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Misa Jíbara, also known as Creo en Dios, is the tenth album in the discography of Italian-Puerto Rican singer and songwriter Tony Croatto. Released in 1981 under the Velvet label, the album has a Christian theme mixed with Nueva Trova and plena rhythms. The album had several hits that became iconic songs singed in Puerto Rican Christian masses.

Overview[]

Background[]

Tony Croatto and his siblings were raised in a Christian Catholic family from a young age. Croatto identified himself as a Roman Catholic, although he could not fully participate in church given his status as a divorced man. Because of this, Tony wanted to contribute by creating an album with a jíbaro mass theme as a way to compensate and contribute to his faith.

Production[]

With the help of Tite Curet Alonso, the songs were composed to narrate the different parts of a Catholic mass but with elements of jíbaro music. Like the song "Kirie" that announces the gospels, the song "Santo" that announces the Responsorial Psalm, the song "Cordero de Dios" that announces the delivery of the Eucharist and the "Gloria" that announces the delivery of peace.

Tony also wanted to pay tribute to the Christian traditions of Puerto Rico so he composed the song "Vamos a Celebrar en Borinquen" as an announcement to celebrate the jíbara mass, the song "Oración Jíbara" which tells the prayer of a peasant and the plena of "Virgen de la Providencia" in honor of the traditional Virgin Mary of Puerto Rico.

Finally, he composed the most important song of the album "I Believe in God" where he tells of his devotion to God and how he would like to contribute to his faith.

Release[]

File:Tony Croatto y Luis Aponte Martínez.jpg

Presentation of the album Misa Jíbara to Cardinal Luis Aponte Martínez in 1981.

The album was released in 1981 under the Velvet record label. Since Puerto Rico had a majority Catholic Christian population at the time, the album was a success in the most devout communities on the island. Several songs from the album became hits that ended up being sung in Puerto Rican masses, such as the songs "Vamos a Celebrar en Borinquen", "Cordero de Dios", "Virgen de la Providencia" and "Creo en Dios".

The same year the album was released, Tony gave a free public concert performance at the Cathedral of San Juan during a mass by Cardinal Luis Aponte Martínez in view of many citizens and tourists.

Track listing[]

No. Title Length
1. "Vamos a Celebrar en Borinquen"   2:34
2. "Kirie"   1:41
3. "Santo"   3:06
4. "Cordero de Dios"   2:43
5. "Gloria"   5:00
6. "Apocalipsis"   4:05
7. "Oración Rural"   3:31
8. "Virgen de la Providencia"   3:27
9. "El Profeta"   3:31
10. "Creo en Dios"   3:15
Total length:
32:55



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