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“Ese hombre” (“That Man,” 1967?),^[1]
in Expedición

In contrast with the Che-inspired songs of admiration and reflection, “Ese hombre” evokes a less flattering image of a powerful figure. According to Shaw, the song expresses the trovador’s disillusionment at the time with the corruption of Cuban leadership (Shaw 2002: 182-183). Indeed, the lyrics refer openly to cronyism and pilferage (“Ese hombre. . .recuerde que da con una razón/ algo para deberes,” “Ese hombre…se cuide de sí, se cuide de él solo/ por que hay un placer perverso en creer”); however, the last couplet (“porque el mismo don que lo levantó/ puede ahorgalo en lodo”) suggests that the subject is not an ultimate authority. Shaw mentions that the song has not appeared in published songbooks or biographies. Although bootleg performances have been circulating on cassettes and the Internet for years, the song was not released on a commercial CD until 2002 – perhaps thirty-five years after its creation.^[2]

The harmonies in this early song are simple and diatonic. Nonetheless, by having the first four measures (assuming a 6/8 meter) serve as an extension of the dominant,^[3] rather than starting or resolving quickly to the tonic, the harmonies make an unfinished statement out of the words, “Ese hombre que por hechos o por dichos/ es respetado tanto.” In contrast, Rodríguez sets the narrator’s opinion of “that man” - “se cuide de sí, se cuide de él solo” - in a resolution to the tonic, giving firmer harmonic ground to the narrator’s view of the subject (Ex. 3A). Hence, the extended dominant, to express the publicly accepted view, and the tonic, to express the narrator’s view, sets up two contrasting parts within a strophic structure, giving greater credence, through harmony, to the narrator’s views.

Ex. 3A – “Ese hombre,” transcription

Similarly, the rhythm complements the text. While the accompaniment is in a fast ternary meter, the melody to the beginning of “Ese hombre” is in a 6/8 against the accompaniment in 3/4, rendering rhythmically unstable these words relating to the public’s admiration for the leader. When the text moves on to the songwriter’s opinion, “Recuerde por que, por que es que le quieren” and the tonic harmony, the melody starts to follow the ternary rhythm of the accompaniment more closely; furthermore, the bass note is sustained for two measures rather than one in the previous passage. Hence, the songwriter’s views are more musically grounded than the public’s view, not only harmonically but also rhythmically. Similarly controversial songs such as “Epistolario del subdesarrollo” and “Viven muy felices” helped Rodríguez develop an enthusiastic following but raised suspicions among some authorities (Rodríguez 1996: 10). 

• [1] According to Rodríguez’s Ojalá Studios, this song was written in 1977 (p.c.), as is written in the liner notes for Expedición. However, Clara Díaz believes the song was written in the 1967-1970 period, due to its style (p.c.), while Shaw cites it as an open statement of Rodríguez’s disillusionment with the regime during the 1967-1970 period (Shaw 2002: 182-183). No further explanation of the song is given in the liner notes. 
• [2] Because Rodríguez started to release commercial recordings ten years into his career, many of Rodríguez’s famous early songs have not appeared on commercial CD (e.g., “Viven muy felices,” “Mientras tanto”). His most recent CD, Érase que se era (2006), is completely made up of songs composed between 1967 and 1972. Likewise, as Rodríguez’s output has been extensive, many songs do not appear in songbooks.
• [3] Early bootleg versions tend to be in G, with the dominant at D; the version in Expedición is D, with the dominant at G.