Diomedes was born and raised on a farm called "Carrizal" on the outskirts of La Junta; his father, Rafael Maria Díaz, and his mother, Elvira Maestre, were very poor, something that Diomedes always sought to change. His childhood was spent helping his parents and eight brothers with farm duties, while he was musically influenced by his locally renowned uncle, Martin Elias. His friends nicknamed him El Chivato ("the little goat"), making fun of his young vibrating voice; he became part of the attraction for every party in the house.
Eventually Díaz' uncle decided to help him train his voice and compose songs; Díaz quickly mastered his vocal training and was invited to perform at parties. Eager to succeed, he moved to Valledupar to work as a gardener. He also worked as a messenger and office boy for a local radio station, Radio Guatapuri, pursuing the opportunity to convince disc jockeys to play his future songs. Between 1974 and 1975, he got his first song recording deal with Jorge Quiróz and Luciano Poveda, a well known vallenato group; they recorded the song Cariñito de Mi Vida which put Díaz in the spotlight.
Diomedes Diaz being paraded on the streets of Valledupar after the release of one of his albums.
Díaz received invitations to more parties, gigs and reunions, and his voice captivated a new generation of fans. At the cultural week for a local high school, he met Rafael Orozco Maestre, an emerging vallenato singer who would give Díaz his famous nickname El Cacique de La Junta.
After saving money, he recorded his first LP with accordion player Nafer Duran, which was played on radio stations and catapulted Díaz to regional fame.
Fantasia
Diomedes Díaz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Repletos de verano
Estando en primavera
Ese soy yo
Y esa linda Camelia
Que se quedó sin alma
Que no comprende nada
Ese que por ser bueno
Lo tiran a la nada
Y que no cree en la fama
Ese soy yo
Esa de ojitos negros
Y que se cree la dueña
De todas las miradas
No entenderá el amor
Qué diferente sería mi vida si me quisieras
Y que tus labios me dieran toda tu juventud
Y me dejaras cambiarte un poco y hacerte buena
Entonces sí gustaría los ojos que tienes tú
Porque tú sabes que tienes, preciosa
Un atractivo que rinde a los hombres
Que no resisten tus ojos, tu boca
Y se someten a tus condiciones
Por qué derrochas amores y lujos
Por qué provocas tantos desengaños
Porque es muy triste vivir de apariencias
Porque mujer que no quiere a ninguno
Le mostrarán mil fracasos los años
Si se te van esos años
En fantasías placenteras
Si se te van esos años
En fantasías placenteras
Se tornarán tus placeres en llanto
Y tu sonrisa en quimeras
Se tornarán tus placeres en llanto
Y tu sonrisa en quimeras
Ese que escribe versos
Que casi no saluda
Que siempre está en la luna
Ese soy yo
Y esa linda Camelia
Que está metida en todo
Hablando más que nadie
Es un sueño de amor
Esa que mira siempre
Con mucha picardía
Con ojos aguileños
Esa me mata a mí
Hay muchos que la adoran
Otros que la desprecian
Y muchos que la elogian
Para verla feliz
Es porque tiene ese algo extraño que al conocerla
Uno presiente que ya hace tiempo la conocía
Es como ver aquella esperanza que el alma sueña
En los instantes de soledad y melancolía
Porque tú sabes que tienes, preciosa
Un atractivo que rinde a los hombres
Que no resisten tus ojos, tu boca
Y se someten a tus condiciones
Por qué derrochas amores y lujos
Por qué provocas tantos desengaños
Por que es muy triste vivir de apariencias
Porque mujer que no quiere a ninguno
Le mostrarán mil fracasos los años
Si se te van esos años
En fantasías placenteras
Si se te van esos años
En fantasías placenteras
Se tornarán tus placeres en llanto
Y tu sonrisa en quimeras
Se tornarán tus placeres en llanto
Y tu sonrisa en quimeras
The song "Fantasia" by Diomedes Diaz is a poetic exploration of unrequited love and the superficiality of relationships based solely on physical attraction. The singer identifies himself as someone who writes verses that are full of summer but find himself stuck in the spring, which seems to suggest that he may have a strong connection to nature and its cyclical changes. The object of his affection is described as being akin to a beautiful Camelia flower that has lost its soul and doesn't understand anything. The singer highlights the fact that despite being good-hearted, he is often overlooked or discarded and does not believe in chasing after fame. The song contends that this is who he is.
