Sabor a mí was written in 1959 by the Mexican agricultural engineer and songwriter Álvaro Carillo Alarcón (1921-1969).

Sabor a mí (1959)

Tanto tiempo disfrutamos de este amor
Nuestras almas se acercaron tanto así
Que yo guardo tu sabor
Pero tú llevas también
Sabor a mí.

Si negaras mi presencia en tu vivir
Bastaría con abrazarte y conversar
Tanta vida yo te di
Que por fuerza tienes ya
Sabor a mí.

No pretendo ser tu dueño
No soy nada yo no tengo vanidad
De mi vida doy lo bueno
Soy tan pobre, ¿qué otra cosa puedo dar?

Pasarán más de mil años, muchos más
Yo no sé si tenga amor la eternidad
Pero allá, tal como aquí
En la boca llevarás
Sabor a mí.

A Taste of Me
(a translation of Álvaro Carillo’s lyrics for Sabor a mí)

We had spent so much time savoring our love,
Our souls came so close together and yet stayed free,
Tasting still how you would love,
As you too must also have
A taste of me.

If you now negate my presence from your life,
Hugs and conversation now and then’s alright.
I know you have come to be
Infused indelibly with
A taste of me.

Not pretending that I own you,
I am nothing, and I have no vanity.
Giving what good in life I do,
As I’m so poor what else do I have to give you?

A thousand years must pass at least, and even more,
I do not know if love is in eternity,
Whether there or here where you may be
Your lips will always savor
A taste of me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Álvaro Carrillo (1960s)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGhcaT1HSM
[The composer sings his song, accompanying himself on the guitar (a sound recording). Completely endearing.]

Alvaro Carrillo: Amor mio, Un poco mas, Sabor a mí (1960s)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH_jng60ewU
[A video of a TV show with Álvaro Carillo performing a medley of three of his own compositions, accompanying himself on guitar. Absolutely precious.]

Eydie Gormé & Trio Los Panchos (1964)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yVQeLirfIg
[Eydie Gormé’s biggest hit, and the recording of Sabor a mí that brought the song into popular consciousness worldwide. This particular posting of the recording has good stereo sound, and video of Eydie singing; also extensive notes on Eydie. Eydie’s big, sunny and warm singing style blends perfectly with the refined ensemble guitar playing (and singing) by Los Panchos, to produce an irresistible rendition of Sabor a mí. It is both of its time and ageless.]

Gustavo “Pájaro” Ogara & Ximena Bedó (2013)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji3k7rsVW8A
[One guitarist and one singer, perfection in its simplicity, sencillo y así puro. Very nice guitar playing by Gustavo “Pájaro” Ogara, and very nice singing by Ximena Bedó.]

Cover Estereo Son (2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11SvEFdXZEc
[I like this trio of young musicians: Voz – Karen Mondragón, Bajo – Wilfredo Vinasco, Synth – Jhonatan Herrera. Karen’s singing is expressive, honeyed and brisk (contralto?). Both Wilfredo and Jhonatan are very adept at their instruments. The group produces a unified uncluttered sound that moves gracefully through their performances: modern (youthful enthusiasm in a streamlined format), warm, moving and polished. I wish them success. I liked their Lágrimas Negras, which is how I first heard them.]

Guadalupe Pineda (1980s-2000s?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45gHIZFcEdI
[A refined production, large though graceful, framing Guadalupe’s bell-like tones.]

Javier Solis (1960s)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jBvVwR8_Tw
[El rey del bolero ranchero. Silky smooth and sentimental.]

Los Lobos (1990s-2000s?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU-LeccqS48
[“Just another band from East L.A.” But one of the best. This performance is both solid and elegant; urban, unpretentious, sincere and aware of its roots. Sabor a mí is a guitar player’s delight.]

Classico Latino (2012)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bAcvnd29e0
[Performed at the Teatro Colsubsidio in Bogotá, Colombia, June 2012. Elegant and polished, with piano, violin, cello, conga drums, guitar and electric bass, all backing soprano Eirini Tornesaki.]

Beatriz Marquez (2007)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBfmsqtI9Lo
[Beatriz Marquez, a long-established Cuban singer from a musical family (at least 3 generations), plays the piano as she sings Sabor a mí, accompanied by guitar and percussion. A live performance at an Italian restaurant in Cuba, captured on video by a tourist.]

Manoella Torres (1980s-2000s?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiF4hsKlYWk
[A soft velvety rendition, something for an evening on the Riviera in tux and gowns. Born in New York City of Puerto Rican parents, Manoella Torres moved to Mexico as a child and lives there still. She was first recorded for discs in 1966, as a twelve-year old. In 1971, she signed with Columbia Records, and launched the career that continues today.]

Maridalia Hernandez (1980s?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhKM1DNTQik
[Smooth melodious alto (?) from Santo Domingo, in a gently lush production.]

Laura Fygi (1990s-2000s?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeDC3xyerQA
[A beautiful rendition, slow silky smooth sensuousness without sloppiness, but a bit of crackle on the sound recording.]

<><><><><><><>

I have completed a project that is of great significance to me, but of little importance otherwise (isn’t this true of most of what everybody accomplishes?). Like the Little Red Rooster jumping up to the barn roof at dawn to wake up the world to his pride of place, I am sending out this notice about my new work.

For many reasons, because of my family, ethnicity, first language, cultural inclinations, artistic interests, and time and place in history (20th century US Latino), I have been interested for some time to learn, and translate into English, some of the most beloved and enduring Spanish songs of the 20th century.

Toward that end, I have selected twelve Spanish language songs — most of which I can remember hearing from my earliest days — and then sought out (through the ease of the Internet, and sheet music) the earliest and likely authentic lyrics, and devised poetic translations of them. By “poetic translations” I mean English language poems that faithfully convey the Spanish language intent of the originals, and are as close to literal translations as can be achieved without sacrificing the metric and rhyming structure of the Spanish language originals — or at least approaches that ideal.

There is no doubt that better English language poems could be devised to fit the music if one gave up any connection to the original Spanish lyrics. But that was not my aim. I wanted to convey the word flow and sentiment, and as much of the word-images and metaphors of the originals as I could, in English language poems that had their own degree of elegance and fluidity, fitting the music.

Working on this project has improved my Spanish reading and writing a bit, which was worthwhile since neither is that good.

The results of this work appear as twelve entries on this blog — one per song. Each such blog posting gives a few details about the song’s composer, before displaying the Spanish language lyrics (and notes about them, since there are always variations). After that, I show my own poetic translation.

For a view of the shortcomings of a purely literal translation (as well as the shortcomings of computer translators) just copy the Spanish lyrics I provide into Google Translator (or an equivalent) and observe the results in Bizzaro Speak.

After each of my poetic translations of a Spanish song, I list a number of music video performances of that song, posted at YouTube. I also give a capsule summary of each such music video.

The intent of each blog entry is to present the song in as original a form as I can find, to give the briefest of historical context for it, to give my “singable” English version, and then list a series of performances that show why that song has endured through many periods of 20th century musical tastes, and in numerous cultures. These songs are good music, and good music is eternal and unconfined by the boundaries that human groups segregate themselves with.

The primary audience for this project is my own children, who I hope gain something of my ancestors’ culture by it. It is possible that vocal music students interested in this repertoire could gain from these postings; and perhaps amateur poets may also find something of value here.

As I said, in the whole scheme of things this is an inconsequential accomplishment, but nevertheless: COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO!

The list of twelve web-links can be found at the “About” web-page for this blog, and are also listed here for convenience.

Bésame Mucho, Español-English
23 December 2013
https://manuelgarciajr.com/2013/12/24/besame-mucho-espanol-english/

Cucurrucucú Paloma, Español-English
23 December 2013
https://manuelgarciajr.com/2013/12/23/cucurrucucu-paloma-espanol-english/

Frenesí — Español-English
12 October 2014
https://manuelgarciajr.com/2014/10/12/frenesi-espanol-english/

Historia de un amor — Español-English
30 September 2014
https://manuelgarciajr.com/2014/09/30/historia-de-un-amor-espanol-english/

Júrame — Español-English
9 October 2014
https://manuelgarciajr.com/2014/10/09/jurame-espanol-english/

Lágrimas Negras — Español-English
14 November 2013
https://manuelgarciajr.com/2013/11/14/lagrimas-negras-black-tears/

