She sang in public for the first time in a radio contest at the age of ten. She didn't win that year, but won the next year. Her early singing caught the attention of a movie producer who introduced her to the cinema audiences as "Ana Belen" in the movie "Zampo y Yo" when she was thirteen.
Ana didn't want to become a child-star and focused on her studying. It wasn't until she finished drama school that she went back performing in public, being theater her prefered way to do so. She did small incursions in movies till she was offered major parts.
In 1973 she was cast opposite Víctor Manuel in Morbo and he became her husband as well as the composer of the songs included in her first album. In 1982 she released "Ana en Rio", an album with Brazilian music that included the song "Balance" and became an instant hit.
In 1986, took one more step and became one of the first female movie directors in Spain with the movie "Cómo ser mujer y no morir en el intento" which earned her the Gold Medal of Spanish Cinematographic Academy. That year concluded with another major success, a tour with Victor Manuel and many special guests of which they released a live album: "Mucho mas que dos". The success of this tour lead to a new one, "El Gusto es Nuestro" with Miguel Rios, Joan Manuel Serrat y Victor Manuel.
She releases several albums through the 90's that achieve great success like "Veneno para el Corazon" that included Spanish versions of Cole Porter songs among others, "Mirame" full of duets with the most important Spanish voices or "Lorquiana", a double CD with popular songs and poems of Federico García Lorca.
The new century finds her busy with filming and recording songs. Albums "Peces de Ciudad" or "Viva L'Italia" are released as she appears on stage plays and her name is on some of the most acclaimed films of the moment.
In 2006, she is currently touring with her husband Víctor Manuel across Spain with "Una Cancion me Trajo Aqui", a CD+DVD has been released of their very first performance in Segovia.She also has a new album in the works and a new movie pending.
Suspiros de España
Ana Belén Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Reseca historia que nos abraza
Por acercarse sólo a mirarla.
Paloma buscando cielos más estrellados
Donde entendernos sin destrozarnos
Donde sentarnos why conversar.
España camisa blanca de mi esperanza
La pena deja plomo en las alas.
Quisiera poner el hombro why pongo palabras
Que casi siempre acaban en nada
Cuando se enfrentan al ancho mar.
España camisa blanca de mi esperanza
A veces madre why siempre madastra;
Navaja, barro, clavel, espada.
Nos haces siempre a tu imagen why semejanza
Lo bueno why malo que hay en tu estampa
De peregrina a ningún lugar.
España camisa blanca de mi esperanza
De fuera a adentro, dulce o amarga
De olor a incienso, de cal why caña.
Quién puso el desasociego en nuestras entrañas
Nos hizo libres pero sin alas
Nos dejos el hambre why se llevó el pan.
España camisa blanca de mi esperanza
Aquí me tienes nadie me manda
Quererte tanto me cuesta nada.
Nos haces siempre a tu imagen why semejanza
Lo bueno why malo que hay en tu estampa
De peregrina a ningún lugar.
The lyrics of Ana Belen and Victor Manuel's song "España Camisa Blanca de mi Esperanza" convey a deep sense of nostalgia and love for their country, Spain. The opening lines of the song "España camisa blanca de mi esperanza" mean "Spain, white shirt of my hope" in English. The phrase "white shirt" symbolizes the purity and simplicity of hope. The lyrics then depict Spain as a dry and harsh environment with a rich history that embraces its people. The line "La negra pena nos amenaza" means "The black sorrow threatens us" and describes the looming sense of worry and doubt that always follows the Spanish people.
Despite the challenges and obstacles faced by the Spanish people, the song speaks of a hope for a better future - "Paloma buscando cielos más estrellados / Donde entendernos sin destrozarnos" meaning "Dove looking for more starry skies / Where we can understand each other without destroying ourselves." The song then observes the complexity of Spain's character - "A veces madre y siempre madrastra; / Navaja, barro, clavel, espada" meaning "Sometimes a mother and always a stepmother; / Knife, mud, carnation, sword" - and how its people reflect both its good and bad qualities.
The final lines of the song express a deep love for Spain - "Aquí me tienes nadie me manda / Quererte tanto me cuesta nada" meaning "Here I am, no one tells me to / Loving you so much costs me nothing." Despite the hardships faced by the Spanish people, they still hold a deep love and respect for their country.
Line by Line Meaning
España camisa blanca de mi esperanza
Spain, the white shirt of my hope
Reseca historia que nos abraza
A dry history that embraces us
Por acercarse sólo a mirarla
For approaching only to look at it
Paloma buscando cielos más estrellados
Dove searching for more starry skies
Donde entendernos sin destrozarnos
Where we can understand each other without destroying ourselves
Donde sentarnos why conversar
Where we can sit and talk
La negra pena nos amenaza
The black sorrow threatens us
La pena deja plomo en las alas
The sorrow leaves lead on the wings
Quisiera poner el hombro why pongo palabras
I want to lend a shoulder but I offer words
Que casi siempre acaban en nada
That almost always end up in nothing
Cuando se enfrentan al ancho mar
When they come up against the wide sea
A veces madre why siempre madastra
Sometimes a mother and always a stepmother
Navaja, barro, clavel, espada
Knife, mud, carnation, sword
Nos haces siempre a tu imagen why semejanza
You always make us in your image and likeness
Lo bueno why malo que hay en tu estampa
The good and the bad in your image
De peregrina a ningún lugar
From pilgrim to nowhere
De fuera a adentro, dulce o amarga
From outside to inside, sweet or bitter
De olor a incienso, de cal why caña
Smelling of incense, of lime and reed
Quién puso el desasociego en nuestras entrañas
Who put unrest in our bowels
Nos hizo libres pero sin alas
Made us free but without wings
Nos dejó el hambre why se llevó el pan
Left us hunger and took the bread
Aquí me tienes nadie me manda
Here you have me, no one commands me
Quererte tanto me cuesta nada
Loving you so much costs me nothing
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: VICTOR MANUEL SAN JOSE, VICTOR MANUEL SAN JOSE SANCHEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@antoniaromero7893
Esta canción tan vigente hoy, solo le pido a Dios que los discursos de odio no ganen.
@marlenyvalencia8872
Solo unos cuantos escuchamos nuevamente estás letras. La humanidad se ha vuelto tan indiferente, que ante los genosidios de hoy no sentimos nada.... Solo desconexión 😢
@NicolasABera
Vine a comentar esto mismo.
@margomez1212
Quien escucha esto en 2023?
@TRAQUETER
La gente que entiende de buena musica
@mato7840
Esto es cultura y no la basura inmunda, sexual y vulgar de las letras que se escuchan hoy.
@angeles814
Yo lo escucho el 29 de diciembre de 2049
@miradaspeed6557
Yo 🖐️
@claramartinez1693
Yo, en 2023, y cuando haga falta!!! Esta letra es universal.
@asuncionarcosgarcia6385
Muy adecuada y actual para los tiempos tan difíciles y terribles que estamos viviendo actualmente 😢