A book of peteneras, without bad luck, and another of saetas by Juan Carlos Muñoz

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De Juan Carlos Muñoz –San Roque, Cádiz, 1963– I have reviewed several books on flamenco literature, his specialty as a writer. This new release is the twenty-eighth work of his career. When he wrote Peteneras I, in 2019, five years ago, he had published sixteen works, all on different styles of the flamenco: fandangos, soleares, granaínas, alegrías, tientos, etc. He then had in his archive more than four thousand themes of his creation and, as he stated, More than one hundred and forty singers have recorded or sung their lyricsFive years later, his creations have not stopped, as well as the echo of the same in the artists of the cante, men and women who have trusted his lyrics. He has released seventy songs on his recorded works, spread across thirteen albums, and written five thousand six hundred songs. flamencos, of which five hundred and twenty artists have sung since 2008. This entire number will have risen, of course, by the time these lines are published. My congratulations on your work and creativity. You are, without a doubt, one of the most consistent and most sung lyricists. We have always noted, however, the need – at least when it comes to publishing, since in the cante It's another thing - to select a little more. Also to take care of the editions: the punctuation is sometimes inadequate or putting the letters as they are in the cante They hinder their purpose, as a book, of reading. It's something that one, as a literary author, tries to follow, I don't know if successfully.

As I said, he has dedicated two books to the peteneras, with this one. It is a somewhat enigmatic style, or one that has been seen as such, which I personally have great appreciation for, as evidenced by the fact that he dedicated a book to it, along with another enigma, the alboreá, published by Signature Editions.

It has more variety than it seems, but basically, as the author does, it focuses on large or long peteneras and small or short ones. It offers us a group of peteneras, in which it addresses various topics typical of the flamenco and the style's own imagery. Thus, reflections or sentences, pain, a sick mother, death, heartbreak, the strength to live, betrayal, etc.

Let's listen to Pastora Pavón, the queen of the petenera, in this recording. The grande or long petenera with the lyrics "Quisiera yo renegar..." is, for us, and I believe for many, the best petenera in flamenco history and one of the most important musical monuments or gems.

Let's look at some of them and enjoy this work, which, of course, like the previous one, is not unlucky, as we will even see invitations to the joy of living through the soothing attention to small details:

I went to the countryside for a walk
I went to the countryside for a walk,
and I saw a beautiful flower,
I came closer to smell it,
mother of my heart,
I came closer to smell it,
and my pain was relieved
I went to the countryside for a walk,
and I saw a beautiful flower.

But the usual thing is, as this one asks palo, the recharge of negative aspects such as heartbreak, death, hidden sorrow, etc.:

Our fire went out
and not even the embers remain,
of those lovers
of those lovers,
life has memory
and for so much falsehood,
you have lost the game.

I have a very great sorrow
but it is well hidden,
so that no one ever knows
so that no one ever knows,
the bitterness of my life
I have a very great sorrow,
although it is well hidden.

A singer who has carried his peteneras, among others palos, cante es Luis Guerrero the Meinato, this time with the guitar of Luis Chamizo in 2021:

As in the first book of peteneras, the reference to Dolores la Petenera and his birthplace, Paterna de Rivera, although there are several other theories about the origin of the famous and attractive flamenco style of petenera, a palo charming connoted for many years of superstition and bad omen:

In Paterna de Rivera
A corner with a lot of charm
Typical Andalusian village
typical Andalusian village,
birthplace of Petenera
It has always been heard,
and this cante is venerated.

In this link we can see a singer who approaches his lyrics, Antonio de Pozoblanco with the guitars of Rafael Trenas y Rafael Trena Jr.:

He also recalls in some lyrics poets such as Lorca o Miguel Hernández, or other artists flamencoI know how Antonio Puerto o Antonio Pérez Jiménez the Dog of Paterna and son José Antonio Romero the Little Dog. How curious, isn't it? This thing about nicknames, another field of study that interests me greatly and to which I have dedicated a few articles. Precisely, I'll close this review of this book with a cante del Perro de Paterna, a peteneras specialist. With Pura's Child on guitar, program Day to day from TVE:

Shortly after, this prolific author offers us another book, arrows, 2025. Prologued by javier villar and with the final commentary of several artists and brotherhood members, it includes saetas dedicated to the Virgin or Christ. Or to the Virgins and Christs, as they appear from different towns in Andalusia, such as San Roque, Malaga, Seville, Granada, etc., and from outside Andalusia, such as Zaragoza or La Unión, a Murcian town so significant in the flamenco.

Let's see the one dedicated to someone as well-known as the Esperanza de Triana:

My Hope of Triana,
Pure and kind Virgin,
hides behind sweetness
a beautiful little face,
crystalline and very pure.

My body feels cold,
I feel cold throughout my body,
when I see it passing by
I get chills.

Some peek out palos various: saetas for fandangos, soleá, or tientos. We see the first verse of this por tientos:

In the Garden of Olives
In silence you prayed
while Judas Iscariot
betrayed from behind.

In short, lyrics that have already found artists who can incorporate them into their repertoire, whether on the street or on record, or both at the same time, as is normal. Among others, Luis Guerrero, José Antonio Romero the Dog, Félix Crujera, María José Flores, Triana Pérez, Consolación García, Miguel Ángel Lara the Canary, The Dog or Eusebio Oliva. A sample button, to say goodbye to this lyricist and his last two books, is the cante by arrows of Luis Guerrero el Meinato:

→ Juan Carlos Muñoz, Peteneras II, Bóveda y Letras Editions, 2024.

arrows, 2025