O Santo de Polvora

“O Santo de Polvora”

“O Santo de Polvora” was originally composed by a Spanish- Celtic group, Milladoiro. The words “O Santo de Polvora” translate to “The Holy Powder” and when the “P” in “Polvora” is lower case instead of upper case, it translates to “The saint of gunpowder.” The translations, though different, are still both close enough to get a good, solid understanding of the text.  Chris Thile and the Punch Brothers released their cover of the song on their 2006 record, “How to Grow a Woman from the Ground.” The opening motif sets up the mood for the rest of the piece. “O Santo de Polvora” is a very playful piece that takes its listeners all the way to the Northern country side of Spain, or maybe even the Tuscan region of Italy. The piece sustains its playfulness throughout and, coupled with bluegrass instruments, it reminds the listener that just because you don’t possess traditional Spanish or Italian instruments doesn’t mean you can't imitate the style. From start to finish “O Santo de Polvora” is an excellent piece that is good for any relaxation playlist or even an after dinner playlist as well. The song has a timeless quality to it that will make the listener have to listen to it over and over again. Regardless of whether you are a fan of Bluegrass music or not, this piece will surely gain its fair share of respect with you.

                                                                                                                                                Signing off,

                                                                                                                                                                Derek Hale