--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 1942 Cachao wrote a tune for Arcao…" description: "\"In 1942 Cachao wrote a tune for Arcao, 'Rareza de Melitn,' with a memorable catchy tumbao. In 1957 Arcao recorded a reworking of it under the name 'Cha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/ned-sublette-30951_catchy_in-1942-cachao-wrote-a-tune-for-arcao-ra_1065283.jpg" --- # In 1942 Cachao wrote a tune for Arcao, 'Rareza de Melitn,'… ![“In 1942 Cachao wrote a tune for Arcao, 'Rareza de Melitn,' with a memorable catchy tumbao. In 1957 Arcao recorded a reworking of it under the name 'Chanchullo'; and in 1962 Tito Puente reworked that into 'Oye como va,' still with that same groove. In this form, audibly the same, it powered Carlos…” quote by Ned Sublette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/ned-sublette-30951_catchy_in-1942-cachao-wrote-a-tune-for-arcao-ra_1065283.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/ned-sublette-30951_catchy_in-1942-cachao-wrote-a-tune-for-arcao-ra_1065283.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/ned-sublette-30951_catchy_in-1942-cachao-wrote-a-tune-for-arcao-ra_1065283.jpg) > “In 1942 Cachao wrote a tune for Arcao, 'Rareza de Melitn,' with a memorable catchy tumbao. In 1957 Arcao recorded a reworking of it under the name 'Chanchullo'; and in 1962 Tito Puente reworked that into 'Oye como va,' still with that same groove. In this form, audibly the same, it powered Carlos Santana's multiplatinum 1970 cover version, close to three decades after Cachao first played it.” [Ned Sublette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-sublette/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A single rhythmic pattern traveled across decades, influencing multiple artists and genres **In simple terms:** A catchy rhythm persisted and shaped many hits Key Takeaway Recognize the power of a core musical idea Themes music heritage influence collaboration genre‑blending Mood appreciative nostalgic inspirational Type historical musical cultural When to use this quote - songwriting - arrangement - performance - recording - cover versions Key Concepts tumbao musical motif cultural transmission Questions to Reflect On - How does a simple groove become a cultural bridge? - What role does reinterpretation play in musical longevity? A Different Perspective Attribution can be disputed; commercial credit often unclear ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arcao Recorded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arcao-recorded-2623997/) [Cachao Played](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cachao-played-2623995/) [Cachao Wrote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cachao-wrote-2623996/) [Carlos Santana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carlos-santana/) [Catchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catchy/) [Decades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades/) [Decades Cachao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decades-cachao-2623998/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Groove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/groove/) [Memorable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memorable/) [Names](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/names/) [Santana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/santana/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Tito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tito/) [Tito Puente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tito-puente-226568/) [Tune Arcao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tune-arcao-2623999/) [Tunes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tunes/) [Versions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/versions/) ## Related quotes > [At rehearsals, I began conducting the band, counting them in without thinking. 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Literally, demonstrating the civil right of the community to assemble in the street for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-sublette/a-second-line-is-in-effect-a-civil-rights-demonstration-literally/) [Ned Sublette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-sublette/) > [ The two biggest hits (by Machito)... were about that enduring Cuban song topic-food: 'Sopa de pichn' \[pigeon soup\] and 'Paella'. If you think that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-sublette/the-two-biggest-hits-by-machito-were-about-that-enduring-cuban-song/) [Ned Sublette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-sublette/) > [Every farm with slaves was a slave-breeding farm. Raising slaves was mostly a cottage industry...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-sublette/every-farm-with-slaves-was-a-slave-breeding-farm-raising-slaves-was/) [Ned Sublette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-sublette/) > [Up through and including Lincoln, American politicians nursed a fantasy of repatriating blacks to Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-sublette/up-through-and-including-lincoln-american-politicians-nursed-a/) [Ned Sublette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-sublette/) > [On occassion, slaves in Spanish New Orleans owned slaves, whose labor they could appropriate toward purchasing their own freedom, or whose ownership they could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-sublette/on-occassion-slaves-in-spanish-new-orleans-owned-slaves-whose-labor/) [Ned Sublette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-sublette/) > [That spirit of mockery characteristic of the guaracha was part of the mambo from the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-sublette/that-spirit-of-mockery-characteristic-of-the-guaracha-was-part-of-the/) [Ned Sublette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-sublette/) > [Like slaves on the sugar plantations of the Antilles, ...the sugar slaves of southern Louisiana had negative birthrates for as long as slavery lasted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-sublette/like-slaves-on-the-sugar-plantations-of-the-antilles-the-sugar-slaves/) [Ned Sublette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-sublette/) > [Chano Pozo created the role of the conga soloist in the modern band, somewhat th way Coleman Hawkins created the solo tenor sax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-sublette/chano-pozo-created-the-role-of-the-conga-soloist-in-the-modern-band/) [Ned Sublette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-sublette/) [Explore all 17 Ned Sublette quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-sublette/) ## More Catchy quotes > [Don't miss out on today by living in yesterday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/don-t-miss-out-on-today-by-living-in-yesterday/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Every reform was once a private opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/every-reform-was-once-a-private-opinion/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If you can laugh at yourself, you are going to be fine. 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It's not just pop songs that are catchy. Rhythms can be catchy, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/classical-music-can-be-catchy-so-can-african-instrumental-guitar/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [I just love catchy melodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/borns/i-just-love-catchy-melodies/) [Borns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/borns/) > [There is a false love that will make you something you are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/there-is-a-false-love-that-will-make-you-something-you-are-not/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [Everything needs to be catchy because a listener is either going to stay with the song or lose interest in the first five seconds.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-blanco/everything-needs-to-be-catchy-because-a-listener-is-either-going-to/) [Benny Blanco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-blanco/) [Browse all 162 Catchy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catchy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In 1942 Cachao wrote a tune for Arcao, 'Rareza de Melitn,' with a memorable catchy tumbao. 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