Nuestro Juramento — Español-English
23 June 2014
https://manuelgarciajr.com/2014/06/23/nuestro-juramento-espanol-english/

Perfidia — Español-English
13 October 2014
https://manuelgarciajr.com/2014/10/13/perfidia-espanol-english/

Quiéreme Mucho — Español-English
13 October 2014
https://manuelgarciajr.com/2014/10/13/quiereme-mucho-espanol-english/

Siempre En Mi Corazón — Español-English
4 October 2014
https://manuelgarciajr.com/2014/10/04/siempre-en-mi-corazon-espanol-english/

(listed in alphabetical order)

And after 15 October 2014:

Sabor a mí — Español-English
19 October 2014
https://manuelgarciajr.com/2014/10/19/sabor-a-mi-espanol-english/

Siboney — Español-English
22 October 2014
https://manuelgarciajr.com/2014/10/22/siboney-espanol-english/

Enjoy!

<><><><><><><>

See “About” for songs added after 2014

<><><><><><><>

Alberto Domínguez Borrás (1913–1975) was a Mexican songwriter and marimba musician who wrote and published the songs Frenesí and Perfidia in 1939.

Perfidia (1939)
(según la interpretación de Lupita Palomera)

Nadie comprende lo que sufro yo,
Canto pues ya no puedo sollozár.
Solo* temblando de ansiedad estoy,
Todos me miran y se van.

Mujer,
Si puedes tú con Dios hablar,
Preguntale si yo alguna vez
Te dejado de adorar.

Mi Alma,
Espejo de mi corazón,
Las veces que me ha visto llorar
La perfidia de tu amor.

Te buscado doquiera que yo voy
Y no te puedo hallar,
Para qué quiero otros besos
Si tus labios no me quieren ya besar.

Y tú,
Quien sabe por dónde andarás?
Quien sabe que aventura tendrás?
Que lejos estás de mí.

—> (Rick y Ilsa bailan)

Te buscado doquiera que yo voy
Y no te puedo hallar,
Para qué quiero otros besos
Si tus labios no me quieren ya besar.

Y tú,
Quien sabe por dónde andarás?
Quien sabe que aventura tendrás?
Que lejos estás de mí.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* Lupita Palomera: sola

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Perfidia
(a translation of the lyrics sung by Lupita Palomera)

No one can comprehend my suffering,
singing, now emptied of all my weeping.
Lonely, I’m trembling with anxiety,
seeing me, they all turn away.

Woman,
if you know how to talk to God
ask Him if there has been a time
when it’s you that I’ve not adored.

My soul,
that mirror with reflections of
a heart that has cried so many times
from perfidies of your love.

I have looked for you in every place I go
but you’re gone without a sign.
Why would I want other kisses
if your lips no longer hunger to kiss mine?

And you,
who knows where you are wandering,
what adventures you are following,
you’re so far away from me.

—> (Rick and Ilsa dance)

I have looked for you in every place I go
but you’re gone without a sign.
Why would I want other kisses
if your lips no longer hunger to kiss mine?

And you,
who knows where you are wandering,
what adventures you are following,
you’re so far away from me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Perfidia

Lupita Palomera (1915-2008)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nJLO9QVTNc
[This Alberto Domínguez song, published in 1939, and this recording from that time are both gems. The music here draws you into the dance, while Lupita’s fluid phrasing and golden intonation of the lyrics carries you off into the story; altogether, a vivid and captivating dream.]

Ibrahim Ferrer (1927-2005)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDT-xuqpH2U
[Sweet Cuban jazz, ~2004; mellow, knowing, ageless.]

Daniel Santos (1916-1992)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2K88guEpRdQ
[An inimitable and captivating singer and composer. This recording is from the 1940s-1950s.]

Linda Ronstadt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFFKpYn4DYw
[Linda’s sweet and potent version of Perfidia, used in the 1992 movie The Mambo Kings.]

Javier Solis (1931-1966)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lUESqSGZUE
[Bolero de Mexico, elegánte. Smooth, elegant ballad; the scene is from a 1960s movie.]

Carola Standertskjöld (1941-1997)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8vP3XmC0go
[An uptempo 1965 performance by a striking Finnish contralto with perfect diction in Castilian Spanish, and sharp phrasing; scintillating.]

