Frenesí
Artie Shaw & Artie Shaw and His Orchestra Lyrics
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I wandered down into old Mexico
While I was there
I felt romance everywhere
Moon was shining bright
And I could hear laughing voices in the night
Everyone was gay
This was the start of their holiday
And so I stopped a while to see the show
I knew that frenesí meant "Please love me"
And I could say frenesí
A lovely señorita caught my eye
I stood enchanted as she wandered by
And never knowing that it come from me
I gently sighed frenesí
She stopped and raised her eyes to mine
Her lips just pleaded to be kissed
Her eyes were soft as candle-shine
So how was I to resist?
And now without a heart to call my own
A greater happiness I've never known
Because her kisses are for me alone
Who wouldn't say frenesí?
Bésame tu a mí
Bésame igual que mi boca te besó
Dame el frenesí
Qui mi locura te dió
Quien si no fui yo
Pudo enseñarte el camino del amor
Muerto mi altivez
Cuando mi orgullo rodo a tus pies
Quiero que vivas solo para mí
Why que tu vayas por donde yo voy
Para que mi alma sea no mas de ti
Bésame con frenesí
Dame la luz que tiene tu mirar
Why la ansiedad que entre tus labios vi
Esa locura de vivir why amar
Que es mas 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
Why que tu vayas por donde yo voy
Para que mi alma sea no mas de ti
Bésame con frenesí
The lyrics of Artie Shaw Orchestra's "Frenesi" is about the singer's experience while visiting Mexico. The song starts with the singer walking down to Mexico where he could feel romance everywhere. He talks about the moon shining bright, the festive atmosphere, and laughing voices in the night. The singer is enchanted when he sees a lovely señorita and he sighs "frenesi" without knowing that she heard him. The señorita stopped and raised her eyes to his, and he could not resist her. From that moment on, the singer experiences a greater happiness than he has ever known. The song ends with the singer declaring that he wants the señorita to live only for him and to go wherever he goes, so his soul can belong only to her. The phrase "frenesi" is used both as a request to love him and as a declaration of his passion for the señorita.
Overall, "Frenesi" is a romantic song about the singer's experience of falling in love with a lovely señorita in Mexico. It describes the festive atmosphere in Mexico and how the singer feels enchanted by the culture and people.
Line by Line Meaning
Some time ago
At some point in the past
I wandered down into old Mexico
I traveled to Mexico
While I was there
During my time in Mexico
I felt romance everywhere
I felt love and passion in the air
Moon was shining bright
The moon was bright in the sky
And I could hear laughing voices in the night
I could hear people laughing in the evening
Everyone was gay
Everyone was happy and festive
This was the start of their holiday
The beginning of their celebration
It was fiesta down in Mexico
It was a party in Mexico
And so I stopped a while to see the show
I paused to watch the festivities
I knew that frenesí meant "Please love me"
I understood that "frenesí" translated to "Please love me"
And I could say frenesí
And I could say "Please love me"
A lovely señorita caught my eye
A beautiful woman caught my attention
I stood enchanted as she wandered by
I was captivated as she walked past
And never knowing that it come from me
Unaware that the word "frenesí" came from me
I gently sighed frenesí
I softly whispered "Please love me"
She stopped and raised her eyes to mine
She halted and looked into my eyes
Her lips just pleaded to be kissed
She wanted me to kiss her
Her eyes were soft as candle-shine
Her eyes were gentle and radiant
So how was I to resist?
How could I refuse?
And now without a heart to call my own
And now I have given my heart away
A greater happiness I've never known
I have never experienced greater joy
Because her kisses are for me alone
Because only I receive her kisses
Who wouldn't say frenesí?
Who wouldn't say "Please love me"?
