In Paloma’s Song for Puerto Rico: A Diary from 1898, Paloma writes a song of hope for her island homeland during the midst of the Spanish- American War when the U.S. military invaded Puerto Rico. The song “Hear My Island Sing” expresses Paloma’s love for the sounds of the island as the future of Puerto Rico is uncertain.  

In “Hear My Island Sing,” Paloma sings “le lo lai, le lo lai,” a vocal improvisational lyric traditionally sung by jíbaros, or Puerto Rican countryfolk. That is the start of Paloma’s song and the basis of much Puerto Rican music. Music is everywhere in Puerto Rico.  

Music is an important aspect of Puerto Rican culture. It’s how emotions and moments of joy, love, heartache, pride, and rebellion have been shared for centuries. From the indigenous Taino to today’s top songs on the radio, music from Puerto Rico has evolved and revolutionized music for the future. 

Let’s begin with the basics of Puerto Rican music: 

Start the beat with claves, a percussion instrument with African origins made of two short wooden sticks. Claves are played with this rhythm pattern: tap-tap-tap-tap-tap 

Add the güiro, a gourd-shaped, wooden instrument with a comb-type part that scratches against carved notches on the instrument in a musical rhythm based on the song. This instrument is considered a staple in a variety of Puerto Rican music styles. The güiro was first created and played by the Caribbean indigenous people, the Tainos. At that time, history wasn’t written down, rather it was told for generations through music. 

Then the melody of the cuatro tiple strings - a small guitar with twelve strings - joins in. The cuatro tiple is the national instrument of Puerto Rico. It is also the instrument that Paloma’s father plays in Paloma’s Song for Puerto Rico: A Diary from 1898.  

Patriotism and loyalty to the island is often a theme in Puerto Rican music. In Puerto Rico’s national anthem, “La Borinqueña,” the lyrics soar voicing the beauty of the island. “Del mar y el sol” – of the sea and the sun – repeat at the end of the song to remember elements of the landscape of Puerto Rico.  

A classic song, “Boricua en la Luna,” tells a heartbreaking story about a man who leaves Puerto Rico and reminds himself that he would still be Puerto Rican, even if he were born on the moon. This song represents the diaspora – the movement of a people leaving their homeland, la patria, to live elsewhere. Like Paloma, many Puerto Ricans moved to the mainland United States during the early 1900s for employment and economic opportunities. Many musicians and songwriters express their feelings about this migration through song. Music connects Puerto Ricans from the mainland diaspora to the island.  

There are various genres of Puerto Rican music. One significant style is called bomba. The rhythmic drum beats of bomba music originate from Puerto Rico’s past with African slavery. Bomba became the music of resistance and rebellion. With bomba, a dancer’s moves lead the musician’s drum beats like a conversation between the performers. Bomba music is popular in towns in Puerto Rico like Loiza, Ponce, and Mayagüez, and remains a relevant music style today.  

Holidays in Puerto Rico have their own music. Christmas time is a joyous and festive season filled with music, family, and food, especially with the parranda tradition. Parrandas are musical parades, like traveling Christmas carolers, with singers and musicians playing guitars, shaking maracas, and scraping güiros through their neighborhoods and communities to spread holiday cheer.  

The word salsa means sauce in Spanish, which is appropriate for the style of music. It combines elements from Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the United States to create a sound that is like a melting pot with influences from bomba, plena, Latin jazz, mambo, pop, funk, and other musical styles. The result is popular danceable music that will get anyone’s feet to move to the rhythm.  

Today, reggaetón is heard everywhere from the beaches to the mountains in Puerto Rico. Reggaetón evolved from hip-hop during the 1990s, adding its own Puerto Rican flavors to the lyrics and bassline. Recently, it’s even made a cross-over from popularity with the Spanish-speaking audience to English-speaking fans. The lyrics are often about love, heartbreak, and revolutionary social commentary with a danceable beat.  

Some music from Puerto Rico doesn’t come from a guitar or have a drum beat. The nature of Puerto Rico is full of music. From birds to the ocean waves, instruments abound in the island’s symphony. Native to Puerto Rico, the coqui is a tiny frog that lives in wooded areas or bushes. At night, islanders can hear the frog’s song: co-qui, co-qui. The frogs sing to each other like a coqui chorus. In Paloma’s song “Hear My Island Sing” she calls it the “music of the night.” 

There are so many beautiful musical sounds of Puerto Rico. They’ve evolved over generations of Puerto Ricans, but they all share roots from the island. In Paloma’s Song for Puerto Rico: A Diary from 1898, Paloma expresses her hopes and fears regarding her experience during the Spanish- American War through song. As she sings her song, she captures a moment in history that shaped the future of Puerto Rico. 

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