The daughter of a Mexican-born father and South African Jewish mother, Martinez says music was always part of family gatherings. Travelling to Mexico gave her a feel for the jazz, Latino and AfroCuban music scene in which she's been performing professionally since 2001. "I grew up listening to a lot of my dad's musical collection, which had a huge influence on me," she says. "Music is in my blood".
Currently, Martinez hosts a Latin music program on the CBC radio network and performs regularly.
La Llorona
Amanda Martinez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
negro pero cariñoso
Todos me dicen el negro llorona
negro pero cariñoso.
Yo soy como el chile verde llorona
picante pero sabroso
Yo soy como el chile verde llorona
picante pero sabroso.
llorona de azul celeste
¡Ay de mi llorona! llorona
llorona de azul celeste.
Aunque la vida me cueste llorona
no dejaré de quererte
Aunque la vida me cueste llorona
no dejaré de quererte.
Dicen que no tengo duelo llorona
porque no me ven llorar
Dicen que no tengo duelo llorona
porque no me ven llorar.
Hay muertos que no hacen ruido llorona
y es más grande su penar
Hay muertos que no hacen ruido llorona
y es más grande su penar
¡Ay de mi llorona!
llorona de ayer y hoy.
The lyrics to Amanda Martinez's song "La Llorona" are a heartfelt and mournful expression of love and loss. The singer addresses herself as "el negro llorona" meaning black weeper, and describes herself as spicy but delicious like a green chili. She then goes on to sing about the mythical figure of La Llorona, a woman who drowned her children in a river and now wanders the earth weeping for them. This figure is often seen as a cautionary tale about the dangers of motherhood and the consequences of neglecting one's duties. The singer uses the image of La Llorona to express her own grief and the pain of losing someone she loves.
Throughout the song, the singer emphasizes her devotion to the person she has lost, stating that she will continue to love them even though it may cost her her life. She also acknowledges that sometimes grief is silent and that some losses are more profound than others. The song is a beautiful and melancholic tribute to the enduring power of love and the pain of separation.
Line by Line Meaning
Todos me dicen el negro llorona
Everyone calls me the black one, but affectionately
Yo soy como el chile verde llorona
I am like green chili, spicy but delicious
¡Ay de mi llorona! llorona de azul celeste
Oh, my weeping woman! weeping woman in light blue
Aunque la vida me cueste llorona no dejaré de quererte
Even if it costs me my life, weeping woman, I will not stop loving you
Dicen que no tengo duelo llorona porque no me ven llorar
They say I have no grief, weeping woman, because they don't see me cry
Hay muertos que no hacen ruido llorona y es más grande su penar
Weeping woman, some dead make no sound and their sorrow is greater
¡Ay de mi llorona! llorona de ayer y hoy.
Oh, my weeping woman! Weeping woman of yesterday and today.
Contributed by Mila I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.