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

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

Cucurrucucú Paloma is a Mexican Huapango song written by Tomás Méndez Sosa (25 July 1927 – 19 July 1995) in 1954. Huapango is a style of Mexican music and folk dance.

This song has always been popular, more recently in moving performances by Caetano Veloso in the 2002 Pedro Almodóvar movie Hable Con Ella (Talk To Her), and in concert.

Caetano Veloso (in the movie Hable Con Ella)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1emgUdD3_pE

Lola Beltran (the 1965 recording, dearest to Mexicans)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHW-q8oD3gE

Cucurrucucú Paloma – Ella & Lilah
http://youtu.be/NIfj44NjVNY
[My favorite version.]

The Spanish lyrics of Cucurrucucú Paloma are shown below followed by an English translation. It is impossible to match the poetry of the Spanish original with any translation. Mine is simply an attempt to convey in English the meaning of the song, with some suggestion of the cadences and rhyming pattern of the Spanish language original, without taking too many poetic liberties.

Cucurrucucú Paloma

Dicen que por las noches
no más se le iba en puro llorar;
dicen que no comía,
no más se le iba en puro tomar.
Juran que el mismo cielo
se estremecía al oír su llanto,
cómo sufriá por ella,
y hasta en su muerte la fue llamando.

Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay cantaba,
ay, ay, ay, ay, ay gemía.
Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay cantaba,
de pasión mortal moría.

Que una paloma triste
muy de mañana le va a cantar,
a la casita sola
con sus puertitas de par en par.
Juran que esa paloma
no es otra cosa más que su alma,
que todavía la espera
a que regrese la desdichada.

Cucurrucucú paloma,
cucurrucucú no llores.
Las piedras jamás, paloma,
¿qué van a saber de amores?

Cu……
(Final que hace Caetano Veloso.)

Cucurrucucú, cucurrucucú,
cucurrucucú, paloma, no llores.
(Final que hace Lola Beltran; su versión tiene unas diferencias de lo que se ve aqui.)

Cucurrucucú Paloma (translation)

They say through every nighttime
he was purely a flowing river of tears;
they say he wasn’t eating,
but drinking to drown out the pain that so sears.
They swear that even the night skies
shudder with pity to his sad wails and sharp cries,
for her, oh he was suffering,
and vainly calls out past the death where she now lies.

Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay he’s singing,
ay, ay, ay, ay, ay he’s moaning.
Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay, he’s singing,
and from mortal passion dying.

A Mourning Dove sad and lonesome
at dawn its song will be cooed for your ears,
the cottage still is waiting
with wide open doors emptying fears.
They swear that Mourning Dove cooing
is surely the very soul of your darling,
that is still so sweetly awaiting
her return to his love never-ending.

Cucurrucucú paloma,
cucurrucucú no crying.
The stones we walk on, paloma,
will never know about our loving.

Cu….
(The ending of the song as performed by Caetano Veloso.)

Cucurrucucú, cucurrucucú,
cucurrucucú, paloma, no crying.
(The ending of the song as performed by Lola Beltran; her version has other differences from what is shown here.)