Lara's first musical composition was "Marucha," written in honour of one of his first loves. In 1927 he already was working in cabarets. He subsequently moved to Puebla, but returned to the capital in 1929. That same year he started working for the tenor Juan Arvizu as composer and accompanist. In September 1930, he began a successful radio career. At the same time he acted and composed songs for such films as Santa (1931).
In 1933 Lara's first tour in Cuba was a failure because of political turmoil on the island. Later, more successful tours in South America, as well as such new compositions as "Solamente Una Vez" (composed in Buenos Aires and dedicated to José Mujica), "Veracruz", "Tropicana", and "Pecadora" increased his fame. Lara was also known for his love affairs with various women, among them María Félix, who became one of his many wives, and to whom he dedicated his most famous compositions, such as "María Bonita", "Aquel Amor" and "Noche de Ronda." He wrote more than 700 songs.
By the beginning of the 1940s, Lara was well-known in Spain. In 1965, the Spanish Caudillo Francisco Franco gave him a beautiful house in Granada in appreciation of his songs with Spanish themes, such as "Toledo", "Granada", "Seville", and "Madrid". He received additional honors and decorations from around the world.
It is said that Lara never learned musical notation.
In 1968 Lara's health began to decline rapidly; an accident that fractured his pelvis further aggravated his condition. On November 6, 1970, the musician-poet died. He was buried in the Rotonda de los Hombres Ilustres of the Panteón de Dolores in Mexico City.
Nowadays, in the port of Veracruz, there is a nostalgic place for El Flaco de Oro’s followers: La Casita Blanca ("The Little White House"). From this museum and bohemian corner, the ocean waves can be heard, and the romantic sense of the Veracruzans is evident. Younger and older generations express their emotion while singing "Piensa en mí" ("Think about me") in homage to one who always loved his country.
Agustín Lara sang for his cousin Edward Lara's wedding to Graciela Chabolla Garcia (who then became Graciela Chabolla de Lara) in Mexico City in 1964.
He is survived and celebrated by his extensive family. The Lara family and its musical roots now extend from southern and central Mexico to California. (His cousin Francisco Lara (+), Trinidad Lara (+) nephew Armando Lara Sr,(Coroba Veracruz) (+) niece Arminda Paula Lara DeHoyos (Laredo TX), Adolfo Lara (+), Gelacio Lara (+), Roberto Lara, Herminia Lara, Zenon Lara, Socorro Lara, Antonio Lara, Lesvia Lara, Victor Lara( (NL MEX) Manuel Lara, Edward Lara, Rocio Lara, Eduardo Alejandro Lara, Gerardo Lara) and Wisconsin (Edward Manuel Lara and his wife Mary Lou Lara) in the U.S.
Como Dos Puñales
Agustín Lara Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
de hoja damasquina
tus ojazos negros
- ojos de acerina-
clavaron en mi alma
su mirar de hielo
regaron mi vida con su desconsuelo.
tus ojos sensuales,
tus negros ojitos, como dos puñales.
Quiero ver en tus ojos el atardecer,
y cantar la tristeza que hay en tu mirar
quiero sentirte mía,
inmensamente mía
que asesinen tus ojos sensuales,
como dos puñales, mi melancolía
quiero sentirte mía,
inmensamente mía
que asesinen tus ojos sensuales,
como dos puñales, mi melancolía
The lyrics to Agustin Lara's song "Como Dos Puñales" describe the intense feeling of being pierced by the gaze of a beloved individual, who is represented as having eyes like two daggers made of damascene steel. The singer portrays himself as being deeply affected by the intense and cold look of the object of his admiration, stating that they have left their mark on his soul and have caused him great distress.
The second stanza continues with the singer’s description of the eyes of his beloved. He speaks of his desire to see a different expression in the eyes of his lover, something less cold and distant that will stir his emotions. He expresses his longing to feel an intense connection with this person, even if it leads to his own undoing, and likens the piercing quality of their gaze to that of two daggers.
Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of longing, passion, and pain, with the imagery of the piercing gaze serving as a metaphor for the depth of emotion felt by the singer towards his beloved.
Line by Line Meaning
Como dos puñales de hoja damasquina
Your black eyes are sharp as two Damascene knives.
Tus ojazos negros - ojos de acerina-
Your big black eyes, hard and piercing like steel.
Clavaron en mi alma su mirar de hielo
They pierced my soul with their icy gaze.
Regaron mi vida con su desconsuelo
They watered my life with their sorrow.
Tus ojos bonitos tus ojos sensuales, tus negros ojitos, como dos puñales.
Your beautiful, sensual eyes, your little black eyes, sharp as two knives.
Quiero ver en tus ojos el atardecer, y cantar la tristeza que hay en tu mirar
I want to see the sunset in your eyes, and sing the sadness that is in your gaze.
Quiero sentirte mía, inmensamente mía
I want to feel you're mine, entirely mine.
Que asesinen tus ojos sensuales, como dos puñales, mi melancolía
Let your sensual eyes, sharp as two knives, kill my melancholy.
Contributed by Arianna L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.