In the 1970s, Rivera had such hits as Jesucristo from Roberto Carlos, Mi Viejo (My Old Man) from Argentinian Piero and Vecino, Dame la Mano (Neighbor, Give me Your Hand) from Puertorrican actor/composer Samuel Molina. Another of his hits at those times was "Mi Pueblo" (My People). This song went so deep into the hearts of "His People" that a group of youngsters at the San Juan Airport sung "Mi Pueblo" to him on one of his arrivals from Venezuela!
Rivera sported an afro then, and he became one of the first male public figures in Puerto Rico to wear an earring. The hair and the one earing became the trademark of Danny Rivera for many years.
During the 1980s, he relocated to Cayey. In 1988, he married model Alexandra Malagon, whom he later divorced.
In 2001, Rivera was arrested and incarcerated for one month in a federal prison for trespassing on the military campgrounds at Vieques. He was one of the most outspoken and recognizable anti-military protesters at the height of national protests. His prison diary and poems were published in a book titled "Enamorado de la Paz" ("In Love with Peace") in 2002.
He has shared the stage with Julio Iglesias, Will Smith and Plácido Domingo, and he has headlined at the Madison Square Garden and Carnegie Hall in New York and the Caribe Hilton hotel in San Juan.
He received the citizenship of the Dominican Republic in a ceremony in Santo Domingo on March 13, 2008.
El Vals de las Mariposas
Danny Rivera Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
comenzaron a decir cosas hermosas, la más
bella de las Mil, beso una Rosa y después se
fue hacia ti, maravillosa...
Dime si tú, hoy, quieres bailar con el son de, el
Vals de las Mariposas conmigo...
Quiero bailar, sí, quiero bailar con el son de, el
Vals de las Mariposas, contigo...
II
Cada día en tú Jardín te veo hermosa, como
una de las Mil, Mil Mariposas, Tú le enseñaste a
bailar entre tus Rosas, una tarde como ayer,
maravillosa...
Dime si tú, hoy, quieres bailar con el son de, el Vals de las Mariposas conmigo...
Quiero bailar, sí, quiero bailar con el son de, el Vals de las Mariposas, contigo...
Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, la, la...
Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, la, la...
Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, la, la...
The lyrics to Danny Rivera's song "El Vals de las Mariposas" tell a story of a garden filled with a thousand butterflies that have all come to admire the beauty of the garden. Amongst the thousand butterflies, one stands out as the most beautiful of them all. This butterfly kisses a rose before flying towards the person the song is being sung to, asking if they would like to dance to the tune of the "Vals de las Mariposas" with them. The second verse continues the narrative of the garden and the beauty of the person being sung to, alluding to a time when they had once taught the butterflies to dance amongst the roses. Once again, the song asks for the person to dance the "Vals de las Mariposas" with the singer.
The lyrics are a romantic and poetic tribute to the beauty of nature and the beauty of love. The butterflies represent the beauty of the natural world, while the rose and the person being sung to represent the beauty of human love. The "Vals de las Mariposas" or "Butterfly Waltz" is a metaphor for the dance that love can be, with the beauty of the butterflies and the roses enveloping the Singer's lover and drawing them in through the power of their love.
Line by Line Meaning
Pasean por tú Jardín Mil Mariposas, comenzaron a decir cosas hermosas, la más bella de las Mil, beso una Rosa y después se fue hacia ti, maravillosa...
So many butterflies stroll through your garden, whispering words of beauty to one another. The most gorgeous of them all kissed a rose before flying your way. She is truly magnificent...
Dime si tú, hoy, quieres bailar con el son de, el Vals de las Mariposas conmigo...
Tell me, do you want to dance with me to the rhythm of the Butterfly Waltz today?
Quiero bailar, sí, quiero bailar con el son de, el Vals de las Mariposas, contigo...
I want to dance, yes, I want to dance with you to the rhythm of the Butterfly Waltz.
Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, la, la...
Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, la, la...
Cada día en tú Jardín te veo hermosa, como una de las Mil, Mil Mariposas, Tú le enseñaste a bailar entre tus Rosas, una tarde como ayer, maravillosa...
Every day in your garden I see you, as beautiful as one of the thousand butterflies. You taught her to dance among the roses one afternoon, just like yesterday. It was wonderful...
Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, la, la...
Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, la, la...
Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, la, la...
Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, la, la...
Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, la, la...
Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, Lara, Lara, Lara, la, la, la...
Writer(s): Daniel Candon de la Campa
Contributed by Brooklyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.