Music Genome Project.[8]

Reception and cover versions

While reviewing Eliel's El Que Habla Con Las Manos, AllMusic's Evan Gutierrez stated that "La Popola" was one of the album's only highlights along with Don Omar's "Ronca". He continued by stating that "the other 19 tracks tend to run together into a nondescript, formulaic mishmash." It was covered by Reggaetones in 2006 on their second studio album, Fury of Reggaeton Hits.[9] Yahari also performed a cover of the song on his 2005 album Las + Bailables de...Yahari.[10] The song has appeared on several other compilation albums including Reggaeton Hitmakers 2000/2005: The Video (2005),[11] Album of the Year: Las Mas Bailables (2006),[12] Machete World Remixes, Part 1 (2006),[13] and 2007's VI Music 30 Video Collection.[14] A karaoke version of the song was released as a single on 19 March 2013 by Ameritz Spanish Karaoke.[15]

Charts

The song was released as the album's lead single on 19 March 2005 by Machete Music. It received barely sufficient airplay in Puerto Rico and none in the Dominican Republic. On the Billboard Tropical Songs chart, "La Popola" debuted at number 26 for the week of 26 March 2005.[16] Ten weeks later, the song peaked at number ten for the week of 28 May 2005.[17] In Billboard magazine, the song is credited to Eliel instead of Glory as the performer.[18]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Glory – Biography. . 25 April 2014.
  2. The Class of 2006: Reggaeton's Array of Rising Artists Bodes Well for Genre's Growth. Burr, Ramiro. Billboard. 118. 36. 50. 0006-2510. 9 September 2006. 25 April 2014.
  3. Web site: Rapera puertorriqueña Glory agradece su pegada a "La Popola. . Ramos, Jorge. Periódico Hoy. 5 May 2005. 28 April 2014.
  4. Raquel Z. Rivera, Wayne Marshall and Deborah Pacini Hernandez. "Reggaeton". Duke University Press. 2009. pg. 230.
  5. Web site: And Glory is her name. https://web.archive.org/web/20140628232132/http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/06/prweb247491.htm. dead. 28 June 2014. Alayon, Sofia. 6 June 2005. 28 April 2014. PR Web. Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
  6. Web site: Regresa con "La Popola" a República Dominicana. Primera Hora. 15 October 2008. 25 April 2014.
  7. Raquel Z. Rivera, Wayne Marshall and Deborah Pacini Hernandez. "Reggaeton". Duke University Press. 2009. pgs. 163,247.
  8. Web site: Extasis Tropical – Vol. 10: La Popola. Pandora Radio. 28 April 2014.
  9. Web site: Reggaetones – Fury of Reggaeton Hits. AllMusic. 28 April 2014.
  10. Web site: Yahari – Las + Bailables de...Yahari. AllMusic. 28 April 2014.
  11. Web site: Various Artists – Reggaeton Hitmakers 2000/2005: The Video. AllMusic. 28 April 2014.
  12. Web site: Various Artists – Album of the Year: Las Mas Bailables. AllMusic. 28 April 2014.
  13. Web site: Various Artists – Machete World Remixes, Part 1. AllMusic. 28 April 2014.
  14. Web site: Various Artists – VI Music 30 Video Collection. AllMusic. 28 April 2014.
  15. Web site: Amazon.com: La Popola (In The Style of Eliel ft. Glory) [Karaoke Version] – Single]. . 19 March 2013. 28 April 2014.
  16. Latin Tropical Airplay: March 26, 2005 – Billboard Chart Archive. Billboard. 25 March 2014.
  17. Latin Tropical Airplay: March 26, 2005 – Billboard Chart Archive. Billboard. 25 March 2014.
  18. Latin Billboard: Tropical Airplay. Billboard. 117. 22. 53. 0006-2510. 28 May 2005. 28 April 2014.
  19. Web site: Eliel – Eliel El Que Habla Con Las Manos: Allmusic: Awards. AllMusic. 25 April 2014.