Carlos Mejia Godoy
NICARAGUA
(1943– ) Carlos Mejia Godoy was born in Somoto, Nicaragua. He is a folk musician, guitarist, and songwriter who, along with his brother Luis Enrique, led the transformation of the Central American music scene in the 1970s. Godoy and his brother helped bring about the New Song Movement, a movement born as musicians began to write lyrics about the social and political issues of their country. Many of Godoy’s best songs were written during the Sandinista movement to inspire peasants and revolutionaries in their fight. Accompanied by his band “los de Palacagüina,” Godoy’s music frequently addressed the political climate in Nicaragua. One of his famous songs during the late 1970s instructed Nicaraguan revolutionaries on how to use, assemble, and disassemble the rifles people were capturing from dictator Somoza’s National Guard during street battles. Some of his other more well known songs include Nicaragua, Nicaraguita and La Tuela Cuecho.
Looking for more teaching materials?
Search the Classroom Resource Library to browse resources by reading level, resource type, theme, and country.