"Dance
Salsa"
by Marla Friedler
This is a list of what I consider the best salsa songs for
DANCING, songs you can’t help but feel. When I think about the best dance music I
listen for passion, intense percussion and an undeniable spirit that makes me just want to
move.
There are so many other songs that I really love which are
not included on this list because I love them for other things, not necessarily to dance
to.
When you read the list, you will see that I mostly prefer the
older, more percussive stuff for dancing. However, I also love the new breed and listen to
it often. This is the music I love to listen to, to drive to, to sing to:
I love India for her power, her message to young women and
for her ability to bring in a whole new generation of listeners to Latin music. I love
Marc Anthony for his voice, his passion and his uniqueness. I love Domingo Quinones for
the same reason I love Cheo Feliciano. They both have beautiful, romantic voices. I love
Ruben Blades for his poetry and his social consciousness. He is the Bob Dylan of Latin
music. I also really like to groove to Tito Nieves and Ray Sepulveda.
There are classics, legends who did not make this list. I
love their stuff but when you try to narrow a list down to 40, you are bound to leave out
some great music. These are my honorable mentions: Tito Rodriguez, Orquesta Broadway,
Chapotín, Arsenio Rodriguez, Conjunto Modelo, Joe Cuba, Orquesta Aragon and Fajardo.
With all this said, here’s the list:
The Top 40 Salsa Dance Songs of All Time
1. Vamonos Pal Monte
Eddie
Palmieri
2. Aqui El Que Baila Gana
Fania All Stars
3. Que Bueno Baila Usted
Oscar D’Leon
4. Ran Kan Kan
Tito Puente
5. Tanga
Mario Bauzá
6. Como Quiera
Machito
7. Lloraras
Oscar D’Leon
8. Quiembara
Celia Cruz y Johnny Pacheco
9. La Rebelión
Joe Arroyo
10. Bandolera
Ray Baretto
11. Tributo Al Jeffe
Melcochita
12. Arsenio
Larry Harlow
13. Palo Pa Rumba
Eddie Palmieri
14. Bembelequa
Celia Cruz
15. La Paella
Jose Alberto "El Canario"
16. Dejame Sonar
Tito Puente
17. Asi Se Goza
Isidro Infante
18. El Cantante
Hector Lavoe
19. Maquina Landera
Ismael Rivera y Cortijo
20. Babarabatiri
Beny Moré y Perez Prado
Orchestra
21. El Menu
El Gran Combo
22. Timbalero
Tito Puente
23. El Escencia Del Guaguancó
Johnny Pacheco
24. Yay Boy
Africando
25. Tributo Al Bravo
Jose Alberto "El Canario"
26. Hong Kong
Mambo
Tito
Puente
27. Muneca
Eddie
Palmieri
28. Aqua De Clavelito
Johnny Pacheco
29. La Receta
Johnny Polanco y
Conjunto Amistad
30. Azucar
Los Van Van
31. Santo Militar y Montuno
Isidro Infante
32. Descarga
Willie
Villegas
33. Cao Cao Mani Picao
Vicentico Valdez with Tito Puente
34. Idilio
Willie Colón
35. Prende El Fogon
La Sonora Poncena
36. Persona Ideal
Los Adolescentes
37. Etnia
Grupo Niche
38. Medias Negras
Willie Chirino
39. No Me Acostumbro
Rey Ruiz
40. Esa Mujer
Tony
Vega
I am currently in the process of producing a compilation CD
to include these songs. It will be the definitive CD for great dance music. If
you're interested, please e-mail me at: marla@salsaweb.com
TOP |
The Top
40 Salsa Dance Songs of All Time