The song became the opening track of their eponymous album (released in September 1997) and the group's signature song, thereby achieving international fame.THE STAGE dimmed as the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra’s string section played the melody of a heartwarming tune followed by the wind section’s soft whistling. In March 1996, Compay Segundo, Eliades Ochoa and other veteran Cuban musicians recorded a new version of the song as part of the Buena Vista Social Club project. In 1994, Compay and his group travelled to Spain for the Primer Encuentro entre el Son y el Flamenco, bringing "Chan Chan" with them, and later in November 1995, Compay recorded a new version in Madrid for his Antología, released on CD the following year. In 1992, Compay recorded "Chan Chan" with Pablo Milanés for his Años Vol. Compay Segundo and the Cuarteto Patria, with Eliades Ochoa on lead vocals and guitar, would often play the song at the Casa de la Trova in Santiago, where the song began to gain popularity among trova fans.
The songs were recorded in 1989 at the EGREM studios (Siboney), Santiago de Cuba, for the album Chanchaneando, who was released on CD years later. In 1987, he approached Eliades Ochoa, who agreed to record a version with the Cuarteto Patria, along with other older songs by Compay, who needed new recordings to be able to claim royalties. EGREM did not issue this recording (or the rest of the session) on CD until 1996. According to the EGREM archives, the first recording of the song was made in 1985 at the EGREM studios (Areito), Havana, by Compay Segundo and his group. It is a common practice in son cubano to mention Cuban toponyms, as in the 1952 standard "Alto Songo".Īccording to Compay himself, the first performance of the song took place in the club Cristino, sometime in the mid-1980s. The four mentioned locations ( Alto Cedro, Marcané, Cueto and Mayarí) are towns near each other in the Holguín Province on the east side of Cuba. The most recognizable part of the song is its chorus, whose lyrics are as follows:
The origin of this tale is a farmer song learnt by Compay Segundo when he was twelve years old.' Juanica shakes it, and to do so she shakes herself, making Chan Chan embarrassed. Chan Chan collects the sand and puts it on the jibe (a sieve for sand). The most complete explanation says: 'The song relates the story of a man and a woman (Chan Chan and Juanica) who are building a house, and go to the beach to get some sand. Lyrically, the song is set on the beach and revolves around two central characters called Juanica and Chan Chan.
One day I woke up hearing those four sensitive notes, I gave them a lyric inspired by a children's tale from my childhood, Juanica y Chan Chan, and you see, now it's sung everywhere. I look over the balcony and I see nobody, but I hear it as if it was played on the street. I sometimes wake up with a melody in my head, I hear the instruments, all very clear. On the composition of the song, Compay Segundo said: The song was written in 1984 by Compay Segundo, who first "dreamt" the opening melody in his sleep and later wrote the lyrics. The song became the opening track of their eponymous album and the group's signature song, thereby achieving international fame. In November 1995, Compay recorded a new version in Madrid for his Antología, released on CD the following year. However, EGREM did not release these recordings until the second half of the 1990s. In 1987, he approached Eliades Ochoa, who agreed to record a version with the Cuarteto Patria. It was first recorded in 1985 by Compay Segundo's own group. "Chan Chan" is a 1984 son composition by Cuban trovador Compay Segundo. Buena Vista Social Club singles chronology
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