He was born in Tampico, Tamaulipas, and his family moved to Mexico City in 1928 where he became a self-taught musician from an early age. In interviews, Esquivel's family members have stated that the young boy started playing piano when he was around 6 years old, to the amazement of older musicians who would gather around him in disbelief and to his own delight exhibiting his musical gifts. They have also stated that Esquivel continued to eschew formal musical training as he grew older, preferring to learn from books and by listening to and playing music instead.
Esquivel is considered the king of a style of late 1950s-early 1960s quirky instrumental pop known today as lounge music. Esquivel's musical style was highly idiosyncratic, and although elements sound like his contemporaries, many stylistic traits distinguished his music and made it instantly recognizable, including exotic percussion, wordless vocals, virtuoso piano runs, and exaggerated dynamic shifts. He used many jazz-like elements; however, other than his piano solos, there is no improvisation, and the works are tightly, meticulously arranged by Esquivel himself, who considered himself a perfectionist as a composer, performer, and recording artist.
His orchestration tended toward the very lush, employing novel instrumental combinations, such as Chinese bells, mariachi bands, whistling, and numerous percussion instruments, blended with orchestra, mixed chorus, and his own heavily-ornamented piano style. The chorus was often called upon to sing only nonsense syllables, most famously "zu-zu" and "pow!" A survey of Esquivel's recordings reveals a fondness for glissandi, sometimes on a half-valved trumpet, sometimes on a kettle drum, but most frequently on pitched percussion instruments and slide guitars.
Esquivel's use of stereo recording was legendary, occasionally featuring two bands recording simultaneously in separate studios, such as on his album Latin-Esque (1962). The song "Mucha Muchacha" makes particularly mind-bending use of the separation, with the chorus and brass rapidly alternating stereo sides.
He arranged many traditional Mexican songs like "Bésame Mucho", "La Bamba", "El Manisero" (Cuban/Mexican) and "La Bikina"; covered Brazilian songs like "Aquarela do Brasil" (also known simply as "Brazil") by Ary Barroso, "Surfboard" and "Agua de Beber" by Tom Jobim, and composed spicy lounge-like novelties such as "Mini Skirt", "Yeyo", "Latin-Esque", "Mucha Muchacha" and "Whatchamacallit". He was commissioned to compose the music of a Mexican children's TV show Odisea Burbujas.
His concerts featured elaborate light shows years before such effects became popular in live music. He performed in Las Vegas on several occasions, often as the opening act for Frank Sinatra. He frequently performed at the STARDUST casino lounge during ca. 1964.
Several compilations of Esquivel's music were issued starting with Space Age Bachelor Pad Music in 1994. The apparent success of these releases led to reissues of several of Esquivel's albums. The first reissues were compiled by Irwin Chusid, who also produced the first CD reissues of Raymond Scott and The Langley Schools Music Project.
The last recording on which Esquivel worked was Merry Christmas from the Space-Age Bachelor Pad in 1996, for which he did a voiceover on a track by the band Combustible Edison. This album also included several obscure tracks from his past sessions. The last CD released during his lifetime, See It In Sound, was actually recorded in 1960, but was not released at the time because the record company believed it would not be commercially successful. When released in 1998, it exhibited very unusual and introspective stylings absent from his other works, including a version of "Brazil", played as a musical soundscape of a man bar-hopping where the band plays different renditions of "Brazil" at each bar.
Esquivel also worked as composer for Revue Productions/Universal Television. There he scored the TV western series "The Tall Man," and co-wrote, with Stanley Wilson, the familiar Revue/Universal TV logo fanfare.
Sentimental Journey
Esquivel and His Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna set my heart at ease
Gonna make a sentimental journey
To renew old memories
Got my bag, got my reservation
Spent each dime I could afford
Like a child in wild anticipation
Seven, that's the time we leave, at seven
I'll be waitin' up at heaven
Countin' every mile of railroad track
That takes me back
Never thought my heart could be so yearny
Why did I decide to roam
Gotta take that sentimental journey
Sentimental journey home
Sentimental journey
is a song that speaks to the idea of revisiting old memories and embracing the feelings associated with those moments. The lyrics convey a sense of excitement and anticipation for the journey ahead. The singer is departing on a trip, perhaps to reconnect with a place or a person from their past. The use of repetition in the lyrics creates a sense of nostalgia and longing, with the repeated phrase 'sentimental journey' emphasizing the emotional significance of the trip.
The first few lines of the song set the tone for the entire experience. The goal is to 'set my heart at ease' and 'renew old memories'. The singer has made their preparations and is counting down the hours until departure. The imagery used in the lyrics, such as the reference to a child waiting eagerly for an event, adds to the sense of excitement and anticipation.
Overall, Sentimental Journey is a song about the emotional journey that comes with reconnecting with the past. It conveys a sense of longing for the places and people that are missed, and the excitement of rediscovering them. The song reminds us that the past is an important part of who we are, and it is important to honor and celebrate it.
Line by Line Meaning
Gonna take a sentimental journey
I am going to go on a trip down memory lane, revisiting past experiences and emotions.
Gonna set my heart at ease
This journey will bring me peace and comfort, soothing any anxieties or worries in my heart.
Gonna make a sentimental journey
I am going to embark on an emotional journey, reconnecting with feelings and moments from the past.
To renew old memories
The purpose of this journey is to rekindle cherished memories and experiences from the past, and to reconnect with the emotions attached to them.
Got my bag, got my reservation
I am well-prepared for this journey, having packed a bag and made travel arrangements in advance.
Spent each dime I could afford
I am willing to invest all the money I have saved into this trip, knowing that it will provide me with great emotional value and satisfaction.
Like a child in wild anticipation
I am filled with excitement and eagerness, like a child who can't wait for Christmas morning.
Long to hear that all aboard
I am eagerly waiting for the call to board, anxious to start this sentimental journey.
Seven, that's the time we leave, at seven
The departure time for this journey is at seven o'clock.
I'll be waitin' up at heaven
I am so excited for this journey that I feel like I will be floating up to heaven with joy.
Countin' every mile of railroad track
I am paying close attention to the distance I am traveling, wanting to savor every moment of this trip.
That takes me back
I am transported back in time through the power of memory, reliving past experiences and emotions.
Never thought my heart could be so yearny
I am surprised at the intensity of the emotions I am feeling, realizing how much these memories and experiences mean to me.
Why did I decide to roam
I am questioning why I ever left these memories and experiences behind in the first place, wondering why I ever chose to move on from them.
Gotta take that sentimental journey
I feel compelled to go on this emotional journey, knowing that it will provide me with a sense of closure and peace.
Sentimental journey home
This emotional journey will ultimately lead me back home, where I will be able to settle back into a familiar environment and reflect on the memories I have revisited.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Benjamin Homer, Bud Green, Les Brown
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind