Campanita Juan Pestañas / Marcha De Las Canicas / Cochinitos Dormilones / El Soldatito Cojo

This 45 RPM EP, released on the RCA Victor label under catalog number MKE-293, serves as a quintessential artifact of Francisco Gabilondo Soler’s musical legacy. Known as Cri-Cri, El Grillito Cantor, Gabilondo Soler was a Mexican composer whose work defined the childhood experience for generations across Latin America. This record compiles some of his most cherished vignettes, including the whimsical Campanita Juan Pestañas and the nostalgic Cochinitos Dormilones, which were originally broadcast on his long-running XEW radio program starting in the 1930s.

The design and production of this record reflect the mid-century era of Mexican children's media, where orchestral arrangements were balanced with pedagogical and imaginative storytelling. Gabilondo Soler insisted on total creative control over his compositions, resulting in sophisticated arrangements that transcended traditional nursery rhymes. The record was received as a cultural staple, cementing Cri-Cri’s status as a foundational figure in Mexican popular music, and it remains a frequently archived piece in the history of Latin American broadcast entertainment.