Skip to main content

Music Analysis #1: "Lo Que Siento" by Cuco

    For me, "Lo Que Siento" by Cuco is the best of both worlds. I love how the song is a clever blend of English and Spanish. As well, it is very relatable. I stumbled upon the song by having it sent to me by an old friend. The song had just come out and it put into words how I was feeling. I think that understanding the lyrics as well puts the entire song into perspective. For instance, the title of the song translates to "What I Feel." It remains one of my favorite songs and seems to be a theme song for different aspects of my life. 

Click Here to listen to "Lo Que Siento" by Cuco - May 25, 2017, USA

Basic Information

    Cuco who is the singer of "Lo Que Siento" is actually the producer and composer of the song as well. According to an interview by Genius, Cuco says, "...in my head, I just heard the chord progression for Lo Que Siento in a way where it's mixed with a lot of Chicano rap. But then there's also that indie side of it with guitars..." ("Lo Que Siento - Cuco"). Cuco produced the song in California, USA. 

Rhythm

    The attention grabber of the song is the opening rhythm. From the beginning of the song, there is a smooth and somewhat comforting rhythm being played. Cuco used damp synthesizers and then after the initial intro adds chirpy drums whenever the chorus plays. These drums sound like a xylophone or some type of bell. When his slow rap starts the rhythm goes back to the beginning without the bell-type sounds. The rhythm has a strong Chicano feel. It could be compared to songs such as "Sabor A Mi" by El Chicano and "Chicano Park Samba" by Los Alacranes Mojados. Chicano music has a repeating rhythm with a kind of slow rap style. In Cuco's song, he puts the same rhythm on loop for the entirety of the song while adding different vocals and small accents. His song is also described as dreamy and romantic. In the outro of the song, Cuco adds a trumpet pattern that is playing over the original rhythm. Cuco also adds a rhythm in his vocals. For the chorus, at the end of every verse, he extends the final word. It is heard in the words gone, long, and alone. He extends the "on" sound in every word. In his other verses, the end words are cut short. 

Lyrics

    The lyrics of the song itself tell a story. The lyrics make me feel his feelings through the song. He is speaking about how a certain girl makes him feel. In my mind, I change it towards how a significant other would make me feel. The lyrics reveal a deeper meaning when it comes to his feelings. He speaks of how without this girl, the days feel longer and dull. As well as states how he cannot see a future without her. His Spanish lyrics throughout the song seem to be the more meaningful and heartfelt ones. For instance, "sabes bien que te quiero" and "oye carino, solo pienso en ti." These lyrics translate to, "you know I love you" and "Hey dear, I only think of you." It expresses the longing he has for this person and how much he wants her to know how he feels for her. It seems as if without her, he would lose himself. 

Timbre

    The timbre of Cuco's voice brings different feelings to the song. I think that his voice has a mellow feeling. He does not include higher notes and keeps the same timbre throughout the entire song. In a warm, the timbre could be considered warm or silky. I think that it is more mellow because of the song's vibe but as well of how he goes back and forth from slow rap to a somewhat spoken chorus with a dragged ending. Cuco's voice does a good job of bringing his emotion. He seems calm like he wants the listener to understand he is serious about his feelings and thoughts. If he would have sang in a nasal timbre or less mellow voice, it would have changed the feeling of the song. 

Final Thoughts

    "Lo Que Siento" has an average rating of four out of five stars across different platforms. Many describe the song as vibing and making you get caught up in your feelings. According to a review by IndieBeat, "If you've ever spent a night alone thinking of someone you love, wishing they were right next to you, then you'll instantly melt for this track because it feels real and true; it's a soundtrack to your soul and passions, " ("‘Lo Que Siento’ By Cuco"). His song is also described as dreamy and romantic. Comments on his Genius interview describing the meaning and background of the song describe the song as "completamente romantica" and "gran cancion para dedicar." This means "completely romantic" and "great song to dedicate to someone." 

