"The Mexican" is a song by English rock band
Babe Ruth, from their debut album ''
First Base''.
The song has been compiled, covered and mixed many times and is considered one of the most influential songs in
hip hop music
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music Music genre, genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African Americans, African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide r ...
culture as well as being popular in early disco clubs such as
The Loft.
The song was written by
Alan Shacklock and recorded along with the rest of the ''First Base'' album at
Abbey Road Studios in the summer of 1972. Shacklock wrote the lyrics of the song as a retort to the 1960
John Wayne film
''The Alamo'', which was full of historical inaccuracies and did not show the human side of the Mexican troops who defeated the
Texian forces at the
Battle of the Alamo. The song has a driving drum beat and funky bass and shows Shacklock's fondness for
African-American music and
Wild West shoot outs.
[ ''Classic Rock'' magazine, May 2012, "The Stories Behind the Songs: Babe Ruth - The Mexican".]
The song composition interpolates "Per qualche dollaro in più" by
Ennio Morricone, from the soundtrack for the film ''
For a Few Dollars More'' which was directed by
Sergio Leone.
Personnel
* Alan Shacklock – lead guitar
* Jenny Haan – lead vocals, castanets
* Dave Hewitt – bass guitar
* Dave Punshon – electric piano
* Dick Powell – drums
Cover versions
* 1978: Bombers, a Montreal disco group
* 1984:
Jellybean with vocals by the original singer,
Jenny Haan. Jellybean's debut single, this version went to number one on the US dance chart.
* 1999:
Helloween, released on ''
Metal Jukebox''
* 2006: Marc Hype & Jim Dunloop featuring Sara Bourgeois
* 2015:
Gza, member of the hip-hop group
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip hop collective formed in Staten Island, New York City, in 1992. Its members include RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and, until his death in 2004, O ...
* 2020:
Stretch & Bobbito,
the M19s Band featuring
Mireya Ramos
References
External links
at Discogs
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mexican, The
1972 songs
1984 debut singles
Song recordings produced by John Benitez