Bobby Valentin is a stylisation of Bobby Valentín, also known as "El Rey de… Read Full Bio ↴Bobby Valentin is a stylisation of Bobby Valentín, also known as "El Rey del Bajo" (King of the Bass) (born June 9, 1941), is a musician and salsa bandleader.
Early years
Valentín, born Roberto Valentín in Orocovis, Puerto Rico, was taught by his father to play the guitar at a young age. When his mother died in 1947,he went to live with his older sister and was raised in the town of Coamo; there he received his primary education and studied music. When he 11 years old, he participated in a local talent contest with a trio which he had formed. He played the guitar and sang for the trio and they won the first place prize. One of his teachers suggested that he attend the Jose I. Quinton Academy of Music, which he did - here he learned to play the trumpet. [1]
In 1956, Valentín moved with his family to New York City where he attended George Washington High School and continued to take music lessons. In 1958, he went to play for Joe Quijano but, shortly after he joined Willie Rosario, who also came from his same neighborhood and played in his band. [2]
[edit] Musical career
In 1963, Valentín joined Tito Rodriguez (after not being hired by Tito in a recording session because of his age, he was given a chance and was added to his regular band) and traveled twice with Tito's orchestra to Venezuela. He also made musical arrangements for Tito and at times for Charlie Palmieri, Joe Quijano, Willie Rosario, and Ray Barretto. In 1965, he formed his own band and was signed by the Fania Record Label. He recorded "El Mensajero" (The Mensenger) and "Young Man With a Horn". He held his first concert in Puerto Rico during that period of time.[2]
[edit] Recordings
While in Puerto Rico, in 1969, his bass player did not show up. Valentín found someone to play the trumpet and he played the bass. Since then, he has played the bass for his band. He has also played the bass on occasion, for the bands of Willie Rosario, Raphy Leavitt and Vicentico Valdés (he produced one of Valdés' albums, even writing its string arrangements as a personal goal). Valentín was also the musical arranger for the Fania All Stars, and is featured in a live recording of the conglomerate's song "Descarga Fania" (which he also wrote) playing a bass guitar solo.[1]
In 1975, Valentín left Fania and founded his own record label "Bronco Records" and released the recordings of "Va a la Carcel" Vol 1 and Vol 2, recorded "live" at "El Oso Blanco", Puerto Rico's oldest state penitentiary. At the time, Marvin Santiago was the singer on Valentín's band; his biggest hit with Valentín was "Soy Boricua", an ode to Puerto Rican nationality that has since become a patriotic song for the island nation. In 1978, salsa singer Cano Estremera made his singing debut with Valentín's orchestra and recorded various major hits for the band, particularly the Roberto Angleró song "La boda de ella" and "Manuel García".[3]
During the years Valentín has also helped others such as:
· Larry Harlow,
· Ismael Miranda,
· Roberto Roena,
· Cheo Feliciano and
· Celia Cruz.
He also provided backdrop for the Billyván Santiago (Marvin's youngest brother) song "Mata la cucaracha", a sleeper hit in Puerto Rico during the 2002 Christmas season.
[edit] Currently
Bobby Valentin continues to record and play with his band, his latest release being "La Gran Reunion" (The Grand Reunion). In 2004, Bobby Valentin's "En Vivo Desde Bellas Artes" was released in DVD form. In 2006 Bobby Valentin's "El Caiman" can be heard (or played) the video game Scarface. His last disc called "Evolución" was launched in 2008.
[edit] See also
Puerto Rico portal
· List of famous Puerto Ricans
[edit] References
1. ^ a b Musica de Puerto Rico
2. ^ a b Q&A with Booby Valentin
3. ^ Fania
[edit] External links
· Biography, Discography, Photos, Lyrics (SalsaClasica.com)
· Musica de Puerto Rico
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Valent%C3%ADn"
Categories: 1941 births | Living people | Puerto Rican musicians | Salsa musicians | People from Orocovis, Puerto Rico | Fania Records artists

Besos Brujos
Bobby Valentin Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

¡Déjame, no quiero que me beses!
Por tu culpa estoy sufriendo
la tortura de mis penas...
¡Déjame, no quiero que me toques!
Me lastiman esas manos,
me lastiman y me queman
No prolongues más mi desventura,
si eres hombre bueno así lo harás.

Deja que prosiga mi camino,
te lo pido a tu conciencia,
no te puedo amar.

Besos brujos, besos brujos
que son una cadena
de desdicha y de dolor.
Besos brujos...
yo no quiero que mi boca maldecida
traiga más desesperanzas
en mi alma... en mi vida...
Besos brujos...
¡Ah, si pudiera arrancarme
de los labios esta maldición!

¡Déjame, no quiero que me beses!
Yo no quiero que me toques,
lo que quiero es libertarme...
Nuevas esperanzas en tu vida
te traerán el dulce olvido,
pues tienes que olvidarme.
Deja que prosiga mi camino,
que es la salvación para los dos...
¿Que ha de ser tu vida al lado mío?

¡El infierno y el vacío!
Tu amor sin mi amor.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Bobby Valentin’s song ‘Besos Brujos’ revolve around the theme of a toxic relationship where the singer is pleading with his partner to let him go. He is tired of the painful kisses and touches that leave him in agony. The singer believes that the person who loves him will let him go, knowing that he can no longer bear the burden of their relationship. He asks for a more peaceful life, devoid of misery and pain.

He tries to make his partner understand that their love causes him harm through the use of the metaphor ‘Besos Brujos,’ which means “witchcraft kisses.” The singer tries to explain the torment that the kisses cause him and how the memories of the moments they shared add insult to his already injured soul. He believes that he needs to break free from the curse that keeps him tied to this problematic relationship, for the sake of his sanity and mental health. In conclusion, the lyrics convey the message of love in different forms, and how it can be both a sweet and bitter experience if not cautious.

Line by Line Meaning

¡Déjame, no quiero que me beses!
The singer wants the person to stop kissing him/her.

Por tu culpa estoy sufriendo la tortura de mis penas...
The singer is suffering from pain because of the person he/she is addressing to.

¡Déjame, no quiero que me toques! Me lastiman esas manos, me lastiman y me queman
The person's touch hurts the singer physically and emotionally.

No prolongues más mi desventura, si eres hombre bueno así lo harás.
The singer is asking the person to end his/her misery if he/she is a good person.

Deja que prosiga mi camino, te lo pido a tu conciencia, no te puedo amar.
The singer can't love the person and asks him/her to let him/her continue his/her own path.

Besos brujos, besos brujos que son una cadena de desdicha y de dolor.
The singer refers to the person's kisses as witchcraft that causes only pain and sadness.

Besos brujos... yo no quiero que mi boca maldecida traiga más desesperanzas en mi alma... en mi vida...
The singer wants to avoid more disappointments and sorrows in life caused by the person's kisses.

Besos brujos... ¡Ah, si pudiera arrancarme de los labios esta maldición!
The singer wishes to remove the curse of the person's kisses from his/her life.

Yo no quiero que me toques, lo que quiero es libertarme...
The singer wants to be free from the person's touch.

Nuevas esperanzas en tu vida te traerán el dulce olvido, pues tienes que olvidarme.
The singer believes that the person will find new hopes and forget about him/her completely.

¿Que ha de ser tu vida al lado mío? ¡El infierno y el vacío! Tu amor sin mi amor.
The singer concludes that the person's life will become hell and emptiness without him/her.

Contributed by Alice Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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