"Come On, Let's Go" by Los Lobos

Song#:  3259
Date:  09/12/1987
Debut:  92
Peak:  21
Weeks:  14
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  This East L.A. band grabbed a #1 hit with a remake of Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba," a song they recorded for the soundtrack to the Valens biopic of the same name. The hit would help drive the soundtrack album to the top of the chart. The week that it hit #1, this follow-up single debuted on the Pop chart. It would just miss out on the Pop Top 20 while getting to #33 Rock and #35 AC. Just prior to this song making the chart, the album was certified double-platinum. Unfortunately, Los Lobos would never have a song reach the Pop chart again. They would go on to record a series of acclaimed albums that earned them three Grammy awards and eight other nominations including two for their experimental 1992 album Kiko, which was produced by Mitchell Froom.

ReduxReview:  This was a natural follow-up to "La Bamba." While it may not have been quite as catchy, the retro rock track was another showcase for Los Lobos. Thanks to the soundtrack, Los Lobos became stars and it expanded their audience. However, they weren't ones to get caught in the hit making machinations of the music business and they stayed true to what they wanted to do as artists, which then didn't result in charting singles or gold records. However, they maintained a big following and have remained popular over the years. I've always like them, but I really became a fan with 1992's Kiko. That LP led me to their back catalog and I've been a big fan ever since.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  This is a remake of a song originally recorded by Ritchie Valens. The tune was co-written by Valens and it was his first single to chart getting to #42 in 1958. Besides Valens and Los Lobos, one other artist has reached the Pop chart with a version. The Indiana pop/rock band The McCoys made it to #22 in 1966. The McCoys were formed by brothers Rick and Randy Zehringer. The band scored a #1 hit in 1965 with "Hang on Sloopy" and followed it up with the #8 "Fever." They broke up later in 1969. Rick Zehringer later went by the name Rick Derringer and his first solo album, 1973's All American Boy spawned the #23 rock classic "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo." Derringer would mainly work with Edgar and Johnny Winter and their bands, but would also play/write/produce for many other artists including Weird Al Yankovic. Derringer produced Weird Al's first six albums.

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