    This song will always be one of my favorites and just holds an influence that puts me into a lovely state of mind. I think the engaging rhythm and slow rap make the song relatable. As well as the lyrics put into perspective not only how Cuco is feeling but seem to bring your inner feelings to the surface. 

References

"‘Lo Que Siento’ By Cuco". Medium, 2022, https://medium.com/@indiebeatmusic/lo-que-

    siento-bycuco-888fc5aa81d3.

"Cuco Cares About Your Feelings". The FADER, 2022, 

      https://www.thefader.com/2018/03/06/cuco-lo-que-siento-sunnyside-interview.

"Lo Que Siento - Cuco". Genius, 2022, https://genius.com/Cuco-lo-que-siento-lyrics

"Lo Que Siento - Cuco". Youtube, 2022, https://youtu.be/AjGkbFqi67c.




Labels:

Comments

  1. CaseySeptember 29, 2022 at 2:22 PM

    I agree, the opening rhythm is smooth and comforting. It is also very catchy and flows really well. This genre of music is new to me and I like it! I just listened to another song by Cuco "lover is a day" and he repeats the rhythm on this song as well. I am currently taking Spanish class for the first time right now and listening to this song was the first song with Spanish lyrics I have heard. I agree the Spanish lyrics are a lot more meaningful and have a unique sound that is mellow and warm.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Noelia Toscano-ArteagaSeptember 29, 2022 at 5:32 PM

      Hi Casey!
      If you like this genre of music you should look into it, its called Chicano. Spanish is actually my first language but my grandma always said that the best way to learn a new language is through music. If you want to gain a deeper understanding of Spanish I would recommend starting off with listening to slower music. Finding the translation online can help you understand the song and the words go along with each other. Color Esperanza by Diego Torres or even Dile Al Amor by Aventura are good songs. Aventura is a bachata music group. Bachata is also a good genre to learn Spanish through.

      Delete
  2. Tel JensenSeptember 29, 2022 at 6:53 PM

    I absolutely enjoyed this song. The damp synthesizers really give off a lofi feel to them and are comforting and then the cheerful bells ad good range to the song. The switch up of Spanish and English lyrics really catch the listeners attention and it's a smooth transition between the two types. Overall, I like the song and it brings a relaxing feeling and this was a great introduction post.
    Some specific parts I liked about the song were the reverb and the trumpet at the end. I really liked the reverb that plays in the background. It really adds the lofi feel and is a key piece. Also, the ending trumpet also adds to the Chicano feel, which is an important aspect, of this song.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Introducing Myself

     Hello! My name is Noelia Toscano-Arteaga. This is my freshman year at UAF and I am double majoring in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education. I have somewhat of a background in music. I have been playing the violin for about eight years and have dabbled in different instruments since then. Although, more of my background is in dance. Dance has always been a big part of my life. My culture is Latino with roots in Peru. Peru has a rich background in dance and music. I grew up learning and performing different dances. This included folk dance and Afro-Latino dancing styles. Music has always been influential and a huge part of my life.   Appealing Image: Finding an image that I find appealing proved to be a difficult task. I am very indecisive and I actually found many images that could work. In the end, I had to do a very intensive search of reading in front of fireplace images. As the weather grows colder, my inner coziness grows. I love drinking ...
3 comments
Read more

Role of the Performer - Britney Spears

Musical Biography:        Britney Spears is an American triple threat. She is a singer, songwriter, and dancer. Although she is more known for her performance work than her compositions. Out of her 62 songs that she has released throughout her career, she is only credited with composition credits for 18 of them. That means more than 70% of her work is for performing. Britney is known as the "Princess of Pop." She is credited with having a majority of influence over reviving teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Her musical journey began at the age of 15 in 1997. This is when she first signed with Jive Records. She jumpstarted her career with her first two studio albums that are among the best-selling albums of all time. These albums were Baby One More Time (1999) and Oops!... I Did It Again (2000). From these albums she became the best-selling teenage artist of all time. She has nine albums with her latest album coming out in 2016. She as well has had 10 ...
2 comments
Read more