Tonight we’re not whores.

28Oct08

One of the songs I’ve been listening to a thousand and one times: Me llaman Calle. I first heard the song while watching the excellent film Princesas which documents a few days in the life of a Spanish street prostitute. Watch it on my recommendation, and because scores of Spanish reviewers and award juries (including the Goya awards) recognized the movie and its cast. Below I’ve posted a video made from footage of the film and a recording session with artist Manu Chao. I have since bought the Chao album on which the song appears and each time it comes up in the playlist, my life screetches to a halt, as I am transfixed.* I would say quickly that the song and the movie are more evocative of the pain and pleasure of life on the streets than almost any ethnography I’ve read.

* The same thing happens with La Vida Tombola, which is inspired by Chao’s relationship with soccer player Maradona, also the subject of an interesting, recent film.