One outstanding song on the Travesura album is "A mi no me cumbén."

This is a traditional child's game, from Peru, and I believe it is particular to "Afro-Peruana" culture, to the black Peruvian descendants of African slaves from the colonial era. Thus, this upbeat little song is bubbling with Afro-Peruvian rhythms; a very busy layer of multiple percussion instruments, and the other instruments also buoyed along by syncopated, sub-divided patterns.

Afro-Peruvian music has numerous well-respected figureheads, known in South America, maybe not as well-known north of Mexico. I had heard, for example, of the elegant Susana Baca, and seen her polished, subtle presentations on television. The guest artist on Inti-Illimani's rendition of "A mi no me cumbén" is not Baca, but Eva Ayllon, who has represented Afro-Peruvian music for decades. She is as different from Susana Baca as, say, Tina Turner is different from Dionne Warwick.

According to Horacio Salinas (La Cancion en mi Sombrero), Ayllon happened to be in Chile while Inti-Illimani Historico was recording "Travesura," and the decision to have her guest vocal in the song was a very hurried one -- normally she is in her native Peru instead.

The song lyric / child's game is all about who a little girl ought to marry when she grows up. Rough summary:

Men's chorus:
Why not get married to a wine-seller?

Eva Ayllon:
That wine-seller will not get married to me.
Wine-sellers sell bottles,
and he could sell me too.

Men's chorus:
Why not get married to a carpenter?

Eva Ayllon:
That carpenter will not get married to me.
Carpenters cut wood,
and he could cut me too.

Men's chorus:
Why not get married to a baker?

Eva Ayllon:
That baker will not get married to me.
Bakers grind flour,
and he could grind me up too!
No way am I getting married to him!