The second part of the song describes the woman he desires, who is described as having piercing black eyes and a sense of confidence that makes her feel like she owns every glance that is directed her way. The singer laments how different his life would be if she loved him back and if he had her youth, he would cherish her and turn her into a better person. The song ends by warning the woman that if she continues to live her life chasing after fantasies and superficial pleasures, it would eventually lead to sadness and a loss of the light that makes her smile today.
Line by Line Meaning
Ese que escribe versos
I am the one who writes verses
Repletos de verano
Filled with summer
Estando en primavera
Even during spring
Ese soy yo
That's me
Y esa linda Camelia
And that beautiful Camellia
Que se quedó sin alma
That has lost its soul
Que no comprende nada
That doesn't understand anything
Eres sin duda tú
That's you without a doubt
Ese que por ser bueno
I am the one who, for being good
Lo tiran a la nada
Gets thrown away to nothingness
Y que no cree en la fama
And doesn't believe in fame
Ese soy yo
That's me
Esa de ojitos negros
That girl with dark eyes
Y que se cree la dueña
Who thinks she's the owner
De todas las miradas
Of all the stares
No entenderá el amor
Won't understand love
Qué diferente sería mi vida si me quisieras
How different my life would be if you loved me
Y que tus labios me dieran toda tu juventud
And if your lips gave me all your youth
Y me dejaras cambiarte un poco y hacerte buena
And let me change you a bit and make you good
Entonces sí gustaría los ojos que tienes tú
Then I would like the eyes you have
Porque tú sabes que tienes, preciosa
Because you know, my beautiful
Un atractivo que rinde a los hombres
An allure that makes men surrender
Que no resisten tus ojos, tu boca
Who can't resist your eyes, your mouth
Y se someten a tus condiciones
And submit to your conditions
Por qué derrochas amores y lujos
Why do you waste love and luxury
Por qué provocas tantos desengaños
Why do you cause so much disappointment
Por que es muy triste vivir de apariencias
Because living based on appearances is very sad
Porque mujer que no quiere a ninguno
Because a woman who doesn't love anyone
Le mostrarán mil fracasos los años
Will see a thousand failures throughout the years
Si se te van esos años
If those years slip away from you
En fantasías placenteras
In pleasurable fantasies
Se tornarán tus placeres en llanto
Your pleasures will turn into tears
Y tu sonrisa en quimeras
And your smile into illusions
Ese que escribe versos
I am the one who writes verses
Que casi no saluda
Who hardly says hello
Que siempre está en la luna
Who's always in the clouds
Ese soy yo
That's me
Y esa linda Camelia
And that beautiful Camellia
Que está metida en todo
Who's involved in everything
Hablando más que nadie
Talking more than anyone
Es un sueño de amor
Is a dream of love
Esa que mira siempre
That girl who always looks
Con mucha picardía
With a lot of mischief
Con ojos aguileños
With eagle-like eyes
Esa me mata a mí
That one kills me
Hay muchos que la adoran
There are many who adore her
Otros que la desprecian
Others who despise her
Y muchos que la elogian
And many who praise her
Para verla feliz
To see her happy
Porque tiene ese algo extraño que al conocerla
Because she has that strange something that when you meet her
Uno presiente que ya hace tiempo la conocía
You feel like you've known her for a long time
Es como ver aquella esperanza que el alma sueña
It's like seeing that hope that the soul dreams of
En los instantes de soledad y melancolía
In moments of loneliness and melancholy
Porque tú sabes que tienes, preciosa
Because you know, my beautiful
Un atractivo que rinde a los hombres
An allure that makes men surrender
Que no resisten tus ojos, tu boca
Who can't resist your eyes, your mouth
Y se someten a tus condiciones
And submit to your conditions
Por qué derrochas amores y lujos
Why do you waste love and luxury
Por qué provocas tantos desengaños
Why do you cause so much disappointment
Por que es muy triste vivir de apariencias
Because living based on appearances is very sad
Porque mujer que no quiere a ninguno
Because a woman who doesn't love anyone
Le mostrarán mil fracasos los años
Will see a thousand failures throughout the years
Si se te van esos años
If those years slip away from you
En fantasías placenteras
In pleasurable fantasies
Se tornarán tus placeres en llanto
Your pleasures will turn into tears
Y tu sonrisa en quimeras
And your smile into illusions
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Rosendo Romero Ospino
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind