Rubén Blades, Antecedente and the 1989 Grammy Awards

While the original version of this exhibition exclusively featured memorabilia from Rubén Blades's appearance at the 1989 Grammy Awards, such as the backstage pass included here, the online version also incorporates materials related to the album (Antecedente) for which Blades won a Grammy that year, like the poster for the record. Also shown here are a lightly annotated copy of the official lyrics for the track "Nacer de tí" ("Born from you"), addressed to Panama itself, and a handwritten list of possible lyrics to draw from for the traditionally improvised soneos in the song's chorus sections. Variants of these soneos made their way into the final album, first sung by Blades at 1:23 on the studio recording. The third, unused couplet reads: "I am the embrace that waits for those who long to return, I am the hand greeting he who just arrived."

Geolocation: Plaza Herrera in the San Felipe neighborhood of Panama City, where Blades grew up.

The Rubén Blades Archives at Harvard University
AWM SC Spec Coll 100