Margarita Luna
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfo4xxeK-AQ
[Smooth 21st century Mexican “salsa.”]

<><><><><><><>

Alberto Domínguez Borrás (1913–1975) was a Mexican songwriter and marimba musician who wrote and published the songs Frenesí and Perfidia in 1939. The lyrics of Frenesí were written by Rodolfo “Chamaco” Sandoval (1).

Frenesí (1939)
(según la interpretación de Lupita Palomera)

Bésame tú a mí
bésame igual que mi boca te besó
dame el frenesí
que mi locura te dio.
Quién si no fui yo
pudo enseñarte el camino del amor?
muerta mi altivez
cuando mi orgullo rodó,
a tus pies.

(coro)

Quiero que vivas solo para mí
y que tú vayas por donde yo voy
para que mi alma sea no más de ti
bésame con frenesí.

Dame la luz que tiene tu mirar
y la ansiedad que entre tus labios vi
esa locura de vivir y amar
que es más que amor, frenesí.

Hay! en el beso que te di
alma, piedad, corazón
dime que sabes tu sentir,
lo mismo que siento yo.

Quiero que vivas solo para mí
y que tú vayas por donde yo voy
para que mi alma sea no más de ti
bésame con frenesí.

—>

Hay! en el beso que te di
alma, piedad, corazón
dime que sabes tu sentir,
lo mismo que siento yo.

Quiero que vivas solo para mí
y que tú vayas por donde yo voy
para que mi alma sea no más de ti
bésame con frenesí,
bésame con frenesí.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frenzy
(a translation of the Frenesí lyrics sung by Lupita Palomera)

I want you to kiss me,
kiss me the same way that my mouth has kissed you,
give me that frenzy
as crazy as I gave you.
Surely, you know who
has taught you how to go down the path of love.
My haughtiness has died
since when I dropped my pride
at your feet.

(chorus)

I want you to live thinking of just me,
and that you’re always with me where I go
and my heart completely for you will be,
kiss me with loving frenzy.

Give me that light that shines from your eyes,
that needing through your parted lips I see,
that mad intensity of lovers lives
beyond love to pure frenzy.

Oh! In that kiss that I gave you
my soul, my pity and heart,
tell me it stirs within you
the same feelings as in me.

I want you to live thinking of just me,
and that you’re always with me where I go
and my heart completely for you will be,
kiss me with loving frenzy.

—>

Oh! In that kiss that I gave you
my soul, my pity and heart,
tell me it stirs within you
the same feelings as in me.

I want you to live thinking of just me,
and that you’re always with me where I go
and my heart completely for you will be,
kiss me with loving frenzy,
kiss me with loving frenzy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frenesí

Lupita Palomera (~1939)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cxGUb-XhQQ
[Defining, no other Frenesí since has outshone it. Why? Because of a perfect blend of vocal warmth, clarity, phrasing and graceful sentiment. Timelessly captivating.]

Linda Ronstadt (1992)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7ldf9koTSM
[A sweet, happy big band performance with Linda Ronstadt, singing lovely with swing.]

Daniel Santos (~1948)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3KUtUXe5Co
[Irresistible dance music, and inimitable singing by Puerto Rico’s favorite son. The ensemble here is (I think) the legendary Cuban band Sonora Matancera. Lyrics are shown in the video, and (1) refers to the comments accompanying it.]

Raquel Zozaya (2003)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlL2A_WSMko
[“Frenesí, Mambo Cha interpretado por la bolerista Cubana, Raquel Zozaya.” A sparkling uptempo “salsa” version for today’s spirited dancing. ¡Sabroso! Raquel Zozaya is a vibrant Cuban singer living and recording in the city of Medellin, Colombia, the land of the cumbia.]

Oscar D’Leon (1980s?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GnXE99keQ8
[Smooth, romantic Latin American popular music, something to accompany a sunset on the beach, performed by Venezuela’s own Oscar D’Leon.]

Natalie Cole (2013)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwQ3tdSu-vA
[A nice orchestra-backed performance with Natalie Cole, from her album En Español. Classy]

<><><><><><><>

Júrame
(María Grever, 1926, según la interpretación de Jose Mojica)

Todos dicen que es mentira que te quiero
porque nunca me habían visto enamorado.
Yo te juro que yo mismo no comprendo
el porqué tu mirar me ha fascinado.* (1)

Cuando estoy cerca de ti estoy contento.**
No quisiera que de nadie te acordaras.
Tengo celos hasta del pensamiento
que pueda recordarte a otra persona amada.***

Júrame
que aunque pase mucho tiempo
no olvidarás**** en el momento
en que yo te conocí.

Mírame,
pues no hay nada más profundo
ni más grande en este mundo
que el cariño que te di.

Bésame
con un beso enamorado,
como nadie me ha besado
desde el día en que nací.

Quiéreme,
quiéreme hasta la locura
así sabrás la amargura
que estoy sufriendo por ti.

[Instrumental: “Júrame…,” y “Mírame…”]

Bésame
con un beso enamorado,
como nadie me ha besado
desde el día en que nací.

Quiéreme,
quiéreme hasta la locura
así sabrás la amargura
que estoy sufriendo por ti.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(1) alternativa para voces femeninas:

Todos dicen que es mentira que te quiero
porque nunca me habían visto enamorada.
Yo te juro que yo mismo no comprendo
el porqué me fascina tu mirada.

* María Grever: el porqué de tu mirar me ha cautivado.

** María Grever: Cuando estoy cerca de ti ya estoy contento.

*** María Grever: que pueda recordarte otra persona amada.

**** José Mojica: pensarás
**** María Grever: nunca olvidaré

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Swear Your Love
(a translation of the lyrics shown above for María Grever’s song Júrame)

Of my love for you they all say that I’m lying
because never have they seen me so enamored,
and I swear that I have never comprehended
why it is your gaze for me’s so fascinating.

When I’m near you that is when I can be happy,
I don’t want you to remember any other.
I am jealous of each thought and every memory
that you might have for any past or future lover.

Swear to me
that however much time passes
you will not forget those glances
when I first came knowingly.

Look at me,
there’s no feeling more profound,
on earth greater and unbound,
than the affection I let free.

Oh! kiss me,
with an amorous kiss intensely
like no one else has ever kissed me
since the day I came to be.

Love just me,
love me madly and insanely,
and that way you will know finally
how I suffer so bitterly.

[Instrumental: “Swear to me…,” and “Look at me…”]

Oh! kiss me,
with an amorous kiss intensely
like no one else has ever kissed me
since the day I came to be.

Love just me,
love me madly and insanely,
and that way you will know finally
how I suffer so bitterly.

<><><><><><><>

Júrame (1926)

Juan Diego Flórez (2009)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8xleiK60uw
[A fabulous performance of Júrame in the video’s first 4 minutes, followed by 3 minutes of adulation.]

Alina Sanchez (1980s?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZVDF94GwyE
[Un triunfo: puro amor, puro voz, puro arte. — A triumph: pure love, pure voice, pure art.]

José Mojica (1927)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZAFxQT_vkk
[The all time classic recording, my mother’s favorite love song, which my father sang for her.]

Placido Domingo (al piano) – (Mexican TV 1981?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoxsWUJwIpI
[A great populist performance that manages to pass though the cheesiest of fan video excesses.]

Placido Domingo (at the piano) – (PBS 1981)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHiQmZtnPm4
[A very spirited, powerful performance, almost the same as the above, and thankfully in an unencumbered video presentation.]

María Grever (16 August 1894 – 15 December 1951) – Júrame (Grand Piano)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLsjEgbVT7Q
[An elegant piano rendition by an uncredited pianist, and an essay about the composer, María Grever.]

Trio Los 3 Diamantes (1950s?)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRBhIYVWyvM
[A classic, smooth and harmonious recording by a men’s trio, romántico from an bygone era.]

Libertad Lamarque (1956)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9rtZ38EzjE
[A very graceful and elegant rendition with a woman’s voice.]

Nicolas Urcelay (1950)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J16ln8yNFaQ
[A superbly balanced performance, sentiment and power without excesses.]

Alfredo Kraus (1964)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urLr7YrEQFU
[Beautiful, so Español, so classical, such a clear tenor voice, a performance both warm and polished. Kraus sings additional verses not heard in any other recording of this song.]

