Sopa de Caracol

"Sopa de Caracol"
Single by Banda Blanca
from the album Sopa de Caracol
LanguageGarifuna and Spanish
Released1991
Recorded1990
GenrePunta rock
Length4:48
LabelSonotone Music
Songwriter(s)
  • Hernán "Chico" Rámos
  • Juan Pompilio Tejeda
Banda Blanca singles chronology
"Sopa de Caracol"
(1991)
"Fiesta"
(1991)

"Sopa de Caracol" ("Snail Soup")[1] is a song performed by the Honduran punta rock band Banda Blanca. It was originally written by Belizean singer Hernan "Chico" Ramos and later covered by Banda Blanca, whose lyrics include verses in both Garifuna and Spanish. The song was released by Sonotone Music in 1991 and achieved international success, peaking at number one on the Billboard Top Latin Songs in the United States.[2][3] The track included elements of Garifuna music and punta, and has been used as a promotion for the Ladino region of Honduras.[2][1]

The song debuted on the Billboard Top Latin Songs chart (formerly Hot Latin Tracks) chart at number fifteen in the week of 19 January 1991, climbing to the top ten the following week.[4][5] "Sopa de Caracol" peaked at number one on 16 March 1991,[6] replacing "Te Pareces Tanto a Él" by Chilean singer Myriam Hernández and being succeeded by "No Basta" by Venezuelan singer-songwriter Franco De Vita two weeks later.[7] The song ended 1991 as the fifth best-performing Latin single of the year in the United States,[8] was awarded the Silver Seagull at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival, and received a Lo Nuestro Award nomination for Tropical/Salsa Song of the Year, which it lost to Juan Luis Guerra's "Burbujas de Amor".[2] Its music video was directed by Chad Domenencis and received a nomination in the Latin field for Best Duo or Group and Best Director at the 1991 Billboard Music Video Awards.[9] Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Banda Maguey, Los Flamers, Wilkins, and Tony Camargo have all recorded cover versions of the track.[10]

  1. ^ a b Zuchore-Walske, Christine (2010). "Music and Dance". Honduras in Pictures. Lerner Publishing Group, Inc: 54. ISBN 9781575059600. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  2. ^ a b c Recasens Barbara, Albert (31 August 2010). "El Baile de las Caderas, el Impacto de la Punta en las Otredades". A Tres Bandas: Mestizaje, Sincretismo e Hibridación en el Espacio Sonoro Iberomericano. Sociedad Estatal para la Acción Cultural Exterior: 146. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  3. ^ "Banda Blanca — Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  4. ^ "Sopa de Caracol — Week of January 19, 1991". Billboard. 19 January 1991. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  5. ^ "Sopa de Caracol — Week of January 26, 1991". Billboard. 26 January 1991. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  6. ^ "Sopa de Caracol — Week of March 16, 1991". Billboard. 16 March 1991. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  7. ^ "No Basta — Week of March 30, 1991". Billboard. 30 March 1991. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  8. ^ "Topping the Charts Year by Year". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 48. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 28 November 1998. p. LMQ3. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  9. ^ "Billboard Music Video Awards Nominees Announced" (PDF). Billboard. 19 October 1991. p. 64. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  10. ^ "Sopa de Caracol – Performers". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 15 January 2011.[permanent dead link]