“Chan Chan” is a signature Cuban son composition by Compay Segundo, popularized internationally through the Buena Vista Social Club project. The track opens the ensemble’s acclaimed 1997 album and became their hallmark song worldwide. Its gentle, syncopated rhythm, swaying acoustic guitar, and earthy vocal lines evoke the rural Cuban landscape and narrative imagery rooted in folklore — most famously the refrain naming towns in eastern Cuba. The Buena Vista Social Club version, recorded with veteran Cuban musicians under the direction of Ry Cooder, blends traditional Cuban rhythms and instrumentation with spontaneous interplay, capturing an authentic and timeless sound. The song played a pivotal role in the global resurgence of interest in Cuban music and remains one of the most recognizable classics of the son cubano genre.