The bride and the groom would tie a ribbon together on their toes and dance to La Bamba as a symbol of love, fistfights or knife fights would break out amongst guests as well.
[4][5] Initially, the song satirized the late and futile efforts made by the viceroy of Mexico to defend the citizens of the port of Veracruz from pirates.
[citation needed] The oldest known historical references come from the town of Alvarado, Mexico, where it apparently was performed with an atypically lively rhythm.
However, versions such as those by musical groups Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan and Los Pregoneros del Puerto have survived because of the artists' popularity.
The name of the dance referenced within the song, which has no direct English translation, is presumably connected with the Spanish verb "bambolear", meaning "to sway", "to shake" or "to wobble".
[6] In one traditional version of this dance performed at weddings and ballet folklórico shows, couples use intricate footwork to create a bow signifying their union.
[10] According to a 1945 article in Life, the song and associated dance were brought "out of the jungle" at Veracruz by American bandleader Everett Hoagland, who introduced it at Ciro's nightclub in Mexico City.
[16] In 1958 he recorded a rock and roll flavored version of "La Bamba",[17] together with session musicians Buddy Clark (string bass); Ernie Freeman (piano); Carol Kaye (acoustic rhythm guitar); René Hall (Danelectro six-string baritone guitar); and Earl Palmer (drums and claves).
[22] In 2018, Valens' version was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".