Who is there? It’s Cri-Cri, it’s Cri-Cri. And who is this man? The Singing Cricket. Francisco Gabilondo Soler, “Cri-Cri”, is the greatest composer of children’s songs in Mexico. His music crosses the barrier of time and space. He is appreciated by many generations, especially in Latin America.
Cri-Cri was born on October 6, 1907 in Orizaba, Veracruz. According to the Society of Authors and Composers of Mexico, from a young age he showed interest in learning and studying, but he did not like going to school, “he preferred the whispers in the forest, to the annoying noise of his classmates”.
In his childhood he loved learning languages and new words. He “devoured” books and loved to imitate “voices” of nature: the song of water, the sound of insects, of the air… He had a privileged hearing. His grandmother’s chatter and the music she played for him on the piano were transformed in his mind into new melodies. Methodical and self-taught, he became interested in various areas of knowledge. At age 17 he traveled to New Orleans where he was captivated by the jazz movement, so he decided to learn music formally.
He began his career playing in bars and composed his first songs in 1930. Emilio Azcárraga Vidaurreta gave him a chance on the radio after noticing that children paid attention and liked listening to his songs. This was the beginning because on October 15 of the same year he wrote and performed, only with his voice and his piano, El chorrito, Bombón I and El ropero. He never imagined his songs would be successful, but his show stayed on the air for 20 years.
Francisco Gabilondo Soler has become an idol. His repertoire includes 226 compositions, 120 were recorded. He created more than 500 characters, wrote more than 3,500 pages of texts and stories. Walt Disney tried to collaborate with him and buy the rights to his songs on many occasions, but he always refused. Cri-Cri died on December 15, 1990 in his ranch in the State of Mexico.
All Mexicans have grown up with his songs and our children will, too. That is why we suggest 15 of his most popular, so that your little ones can delight in his music, just as you did.
This is a list with 10 emblematic songs of the great Francisco Gabilondo Soler “Cri-Cri”.
And there are so many missing… Which one is your favorite?
Translated by: Ligia M. Oliver Manrique de Lara
Spanish version: Here
Saber si tu bebé será niña o niño es uno de los momentos más emocionantes…
Cuando un bebé está por nacer papá y mamá buscan el nombre ideal, aquel con…
Una de las personas más especiales de la familia es mamá. Su amor, consejos y…
La relación entre tíos y sobrinos es muy especial. Te decimos por qué son importantes…
El 1 de mayo es una de las efemérides más importantes. Esta explicación del Día…
Mamá es única y muy especial, su amor es incondicional. Sus brazos siempre estarán abiertos…