There was no previous management model in the early period of discography (late 19th - early 20th c.). Each company creates their own networks, something that will allow them to take a dynamic lead in the market. New specialties and professions are created and new conditions emerge, or the need to update older facts, with the most serious being intellectual property. The latter, until then, concerned mostly printed commercial musical scores and the publishers’ rights. New small companies are constantly springing up, trying to claim a share of the market, which, sooner or later, takes on global dimensions. They are often bought by larger companies, along with their already recorded repertoires and their existing agreements with agents, producers and musicians. Sooner or later, most of the smaller labels are under the control of a few growing companies. Over the years, and as the recording market becomes more complex, factories-branches are built on all continents. These offices are taken over by local actors who gradually draw up their own policies: they know their markets better. The ever-evolving recording industry proves to be centripetal: the decisions that are taken follow the policies centrally dictated by the managements of the companies and their subsidiaries. This entire environment, this entire layered landscape, becomes even more complex in America. There, “national” repertoires live a new, parallel life. This situation is not static and, to a large extent, is molded by discography, which attends to and “tunes” the overlapping relationships that have already developed in the “Old World”. Repertoires communicate with each other once again; a familiar and already dynamic condition in Europe. The circulation of musics is already a reality before the 20th century with theatrical and musical performances tours, but also with the networks of music publishing houses. Discography is not only embedded in this context, but also plays a key role in its transformation. This time, the network is adjusted in a programmatic manner, under new terms and via new paths.

This recording is an adaptation with Greek lyrics of the Mexican dance "La Raspa".

The musical tune was a global hit, has been recorded and arranged many times in historical discography, in various forms, languages and locations (see here, here and here). For example:

– “La raspa”, Bill Gale and his Trotters, New York, 1945 or 1946 (Columbia CO 35315 – 12266-F)
– “La raspa”, Juan S. Garrido, USA, 1946 (Peerless 3756-45 – 2238)
– “La raspa”, Julio Gutiérrez, Cuba, probably 1948 (RCA Victor 23-1083-A)
– “La raspa”, Paul Weston and his Orchestra, USA, 1949 (Capitol 3836 4D-5³ - 15373)
– “La raspa”, Teddy Walkers Orkester, Sweden, 1949  (Cupol 1632 – 4276)
– “La raspa”, Corrado Lojacono - MOJOLI e i suoi ritmi Cubani, Italy, 1949 (Parlophone MO 11428 – D.P.Q. 28)
– “La raspa”, Lalo Etchegoncelay, Uruguay, 1949 (Sonor 5211-A)
– “La raspa”, Eero Wäre, Finland, 1949 (Rytmi M 1334 - VR 6033)
– “La raspa”, Yvonne Blanc, France, 1950 (Pathé CPT-7402-1 – PG 364)
– “Raspa”, Plesni sekstet Jugotona, Croatia, 1953 (Jugoton 534 – C-6205)
– “La raspa”, Altamiro Carrilho e Sua Bandinha, Brazil, 1959 (Copacabana M-2520 – 6054)
– “Ras-Ras-Raspa”, Kees Manders, Belgium, 1950s (Odeon Part. 8404 – 164.547)
– “La Raspa (Mexican bounce)”, Kai Mortensens danseorkester, Denmark, 1950s (Tono 3647 B – SP 4685-1)
– “La raspa”, Feliciano Brunelli y su Orquesta Característica, Argentina, probably 1950s (RCA Victor 60-1770-A)
– “La raspa”, Pedro Ruiz Y Su Conjunto, Colombia, 1962 (Discos Colombia 8130-B)

The international popularity of the song would become the reason for its cover with Greek lyrics. The song would be originally recorded by Anna and Maria Kalouta ("I raspa apo to Mexiko" [Raspa from Mexico], Odeon GO4211 – GA7527, 1949, Athens). Its re-performance by Koula Nikolaidou and the Trio Kitara had two represses ("I raspa ap' to Mexiko", Columbia CG2612 – DT375 and "I raspa ap' to Mexico", Columbia CO44725 – 7288F).

In addition to the above recordings, the sweeping, but short-lived success of the raspa dance in Greek reality would also lead to the creation of similar melodies:
– "Bros ti treli ti raspa" (Compared to crazy raspa), by Popi Serra and the the Makris Trio (Odeon GO4267 – GA7544) recorded in 1950, in Athens
– "Allos gia to Mexiko" (Anyone else for Mexico), by Koula Nikolaidou and Thanos Kotzias (Columbia CG2652 – DG6842) recorded in 1950, in Athens

In its Greek-language version, the song falls into the trend of exoticism. Like other imaginary places, Latin America is shrouded in darkness or half-light and is characterized by the atmosphere of a wild and carefree life, the memory of which brings nostalgia to the narrator. The same nostalgia brings the memory of the love stories that took place there. Descriptions of Latin American locations tend toward abstraction, in contrast to the dense semiotics of the representations of the East, Spain, and the Gypsies. References to the natural environment and indoors are minimal. In the absence of exotic nature and architecture, the ethnoscape is established mainly through the use of regional names in the lyrics. The Latin world is mostly populated by women, with references to men being noticeably fewer. Moreover, the dangers of the wild East are not present here, as there are no barbaric officials or amorous rivals.

In exotic Latin America, the role of music and dancing is important, which now acquire a "national" content. Thus, just as the fiesta in imaginary Argentina imposes the tango, the raspa is always associated with Mexico, whose exotic sound context is built by the use of brass ensembles with their dynamics ranging in forte, reminiscent of the "national" banda orchestras.

Banda popular orchestras are a syncretic musical trend in Mexico, where popular music traditions meet the sound of military bands which arrived from Europe in the mid-19th century. During the Mexican Revolution in the 1910s, many popular musicians enlisted in the military and found themselves in military bands. When they returned to their lives as citizens, they brought to their homelands a new repertoire which enriched the already existing one. The involvement of the army in the formation of the national identity in Mexico contributed to the strengthening of the role of these orchestras. Today, in Mexico, almost every community has its own banda that participates in local celebrations and events. (see for example Simonett, 2001: 8-10).

The Greek musical score was published in 1949 in Athens, by the Gaitanos publishing house.

Research and text: George Evangelou, Leonardos Kounadis and Nikos Ordoulidis