Alí Primera

Alí Rafael Primera Rossell (born October 31, 1942 in Coro ; † February 16, 1985 in Caracas ) was a Venezuelan musician who wrote mainly rebellious and political songs to address the injustice under the Venezuelan government and the imperialist politics of the USA to draw attention. Today he is a folk hero in Venezuela and his rebellious but poetic songs are played and quoted a lot.

Alí Primera, monument in Los Teques

Life

Alí Primera was born to Antonio Primera and Carmen Adela Rossell. His father, who was a civil servant, died in an exchange of fire during an attempted escape by some inmates in Coro in 1945.

Then Alí moved with his mother and two brothers through several cities in Venezuela . In between he did Primaria (elementary school). In the end, they stayed in the village of La Vela near Punto Fijo, where Primera, due to the poverty he lived with his family, carried out various activities, from shining shoes at the age of six to boxing.

In 1960 he and his family moved to the capital, Caracas , in the hope that their living conditions would improve. Ali also attended secondary school there (Liceo). After completing his bachillerato (high school diploma) in 1964, he enrolled at Caracas Central University to study chemistry. During his student days he began his career as a composer and singer. At first he just did this for fun, but gradually it began to become his central activity. He became known for his songs "Humanidad" (humanity) and "No Basta Rezar" (praying is not enough), the latter of which he sang in public for the first time in 1967 at a festival of protest music organized by the Universidad de Los Andes.

From 1969 to 1973 he spent his time in Europe, where he recorded his first album entitled "Gente De Mi Tierra" (People of My Country), which had great success in Venezuela. After his return he met the singer Sol Musset, with whom he had five children, in addition to two that he fathered in Switzerland.

Although his compatriots from the lower social classes soon identified with his songs and he became increasingly known, the media (and the government) spoke out against him because of the radical form of his lyrics and the topics dealt with therein. He then founded his own record label Cigarrón.

He entered political life through his participation in the Partido Comunista de Venezuela (Communist Party of Venezuela). Soon he became a founding member of MAS (Movimiento Al Socialismo - Movement To Socialism) and worked in the first election campaign of José Vicente Rangel , who was Venezuela's vice-president until January 2007.

Primera was now one of the most famous and popular composers and singers not only in Venezuela but all of Latin America and performed on various events across the continent. From 1973 until his death he recorded 13 LPs.

On February 16, 1985, Alí ​​Primera died at the age of 42 in a car accident on the Valle-Coche motorway in Caracas. He left seven children. His supporters in particular quickly suspected that his death had been provoked by political opponents. However, this could never be proven.

Alí Primera's songs were declared a national heritage of Venezuela in 2005 . He is often quoted, and not infrequently also by President Hugo Chávez . Under the current socialist government of Venezuela, Ali Primera, along with Hugo Chavez, Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, was one of the outstanding symbolic personalities whose portraits adorn the walls in many places. For the supporters of the government, he is still regarded as a hero and role model, but the supporters of the opposition feel that his memory is politically abused.

Music and quotes

Primera sang mostly with the guitar or with the cuatro (Venezuelan small guitar with four strings ), which he played himself. His most famous pieces include: Paraguaná; José Leonardo; Casas De Carton; Cruz Salmerón Acosta; Reverón; Coquivacoa; No Basta Rezar; Flora y Ceferino and Canción Mansa Para Un Pueblo Bravo.

Although his music is generally regarded as protest music, Alí ​​Primera himself said about it: “Our singing is not protesting because we do not make a song out of naughtiness; we don't use it to adorn ourselves or become millionaires; it's a necessary song. "

He added:

"Every day motivates us to go deeper into it, because a man armed with a song and human poetry is a man who is not armed with envy and incapable of being bad."

In a song he sings:

I do not sing because there is poverty / but because it is possible to fight it / to wipe it out from the surface of the earth

More song quotes from Alí Primera

I was told that the people / are defenseless / like a chick of seagulls / I swear I saw it / like an injured old man / like a baby / like a grain of wheat / alone in front of the mill / but I believe in your strength / it won't be forever.

When I saw the old man barefoot / I wanted to give him my shoes / and he said to me: this is not necessary / what is important is your conscience / the clothes are not important / but must be recognized from the ground up / devour the gods / and excrete demons.

The government has promised / to put an end to poverty. / Sure, when the poor die / it is easy to reach the goal / In order to stay on top the rich / today don't do anything anymore / for this they have their parties / and theirs too Presidency

And I loaded my poetry rifle with flowers and refined the accuracy of the song against the beasts. I united hearts to defeat predators as the sounds of the chick starting to fly filled me. I tied the memories of the tree of the night and went in search of the sun.

Albums

• De Una Vez (plans Dortmund S 88 106; taken in West Berlin, May 1972)
• Venezuela (plans Dortmund S 88 116; 1975)