Bésame tu a mí
Kiss me
Bésame igual que mi boca te besó
Kiss me as I kissed you
Dame el frenesí
Give me the passion
Qui mi locura te dió
That drove me crazy
Quien si no fui yo
Who else but I
Pudo enseñarte el camino del amor
Could have taught you the way of love
Muerto mi altivez
My pride has died
Cuando mi orgullo rodo a tus pies
When my pride fell at your feet
Quiero que vivas solo para mí
I want you to live only for me
Why que tu vayas por donde yo voy
And follow where I go
Para que mi alma sea no mas de ti
So my soul belongs to you alone
Bésame con frenesí
Kiss me with passion
Dame la luz que tiene tu mirar
Give me the light in your gaze
Why la ansiedad que entre tus labios vi
And the longing I saw in your lips
Esa locura de vivir why amar
That madness of living and loving
Que es mas que amor frenesí
That is more than love, it's passion
Hay en el beso que te di
In the kiss I gave you
Alma, piedad, corazón
Soul, mercy, heart
Dime que sabes tu sentir
Tell me you feel the same
Lo mismo que siento yo
What I feel as well
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Alberto Borras Dominguez, Leonard Whitcup
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Trombonology Erstwhile
This is the smash hit record that Artie came back with, to fulfill contractual obligations, after literally walking off the bandstand, a victim of burnout (not to mention more than a little contemptuous of his fans, whom he famously labeled "morons") at the height of his success in '39. The prickly clarinetist married Lana Turner, whom he had met while working on MGM's Dancing Co-Ed , discovered the song "Frenesi" in Mexico and returned with it to record. Because he had abandoned his old band and not yet formed a new one for touring, he recorded the piece, as arranged by the renowned William Grant Still, with a Hollywood studio orchestra. Years later, Artie's pianist, the eccentric but virtuosic Dodo Marmarosa, then in his second stint with Shaw, abruptly left -- giving his unwillingness to play "Frenesi" again as his reason.
Trombonology Erstwhile
@harold westbrook That's neat! I'm wondering if Johnny's reminiscences at the concert were along the lines of a passage in The Swing Era 1941-1942: Swing as a Way of Life , which I came across years ago in researching a piece I was writing on the harpsichord:
"Artie phoned me," recalls Johnny Guarnieri, "and asked, 'Johnny, you know how to play the harpsichord?' 'Sure,' I said, figuring I could find out pretty easily. 'Come on over,' Artie said, 'we're cutting a side with one tomorrow.'" When he got to the Summit Drive apartment and confronted the instrument, Guarnieri had to admit that he'd never laid a finger on one before. "But Artie didn't mind. I guess he liked my nerve. I sat down at the harpsichord -- I remember it was built by a guy who lived in Ypsilanti, Michigan – and I got the hang pretty fast, except I had trouble in runs where I had to use the fourth and fifth fingers. The action is different from a piano and you have to hit sharply with all the fingers or the notes won't sound. I went home and practiced until I could trill with the fourth and fifth fingers for 20 seconds. Then I was O.K."
Pretty funny! Johnny was a great pianist. You can often hear the influence of Fats Waller in his playing.
harold westbrook
An acquaintance of mine here in Gainesville, Ga. was a cousin of pianist Johnny Guarnieri who was a member of Shaw's Gramercy Five on harpsicord. I have a few of those recordings. Johnny played a one man show at Brenau College back around 1976, and recalled his experience of going to rehearse for the first time with the "Five" at Artie's residence on Summit Ridge Drive.
Enjoy Math with Kayla (Foundational Math)
This is perfect as is. I'm glad they didn't include vocals on this recording.
patrii9100
I know right? Is there any other record that you like?
Craig Sherman
So many terrific records in the 40’s. There must have been hundreds of thousands available to buy in the record stores.
Rob McKay
During WW2??
No, it was a time of great austerity - there was a lack of everything
James Marshall
We saw Artie at a theatre on Wishire Boulevard in 1999. He had a big band with him as he propped himself up on a cane and conducted with his free hand. Artie no longer played clarinet but he had a fine clarinet player with him. Not the same as seeing him in 1939 but we loved it.
Classic Car Creations
Beautiful!
Jay Young
I never compare artists. So when I say this is one of the most sounds to come from the wonderful world of music I'm not comparing. Shaw was just a gift to music.