<><><><><><><>

Historia de un amor (1955)
por Carlos Eleta Almarán

Ya no estás más a mí lado corazon
En el alma solo tengo soledad
Y si ya no puedo verte
Porque Dios me hizo quererte
Para hacerme sufrir más.

Siempre fuiste la razón de mí existir
Adorarte para mí fue religión
Y en tus brazos encontraba
El amor que me brindaba
El calor de tu pasión.

Es la historia de un amor
Como no hay otro igual
Que me hizo comprender
Todo el bien, todo el mal.

Que le dio luz a mí vida
Apagándola después
Ay que noche tan obscura
todo se me ha de volver…

A Love Story (1955)
by Carlos Eleta Almarán

You’re no longer by my side my dear sweet love,
and in my soul there is only loneliness,
and since now I cannot see you
and God made me just to love you,
so my suffering is endless.

You always were the reason why I lived,
adoring you was my religious faith,
and within your arms I entered
that love for me you offered,
heated passion of such strength.

This is the story of our love,
of which there is no equal,
it has made me understand
all that’s good, and all that’s evil

That brought radiance to my living
extinguished now that you’re not here,
my night is ever darkening,
it all comes back to memory…

Historia de un amor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historia_de_un_Amor
[a brief article about this song]

Here are 10 performances of Historia de un amor. They are all good, done by good singers (and musicians) committed to producing beautiful and affecting musical artistry. The Spanish lyrics here are those used by Guadalupe Pineda and (almost exactly) by Pedro Infante and Libertad Lamarque. Some of the other singers use a slightly different version, which is written out during the Lola Ponce video.

Enjoy!

Guadalupe Pineda
(a very popular version, at a nice pace with nice sentiment and no excesses)

Pedro Infante
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aftPhYPXqvU
(clasico)

French Latino
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9PcpkMqtp8
(very touching sincerity, and a classy performance)

Lola Ponce – (Letra – Lyrics)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c30WrEE3H2Q
(wonderful sentiment and passion, strong emotion without hysteria)

Libertad Lamarque
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CSqxGhI71w
(1955, first recording, and beautiful)

Eydie Gormé and Los Panchos (1964)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsNnF4z4jJg
[Eydie’s big and sunny singing style, along with Los Panchos’ elegant ensemble guitar work, make for a timelessly engaging rendition of Historia de un amor.]

Raíssa Amaral
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62maQChoj_w
(sweet)

Ιστορία μιας αγάπης Hrysoula Stefanaki
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQgslifJmyg

Victoria Nikitcenko
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMA_Z9knrI0

Mario Frangoulis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvvaE9APdOA

Eartha Kitt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg6sYqmTo9g

<><><><><><><>

Nuestro Juramento is a song by the Puerto Rican songwriter Benito de Jesús (1912-2010), which was popularized throughout Latin America by the Ecuadorian singer Julio Jaramillo (1935–1978), who gained international recognition in 1957 with this bolero. The following translation is an attempt to retain some of the poetic feeling of the Spanish language original, while conveying the meaning in English. Of necessity, both the English poetry and the literalness of translation here are imperfect. Enjoy.

Nuestro Juramento
Benito de Jesús (1912-2010)

No puedo verte triste porque me mata
Tu carita de pena, mi dulce amor
Me duele tanto el llanto que tu derramas
Que se llena de angustia mi corazón

Yo sufro lo indecible si tu entristeces
No quiero que la duda te haga llorar
Hemos jurado amarnos hasta la muerte
Y si los muertos aman
Despues de muertos amarnos mas

Si yo muero primero, es tu promesa
Sobre de mi cadaver dejar caer
Todo el llanto que brote de tu tristeza
Y que todos se enteren de tu querer

Si tu mueres primero, yo te prometo
Escribiré la historia de nuestro amor
Con toda el alma llena de sentimiento
La escribire con sangre
Con tinta sangre del corazón

<><><><><><><><><>

Our Bonding Vows
(a translation of Benito de Jesús’ lyrics for Nuestro Juramento)

I can’t bear to find you sad because it kills me
to see your little face grieving, my dear sweet love;
the tears that gush out your sadness so deeply hurt me,
drowning my heart in anguish, my little dove.

I suffer beyond description when you are saddened,
I don’t want a single doubt to make you cry.
We should swear to love each other till our lives end,
and if the dead can still love,
then after death to love even more.

