Raimon facts for kids
Ramon Pelegero Sanchis, known by his stage name Raimon, is a famous Spanish singer. He sings in the Catalan language and is known for his unique musical style called Nova Cançó. This style was popular for its new and meaningful songs.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Raimon was born in Xàtiva, a town in the province of Valencia, Spain, on December 2, 1940. He grew up on a street called el carrer Blanc (White Street), which he later mentioned in some of his songs. When he was younger, he worked as a radio announcer in his hometown. This job helped him discover many different kinds of music, from artists like Juliette Gréco to The Platters.
When Raimon was 21, he moved to Valencia to study history. There, he learned a lot about Valencian culture and read books by important writers like Ausiàs March and Joan Fuster. Even before moving, he had already written his very first song, called Al vent (To the wind).
First Performances and Success
In 1962, Raimon performed in public for the first time at a special event for a literary prize. Soon after, he sang at a competition in Castelló. There, he met a group of singers called Els Setze Jutges (The Sixteen Judges). Josep Maria Espinàs from the group was very impressed and invited Raimon to Barcelona.
Raimon's performance in Barcelona was an instant hit. People were surprised by his songs, which had strong and rebellious messages. His style was different from other singers at the time. He sang about the lives of working-class people in Valencia, not just the city life of Barcelona.
His first music record, called an EP, came out quickly in 1963. It included songs like Al vent and A colps, and it sold very well.
Singing During the Francoist Era
During this time, Spain was under a strict government led by Franco. Raimon was asked to sing a Catalan song at the Festival de la Canción Mediterránea. Even though he wasn't sure at first, he agreed to do it "as an act of service to the country and the language."
Raimon sang Se'n va anar with another singer, Salomé. The audience loved the song, and it won first prize. After this, Catalan songs, which were not seen as important before, started to get attention from the government's censors. This led to many of Raimon's songs being banned.
Challenges and New Songs
Soon after, Raimon released another EP. It had Se'n va anar and other songs like Diguem no (Let's Say No). Diguem no became very famous, but its strong political message often had to be changed to avoid being banned. Raimon later said he put Se'n va anar and Diguem no together so that if one was banned, both would be.
In 1964, his first full album came out. It had many of his earlier songs and two new ones. In 1965, Raimon performed his first solo concert in Barcelona. He also started performing internationally, singing in places like Leuven in Belgium. He released an EP with love songs dedicated to the woman he would marry the next year.
Important Performances and Albums
Raimon had a historic outdoor concert in 1965 at the Institut Químic de Sarrià. This was one of the first big Catalan music events. He also performed in Paris and Germany. That year, he released the album Cançons de la roda del temps, which had a painting by Joan Miró on its cover. This album featured songs based on poems by Salvador Espriu.
His live album recorded in France won an award for best foreign song. This album included some songs that were not allowed to be released in Spain. In 1967, he performed at the Teatre Romea, which was a first for a Catalan singer. He also sang in Cuba and Switzerland. A live album from his concert in Barcelona, Raimon Palau, was released.
In 1968, Raimon released Indesinenter, another song based on an Espriu poem. He also had two more important concerts in Madrid and performed in Mexico, Germany, Switzerland, and Cuba. The next year, he returned to Paris and released another album only in France.
Poetry and Political Messages
In 1970, Raimon released the album Per destruir aquell qui l'ha desert. This album included songs based on poems by famous 15th-century Catalan poets like Jordi de Sant Jordi and Ausiàs March. It also had his own songs, some with ironic messages about society.
He released another album in 1971 and toured in Uruguay, Chile, and Argentina. In 1973, he published a book of his poems and songs.
In 1974, he released A Victor Jara, an album dedicated to Victor Jara, a Chilean singer who was killed. This album included more songs based on old poems and some of Raimon's own songs about life and society. That same year, he released two more albums, one of which was recorded live at a university in Barcelona and had strong social and political themes.
In 1975, while Franco was very ill, Raimon sang at the Palau dels Esports de Barcelona. There, he introduced one of his most famous songs, Jo vinc d'un silenci (I Come from a Silence).
The Democratic Era
After Franco's rule ended, Spain began to become a democracy. In 1976, Raimon performed at the Raimundo Saporta Pavilion in Real Madrid. This was meant to be a series of concerts, but only the first one happened. This performance was released as a double album called El recital de Madrid.
He also performed at a big music festival in Canet de Mar, where over sixty thousand people gathered. During his performance, a huge Catalan flag was raised, showing the spirit of the new democratic era.
New Musical Directions
After this, Raimon focused on making sure his music remained important, not just as a symbol of resistance. He started performing with a double bass player, and later a full band. Before this, Raimon had always played solo with his guitar.
In 1977, before touring Japan, he released the album Lliurament del cant. This album combined songs based on poems by Joan Timoneda and Espriu with his own new songs.
In 1979, he released Quan l'aigua es queixa, which was recorded from six concerts. This album showed how his poetic style had grown and matured.
Compilations and Later Works
To bring all his music together, Raimon re-recorded many of his songs in 1981 with new musical arrangements. This resulted in a set of ten albums, with songs grouped by themes like love songs or poems by specific authors. One special album included a version of Al vent sung in Japanese by a choir.
In 1983, he released Les hores guanyades, where he shared his thoughts on politics and the life of an artist. After this, Raimon performed less often and released fewer new recordings. He released Entre la nota i el so in 1984.
His next album, Presències i oblit (1987), experimented with electronic music and instruments like a drum kit and a synthesizer. These songs were more personal. When he presented this album, Raimon performed almost entirely without his guitar, using gestures to express himself.
Raimon then took ten years to record a new album of songs. However, he was not inactive. He formed a steady group of musicians to play with him, including guitar, double bass, cello, and accordion. He performed with them and also continued to do solo shows.
In 1992, he toured Japan again and sang at universities in the United States. He also appeared on a TV show about literature.
Celebrating a Career
On Saint George's day in 1993, a huge concert was held in Barcelona to celebrate 30 years since Al vent was released. About eighteen thousand people attended. Raimon sang many songs, and other artists from around the world joined him, including Pete Seeger from the U.S. and Serrat from Spain.
That same year, a new collection of all his works was released on CD. It won an award from the Nouvelle Académie du Disque Français.
In early 1997, a new album called Cançons de mai (Songs of Never) was released. It included seven songs based on poems by Ausiàs March and six of his own poems.
That year, he received the Gold Medal from the Generalitat de Catalunya, a high honor. He performed in various cities and toured Britain. He also sang at a bullring in Madrid to honor Miguel Ángel Blanco, who had been killed. Some people criticized him for singing in Catalan, but he proudly continued.
At the end of 1997, a CD of his live performances was released. In 1999, he published a collection of all his love songs. In 2000, a new complete collection of his works came out, including many songs that had not been released before. It also included the only two songs he recorded that were written by other songwriters.
Discography
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See also
In Spanish: Raimon para niños
