Isabel Vargas Lizano was born in San Joaquín de Flores, Costa Rica. She goes by Chavela, which is a nickname for Isabel. At only 14, she fled her native country due to lack of musical career opportunities, seeking refuge in Mexico, where an entertainment industry was burgeoning. For many years she sang on the streets but in her thirties she became a professional singer. In her youth, she dressed as a man, smoked cigars, drank heavily, carried a gun and was known for her characteristic red jorongo, which she still dons in performances.
Her first album, Noche de Bohemia (Bohemian Night), was released in 1961 with the professional support of José Alfredo Jiménez, one of the foremost singer/songwriters of the Mexican cancion ranchera. Vargas has recorded over eighty albums thereafter. She was hugely successful during the 1950s, 1960s and the first half of the 70s, touring in Mexico, the United States, France and Spain and was close to many prominent artists and intellectuals of the time, including Juan Rulfo, Agustín Lara, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Dolores Olmedo and José Alfredo Jiménez. She partly retired in the late 1970s due to a 15 year-long battle with alcoholism, which she has described in her autobiography (Y si quieres saber de mi pasado [And if you want to know about my past], published in 2002) as "my 15 years in hell" At 81 years old, she publicly declared that she was a lesbian.
Vargas returned to the stage in 1991, performing at the venue "El Habito" in Coyoacan, Mexico City.She debuted at Carnegie Hall in 2003 at the age of 83 at the behest and promotion of Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, a long-time admirer and personal friend of Vargas.
In April 2012 she released her latest album "Luna Grande" a tribute to Spanish poet Federico García Lorca.
Cuando Vivas Conmigo
Chavela Vargas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A mis años estoy enamorado.
Tengo el pelo completamente blanco
pero voy a sacar juventud de mi pasado.
Y te voy a enseñar a querer
como tú no has querido.
¡Ya verás lo que vas a aprender
De mis labios está brotando sangre.
Mi derrota la tengo sepultada.
Como en nadie, hoy me entrego en tus brazos,
porque sé que mi amor sin tu amor no vale nada.
Y te voy a enseñar a querer
como tú no has querido.
¡Ya verás lo que vas a aprender
cuando vivas conmigo!
Y te voy a enseñar a querer
como tú no has querido...
¡Ya verás lo que vas a aprender
cuando vivas conmigo!
The opening lines of Chavela Vargas's song "Cuando Vivas Conmigo" indicate pain and sadness from the singer. She mentions tears in her eyes and blood dripping from her lips. However, she also declares her love and shares her desire to teach her lover how to love properly. Despite her age and white hair, she hopes to relive her youth and turn back the clock to feel young again.
The chorus of "Cuando Vivas Conmigo" highlights the singer's confidence in her ability to teach her lover how to love, promising that they will see what they are capable of when they are together. The second verse mentions that the singer has put her past failures aside and is ready to fully commit herself to her lover. She has given herself completely to him and hopes that he will love her in return.
The song portrays love as a learning process whereby one person teaches the other how to love and be loved. It emphasizes the importance of commitment and of giving oneself entirely to another person.
Line by Line Meaning
De mis ojos está brotando el llanto.
Tears are streaming down my eyes.
A mis años estoy enamorado.
At my age, I am in love.
Tengo el pelo completamente blanco
My hair is completely white
pero voy a sacar juventud de mi pasado.
But I will draw youth from my past.
Y te voy a enseñar a querer
And I will teach you how to love,
como tú no has querido.
As you have never loved before.
¡Ya verás lo que vas a aprender
You'll see what you'll learn
cuando vivas conmigo!
When you live with me!
De mis labios está brotando sangre.
Blood is flowing from my lips.
Mi derrota la tengo sepultada.
I've buried my defeat.
Como en nadie, hoy me entrego en tus brazos,
I surrender to your arms like nobody else,
porque sé que mi amor sin tu amor no vale nada.
because I know that my love is worth nothing without your love.
Writer(s): Jose Alfredo Jimenez Sandoval Copyright: Universal Music Publishing Mgb S.A. De C
Contributed by Jonathan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Isamed Fern
Hermosa canción de nuestra querida chabela Vargas 😘🌹
Higinio Juarez
Grandiosa, magistral, única, inmortal, maravillosa Chavela, y con la inspiración d José Alfredo, aún más
Dora Miño
Me encanta la voz de Chavela
m fiam
Eterna.magistrale Chavela Vargas : Hasta siempre :) !
Fernando Márquez
Claro muy bella,pero no de esa belleza común y barata,su belleza reside en su originalidad, en su peculiaridad,es ser ella misma, recuerda que "La belleza y la fealdad son un espejismo porque los demás terminan viendo nuestro interior"... y Mujer, muy mujer porque para serlo tienen que enfrentarse a la vida, luchar, sentirse orgullosas de su sexo, darse cuenta que tienen alas,y al fin volar. A Chavela le queda a la perfección la frase de Rosa Luxemburgo que dice: "¡Yo fui, yo soy, y yo seré!"
Gloria González
a ti si te doy tooooda la razon, totalmente de acuerdo
Gladys Franco
Insuperable
Gloria González
sobre todo BELLA Y MUJER?????
Gloria Patricia Ortiz Gartner
Bien