If I die before you, give me this promise
that over my cadaver you will let go
of all of that sadness cascading out as teardrops,
and of your love for me let them all know.

If you die before me, I make this promise
to write out the history of our shared love,
and with all my heart infused with your remembrance
to write our tale with heart’s blood,
penned with blood-ink drawn from my heart.

<><><><><><><>

Julio Jaramillo sings “Nuestro Juramento”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20cH30WXtFE

Daniel Santos sings Nuestro Juramento
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHzZ5UoPimA

<><><><><><><>

Bésame Mucho is perhaps the most popular Spanish language song ever. It was written by Consuelo Velázquez (1916-2005), a Mexican pianist and composer, in 1940.

The lyrics of Bésame Mucho are shown below, followed by a translation to English, which  attempts to suggest the rhyme, rhythm and meaning of the Spanish language original. A few liberties of a poetic nature were taken so as to give an English translation with a better fit to the music and with a better verbal flow than that of a literal translation.

Bésame Mucho
Letra y Música de Consuelo Velázquez (1940)

4/4
(introducción instrumental de 9 medidas)

Bésame,
bésame mucho —
como si fuera esta noche
la ultima vez.
Bésame,
bésame mucho —
que tengo miedo a per-derte,
perderte después. —

(repite, y entonces la música cambia un poquito) …-derte, perderte después. —

Quiero tenerte muy cerca
mirar me en tus ojos
verte junto a mi.
Piensa que tal vez mañana
yo ya estaré lejos
muy lejos de ti.

Bésame,
bésame mucho —
como si fuera esta noche
la ultima vez.
Bésame,
bésame mucho —
que tengo miedo a perderte,
perderte des-pués. —

(“-pués” tiene 3 tiempos, se sigue con un tiempo y entonces 7 medidas de música)

Bésame,
bésame mucho —
que tengo miedo a perderte,
perderte después. —
Que tengo miedo a perderte, —
perderte des-pués. — — —

(el ultimo “-pués” tiene 5 y 3/4 medidas, un instrumental sigue con 7 y 1/4)

<><><><><><><><><>

Bésame Mucho (a translation)
Words and Music by Consuelo Velázquez (1940)

4/4
(instrumental introduction of 9 measures)

Kiss me now,
kiss me with passion —
kiss me as if this were to be
our very last night.
Kiss me now,
kiss me with passion —
for you I may never-more see
once past early light.

(repeat, then the music changes a little bit) …-more see once past early light. —

I want to hold you so closely,
look into your eyes to find
you mirroring me.
I’m sure dawn will find me lonely
cast away so far behind
where you then will be.

Kiss me now,
kiss me with passion —
kiss me as if this were to be
our very last night.
Kiss me now,
kiss me with passion —
for you I may nevermore see
once past early light.

(“light” has three beats followed by one beat then 7 measures of music)

Kiss me now
kiss me with passion —
fearing tomorrow I’ll lose you
past dawn’s early light; —
and I may forever lose you, —
forever lose you. — — —

(the last “you” has 5 and 3/4 measures, followed by 7 and 1/4 measures of music)

<><><><><><><><><>

Bésame Mucho is such a good song that it can enchant in many different styles, and despite the passing of time. Here are nine performance videos of Bésame Mucho that caught my attention, many many more are out there. These videos are listed in a sequence of performances that I like.

Andrea Bocelli
(An elegantly balanced performance; video shows lyrics and a literal English translation)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83lnl6hOmUw

Diana Krall
(A sultry and lush version by a wonderful, popular North American jazz stylist)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uEl5Z5DEDw

Consuelo Velázquez
(A piano instrumental by the composer herself, in 1990)

and in 1968

Raquel Andueza
(A high soprano version of bell-like clarity and tone, it sounds so Andean to me)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp4Vdr9D0yg

Alina Izquierdo
(¡LLeva! A potent Cuban vocalist gives a rich and propulsive performance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d76SEnn2z1s

Alioska
(Very sweet, lovely singing by a Cubana during a jam session at a club)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P2ozkMARwY

Chico y Rita
(Idania Valdés, singer; Cuban soul singing about mythical memory)

Bésame Mucho by Ella Garcia
(shimmering)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27HPsNlc80Q

<><><><><><><><><>