Llegó a ser un popular compositor e intérprete, muy conocido entre los amantes de la música cubana. Comenzó tocando la guitarra, el clarinete y el bongó. Fue el inventor del armónico, un instrumento de siete cuerdas, entre la guitarra española y el tres cubano. También tocó la tumbadora.
Comenzó su carrera musical muy joven cuando compuso sus primeras canciones y tocaba en grupos de Santiago con su conocido armónico. Pero su fama internacional le llegó en 1997 con su participación en el disco Buena Vista Social Club, el cual ganó varios premios Grammy. Compay Segundo apareció también en la película del mismo nombre realizada posteriormente por Wim Wenders.
En los últimos años actuó ante millones de espectadores y grabó nueve discos. No pudo cumplir su sueño de llegar a la edad de 116 años, en la cual murió su abuela. Falleció en La Habana debido a una insuficiencia renal con 95 años.
La canción más importante de Compay Segundo es "Chan Chan".
--
Compay Segundo (November 18, 1907 – July 13, 2003), was a Cuban musician and songwriter.
Segundo was born Máximo Francisco Repilado Muñoz and brought up in the city of Santiago de Cuba. He became a songwriter and performer, well-known to fans of Cuban music. He was also the inventor of the armónico, a seven-stringed guitar-like instrument.
In his early years he played the guitar, the clarinet and the bongos. He also played the congas.
His curious stage name derives from the fact that he played second voice in a popular duet of the 1950s called Los Compadres (compadre, or compay for short, in Cuba means "baptism brother", but as a colloquialism is used also to designate a good friend).
However, international fame only came in 1997 with the release of the Buena Vista Social Club album, a hugely successful recording which won several Grammy awards. Compay Segundo appeared in the film of the same title, made subsequently by Wim Wenders.
His most famous composition is "Chan Chan", the opening track on the Buena Vista Social Club album, whose four opening chords are instantly recognizable all over the world. "Chan Chan" was recorded by Segundo himself various times as well as by countless other Latin artists.
At a fiesta he sang to Presidente Fidel Castro, who took his pulse and joked about his vitality despite his 90-plus years. "Who could have imagined that?" he asked when he found himself at the Vatican City, performing "Chan Chan" before Pope John Paul II. He explained his longevity simply: mutton consommé and a drink of rum.
He predicted that he would live to be 115, but died of kidney failure in Havana, twenty years short of his ambition, and three days before Celia Cruz.
Pobre corazón
Compay Segundo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
que en este mundo había
un valle de dolor
y yo le contesté:
No me amargues la vida
tal parece mentira
que eso mismo soñé.
Corazón yo que tanto he sufrido
corazón si es que vago perdido
dale fuerzas que aliente a mi fe.
Corazón ten valor no te aflijas*
yo las penas por siempre olvidé
no me hables de cosas tan tristes
corazón nunca pierdas la fe.
No me hables de cosas tan tristes
corazón nunca pierdas la fe.
Donde vas, preciosa y linda cubana
traeme la, sonrisa de los palmares.
Donde vas, preciosa y linda cubana
traeme la, sonrisa de los palmares
Pero donde vas, preciosa y linda cubana
traeme la, sonrisa de los palmares.
Donde vas preciosa y linda cubana
traeme la, sonrisa de los palmares.
Donde vas preciosa y linda cubana
traeme la, sonrisa de los palmares.
Donde vas preciosa y linda cubana
traeme la, sonrisa de los palmares.
In "Pobre Corazon," Compay Segundo sings about a conversation he had with his poor heart, in which his heart told him that there is a valley of pain in this world. He responds by telling his heart not to make his life bitter, as he had dreamed the same thing. He tells his heart, which has suffered so much, to have courage and not be distressed, and he reminds it that he has forgotten his sorrows. He encourages his heart not to speak of such sad things and to never lose faith.
This song is a message of hope and optimism in the face of struggle and pain. Compay Segundo is urging us to keep our faith in difficult times and to not allow sorrow to consume us. The song also has a romantic element, with the repeated refrain of "where are you going, beautiful Cuban girl, bring me the smile from the palm trees."
Overall, the song captures the spirit of resilience and perseverance that is often found in Cuban music and culture. It encourages us to find joy and hope even in the midst of hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
Mi pobre corazón me dijo un día
My poor heart told me one day
que en este mundo había
that in this world there was
un valle de dolor
a valley of pain
y yo le contesté:
and I replied to him:
No me amargues la vida
Don't make me bitter about life
tal parece mentira
it seems like a lie
que eso mismo soñé.
that's what I dreamed myself.
Corazón yo que tanto he sufrido
Heart, I who have suffered so much
por la dicha que nunca encontré
for the happiness that I never found
corazón si es que vago perdido
heart if I am wandering lost
dale fuerzas que aliente a mi fe.
give me strength to encourage my faith.
Corazón ten valor no te aflijas*
Heart, be brave and don't be distressed
yo las penas por siempre olvidé
I forgot the sorrows forever
no me hables de cosas tan tristes
Don't tell me about such sad things
corazón nunca pierdas la fe.
heart, never lose faith.
Donde vas, preciosa y linda cubana
Where are you going, beautiful and lovely Cuban
traeme la, sonrisa de los palmares.
bring me the smile from the palm groves.
Pero donde vas, preciosa y linda cubana
But where are you going, beautiful and lovely Cuban
traeme la, sonrisa de los palmares.
bring me the smile from the palm groves.
Donde vas preciosa y linda cubana
Where are you going, beautiful and lovely Cuban
traeme la, sonrisa de los palmares.
bring me the smile from the palm groves.
Donde vas preciosa y linda cubana
Where are you going, beautiful and lovely Cuban
traeme la, sonrisa de los palmares.
bring me the smile from the palm groves.
Donde vas preciosa y linda cubana
Where are you going, beautiful and lovely Cuban
traeme la, sonrisa de los palmares.
bring me the smile from the palm groves.
Contributed by Leah H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.