Gracias a la vida

For the Joan Baez album, see Gracias a la Vida (album).

"Gracias a la vida" (Spanish: "Thanks to Life") is a song written, composed and performed by Chilean folk singer-songwriter Violeta Parra, one of the artists who was part of the movement and musical genre known as the Nueva Canción Chilena. Parra composed "Gracias a la vida" in La Paz, Bolivia in 1966.^[3] It was included on Las Últimas Composiciones, the last album Parra published before dying by suicide in 1967. The song is one of Parra's most renowned. It is performed throughout the world and remains one of the most covered Latin American songs in history.

"Gracias a la vida"
Song by Violeta Parra
from the album Las últimas composiciones
Recorded	1966
Genre	Folk[1] Nueva canción chilena[2]
Length	4:38
Label	RCA Victor
Las últimas composiciones chronology
"Gracias a la vida" "El albertio"

Critical reception

The song "Gracias a la vida" was considered as a "humanist hymn" by Chilean music journalist Marisol García.^[4] In 2009 the former president Michelle Bachelet expressed her "affection and admiration" for Mercedes Sosa and "Gracias a la vida" with the following phrase: «As you know today, "Gracias a la vida" is a song of ours, but also a universal one. Note that there are many artists from many countries who have recorded it and made it famous and one of those voices, perhaps the most vigorous in Latin America, is that of Mercedes Sosa».^[5] In 2013 it was inducted into the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame.^[6]

Covers

The 1971 version performed by Mercedes Sosa and included in her album Homenaje a Violeta Parra spread the song within the Spanish-speaking world. Joan Baez popularized the song in the United States in 1974 by including it on her album of the same name, and continued to perform the song in concert in various countries.^[7] Italian singer-songwriter Gabriella Ferri covered the song in her 1974 album Remedios, making it popular with the Italian public.^[8] In 2021, American singer Kacey Musgraves covered the song for her fifth studio album Star-Crossed. It also has been covered by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, mezzosoprano Elīna Garanča, and Cuban singer Omara Portuondo, among many others.

Voces Unidas por Chile version

"Gracias a la Vida"
Single by Voces Unidas por Chile
Released	May 4, 2010
Recorded	March 2010
Genre	Pop
Length	4:31
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Violeta Parra
Producer(s)	Humberto Gatica
Music video
"Gracias a la Vida" on YouTube

In 2010, "Gracias a la Vida" was recorded by the supergroup Voces Unidas por Chile.^[9] It was produced by Chilean producer Humberto Gatica,^[10] and released on May 4,^[11] one week before another charity single for the event, "Que Cante la Vida", performed by various artists too including Alex Ubago, Belinda, Carlos Baute, Aleks Syntek, Luis Fonsi, among others.

The project by Beto Cuevas, former vocalist of the group La Ley, consisted of recording a version of "Gracias a la Vida" to help the victims of the 2010 earthquake,^[12] was produced by the Chilean compatriot Humberto Gatica,^[13] they also included artists such as: Colombians Shakira and Juanes, Dominican Juan Luis Guerra, Mexican Fernando Olvera (Fher) Spanish Alejandro Sanz and Miguel Bosé, Italian Laura Pausini, and Canadian Michael Bublé.^[7]

"We are committed to the Chilean people, which is facing a big problem" said the former vocalist of Maná in a video with statements of all participating artists and images of the tragedy. Bosé said in its segment "Anything that has to be done for that country, I will always do it." Laura Pausini, referring to the earthquake in the area of Abruzzo said "Last year, my land, Italy, experienced a similar tragedy to which Chile is experiencing".^[13]

Warner Music released the song internationally in both physical and digital format. The profits from their sale went to Habitat for Humanity, which works to provide housing to families in need in various countries, including Chile.^[13]

References

1. M.D, M. Laura Nasi (2 October 2018). Cancer as a Wake-Up Call: An Oncologist's Integrative Approach to What You Can Do to Become Whole Again. North Atlantic Books. p. 311. ISBN 978-1-62317-297-8. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
2. Palominos, Simón (2018). Vientos del pueblo: Representaciones, recepciones e interpretaciones sobre la Nueva Canción Chilena (in Spanish). LOM Ediciones. p. 90. ISBN 978-956-00-1168-8. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
3. "Testimonios de Violeta Parra en La Paz" (PDF). Retrieved December 17, 2017.
4. García, Marisol. "Violeta Parra". MusicaPopular.cl (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 29 March 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
5. Cooperativa.cl (2 October 2009). "Michelle Bachelet expresó "cariño y admiración" por Mercedes Sosa". Cooperativa.cl (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
6. "Latin GRAMMY Hall Of Fame". Latin Grammy Award. Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
7. Press, Europa (5 February 2017). "Las 5 mejores interpretaciones de 'Gracias a la vida'". www.notimerica.com (in Spanish). Spain. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
8. Romagnoli, Federico (22 June 2014). "Gabriella Ferri - Remedios Kacey Musgraves also covered the song on her 2021 album Star-Crossed". OndaRock. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
9. "Voces Unidas por Chile: Artistas internacionales solidarizan con el terremoto". www.cultura.gob.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 October 2022.
10. "Artistas de renombre graban 'Gracias a la Vida' para ir en ayuda de los damnificados". BioBioChile - La Red de Prensa Más Grande de Chile (in Spanish). 17 March 2010. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
11. "Lista nueva versión de 'Gracias a la vida'". El Espectador (in Spanish). 8 April 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
12. Ritmoson (13 March 2010). "Graba Beto Cuevas tema a favor de Chile" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 March 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
13. EMOL (April 15, 2010). "Con voz de Shakira se completa grabación de "Gracias a la vida" para damnificados de Chile" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2010-03-24.

External links

• "Gracias a la vida" at MusicBrainz (information and list of recordings)
• Gracias a la vida گراسیاس آلا ویدا (+ translation into twelve languages)
• Gracias a la vida from BBC Radio 4's series "Soul Music"