Una rosa de Francia,
cuya suave fragancia
una tarde de mayo
su milagro me dio.
De mi jardín en calma
aún la llevo en el alma
como un rayo de sol.

Por sus pétalos blancos
es la rosa más linda
y hechicera que brinda
elegancia y amor.
Aquella rosa de Francia,
cuya suave fragancia
una tarde de mayo
su milagro me dio.

Una Rosa de Francia is a bolero-son composed in Santiago de las Vegas, Cuba, in 1924 by Rodrigo Prats, based on a lyrical poem by Gabriel Gravier. The poetic lyrics are a reminiscence of a lovely white rose from France that flowered in the poet’s garden and unforgettably captivated his senses one afternoon in May. Though unspoken, the poem communicates the memory of receiving a gift of love one May afternoon of a past life, and of retaining the warmth of that experience in a grateful heart.

The bolero part of Una Rosa de Francia is the slower-tempo melodic-romantic first part of the song, which presents the poem. The son part of the song is the second, upbeat rhythmic part with Afro-Cuban lyrics (of course, the entire song is both melodic and rhythmic, but each half has a different emphasis).

The original form of the song was all bolero, with the music accompanying the second verse of the poem being a bit more animated. In the recordings listed below, Barbarito Diez and Esther Borja perform the original form of Una Rosa de Francia, while the later version with the added Afro-Cuban montuno section is performed by Los Guaracheros de Oriente, and Compay Segundo with Omara Portuondo.

I do not know what the Afro-Cuban lyrics mean, and I have adjusted the spelling of these lyrics to correspond to the manner in which Los Guaracheros de Oriente sing them.

The following two articles (in Español) describe the composition of Una Rosa de Francia. The first article concentrates on Rodrigo Prats. The second article describes the contribution of Gabriel Gravier, the lyricist, and was written by his son Leonardo Gravier.

Sobre Una Rosa de Francia, de Rodrigo Prats (I)
Josefina Ortega
5 February 2013
http://www.habanaradio.cu/articulos/sobre-una-rosa-de-francia-de-rodrigo-prats-i/

Una Rosa de Francia florece en Santiago de las Vegas
Leonardo Gravier (hijo de Gabriel Gravier)
Jueves, 14 de Mayo de 2009
http://sdlv.blogspot.com/2009/05/una-rosa-de-francia-florece-en-santiago.html

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Una Rosa de Francia
(Bolero-Son, 1924)
Rodrigo Prats (1909-1980) y Gabriel Gravier (poema/letras)
Interpretación de Los Guaracheros de Oriente.

Una rosa de Francia
Cuya suave fragancia
Una tarde de mayo
Su milagro me dio.
En mi jardín
En calma,
Y aúm la llevo en el alma
Como un rayo de sol,
Y aún la llevo en el alma
Como un rayo de sol.

Con sus pétalos blancos
Es la rosa más linda
Hechicera que brinda
Su elegancia y olor.
Y aquella rosa de Francia
Cuya suave fragancia
Una tarde de mayo
Su milagro me dio,
Y una tarde de mayo
Su milagro me dio.

[coro]
Iborere, iborere
A coroná siraguá
Iborere, iborere
A coroná siraguá.

[primera voz]
A—
Iborele, iborele
A coroná siraguá
Iborele, iborele
A coroná siraguá.

[coro]
Iborere, iborere
A coroná siraguá
Iborere, iborere
A coroná siraguá.

[instrumentál]

[coro]
Iborere, iborere
A coroná siraguá
Iborere, iborere
A coroná siraguá.

[primera voz]
E—
Iborele, iborele
A coroná siraguá
Iborele, iborele
A coroná siraguá.

[todos]
Iborele, iborele
A coroná siraguá
Iborele, iborele
A – co-ro-ná – si-ra-guá. —

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My Rose from France
(Bolero-Son, 1924)
Rodrigo Prats (1909-1980) & Gabriel Gravier (poem/lyrics)
Interpretated by Los Guaracheros de Oriente.
Translation by Manuel García, Jr.

There was one rose from France
of such delicate fragrance
and to me one day in May
its miracle gave.
Now, in my garden
in its calmness
my heart holds to that fondness
like a ray of the sun,
my heart holds to that fondness
like a ray of the sun.

With the white of its petals
the most lovely rose flowering
magically offering
elegance and sweet scent.
And that one rose from France
of such delicate fragrance
to me one day in May
its miracle gave,
to me one day in May
its miracle gave.

[chorus]
Iborere, iborere
A coroná siraguá
Iborere, iborere
A coroná siraguá.

[first voice]
A—
Iborele, iborele
A coroná siraguá
Iborele, iborele
A coroná siraguá.

[chorus]
Iborere, iborere
A coroná siraguá
Iborere, iborere
A coroná siraguá.

[instrumental]

[chorus]
Iborere, iborere
A coroná siraguá
Iborere, iborere
A coroná siraguá.

[first voice]
E—
Iborele, iborele
A coroná siraguá
Iborele, iborele
A coroná siraguá.

[all]
Iborele, iborele
A coroná siraguá
Iborele, iborele
A – co-ro-ná – si-ra-guá. —

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Recordings of Una Rosa de Francia on the Internet:

Los Guaracheros De Oriente — Una Rosa de Francia
(Bolero-son, with “Iborere…”; 1950s-1970s country style)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuzTam0NrSw

Barbarito Diez — Una Rosa de Francia
(Danzón Cubano; no “Iborere…”; 1930s-1950s ballroom style)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P726IiOi-7c

Esther Borja — Una Rosa de Francia
(Bolero, aria; no “Iborere…”; 1930s-1950s concert style)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPWwTeV6qcI

Compay Segundo – Una Rosa De Francia (#1)
(with Omara Portuondo at L’Olympia Theatre, live in Paris 1999, with “Iborere…”)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVuHTQm0810

Compay Segundo — Una Rosa de Francia (#2)
(1999 studio recording, with “Iborere…”)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhDxXq6rp0c

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