The “Golden Hits Of The 70s”
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MIGUEL RIOS
“A SONG OF JOY (HIMNO A LA ALEGRIA)”
(Orbe, W. De Los Rios)
A & M 1193
No. 14 July 78, 1970
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Family and friends say that Miguel (b. 1944, Granada, Spain) started singing when he was six. Two years
later, he was a member of his school choir. Once his school days were behind him, he formed a rock group
that worked the local bars. A record man with Hispavox Records let the lad cut some sides for the home
land market. “El Rio,” “Vuelvo a Granada,” “Yo Solo un Hombre,” and “El Cartel” all proved winners; with
Rios being allegedly elevated to the status of “the pop star” of Spanish youth. At this juncture, Miguel was
offered the shot at doing a commemorative number, with composer/arranger Waldo De Los Rios (no rela
tion), for the bicentennial of Beethoven’s birth. De Los Rios and someone named Orbe had concocted a
mammoth production of a portion of the last movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, complete with a
huge chorus and a host of instruments.
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After Ludwig’s immortal melody worked its way through the world’s pop charts–with massive sales
registered in Holland, Poland, Italy, France … and throughout all of Central America–other adaptations, as
“Himno a Ia Alegria” (another slicing of the last movement of Beethoven’s Ninth) fell on worn ears and
Miguel’s popularity returned to that of being merely a homeland hero.
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The following year, Waldo returned to Billboard’s listings with his own pop treatment, “Mozart’s Symphony
No.40 in G Minor K 550, First Movement” (#67, 1971). His album, Sinfonias (#53, 1971), also sold well. On
March 28, 1977, Waldo De Los Rios died.