Born in the "City of Palaces" (Mexico City), Eugenia Leon discovers her musical calling at the College of Sciences and Humanities in Naucalpan, where she lent her voice for the compositions of her schoolmates.
During the turbulent 70's, young people started to identify with the musical movement known as La Trova, singing about Latin American life, liberty, and soul.
Those influences defined her style and her future path, and she never looked back.
When she turned 18, she decided to study at the National School of Music. Those were hard times, constantly switching jobs, and learning from life's blows and surprises.
Encouraged by her sister, Eugenia Leon formed a musical group called "Victor Jara", with a totally Latin American folk style. Afterwards, she forms the group Sanampay, with the same roots. She left Sanampay in 1982 to pursue a solo career, based on a repertoire of songs from contemporary Mexican composers, and including also boleros and music from Brazil.
She releases her first recording in 1983, "Asi te quiero", and traveled all over Mexico with a small group of musicians playing in various gigs.
Eugenia Leon's career took a definite turn in 1985, when she entered the OTI International Festival at Seville (Spain) representing Mexico, with Marcial Alejandro's song "El Fandango Aqui". As a devastating earthquake hits Mexico City on September 19th, right while she's competing at the Festival, Eugenia transformed the pain of her people into strength, and turned her voice into the utmost expression of courage and hope. She was awarded First Place in the competition.
Since then, she has recorded more than 20 albums, all diverse and unique. Among the composers that have given her songs are Fito Paez, David Haro, Joan Manuel Serrat, Marcial Alejandro, Armando Manzanero, Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Francisco Gabilondo Soler and Maria Grever. She has also explored diverse styles such as mariachi, bolero and tango. In 1998, the government of the Mexican state of Veracruz granted her the Agustin Lara award, as homage for her excellent interpretation of the songs of the famous composers.
Commemorating her 30 years as singer, Eugenia Leon staged a concert at the National Auditorium in Mexico City (the largest venue in the country) on November 1st, 2003, selling it out completely. The concert was a spectacular show with Mariachi Vargas and the Orquesta Sinfonica de las Americas, enthralling the audience with samples covering Eugenia's entire career and musical repertoire.
Eugenia Leon is the best Mexican singer according to many, while others also consider Eugenia's concerts and recordings to be a guarantee of high quality. In any case, Eugenia helps to make sure that the musical spirit of Mexico will remain alive and well.
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Eugenia León got her start in the New Song Movement, Latin America's equivalent to the rise of Bob Dylan and company in North America and Europe. With a repertoire that pairs contemporary composers with the creators of the traditional music of Latin America and Mexico, Ms. León is not locked in to any one genre. Rather she seeks to nurture her music with elements of theater, cabaret, and opera. Her association with actors, poets, painters, and writers imparts a distinct and rich dimension to the production and staging of her music.
In 1985, her rich voice and assured stage presence guaranteed her the top prize at the OTI International Song Festival in Spain. Since then she has participated in other prestigious events such as the Pan Pacific Music Festival in Japan, the Kennedy Center’s AmericArtes Festival in Washington, DC, the Latin Festival in New York City, Expo Seville in Spain, and the Americas Summit in Cartagena, Colombia. Ms. León was also invited to entertain the thousands of women gathered for their global summit in Beijing, China.
Back home in Mexico, audiences know that Eugenia León's musical style transcends the trendy ups and downs of the world of commercial music, and she regularly packs the top venues of the nation meeting demands of fans expectant of quality songs passionately delivered. This performer/audience relationship, she believes, leads to ever higher levels of musical culture in a country fairly bursting with song. The end of an Eugenia León concert often finds the entire crowd on it's feet applauding, at once, the Mexican popular music culture, and the artist who has given it a new voice.
With her roots deep in Mexican culture, she has also taken on the task of reaffirming the ties with other Latin American cultures. Her recent live recording of Tangos has renewed Mexico's love affair with this genre.
Along these lines, she paid homage to Mexico's most dearly loved children's song composer, Francisco Gabilondo Soler’s Cri Cri (Mister Cricket) with a shimmering recording of many of his most frolicsome melodies. Accompanied by the Baja California Symphony Orchestra, Eugenia León has gifted a new generation of Mexican children with the imagination and identity of this joyfully playful tunesmith.
Agua de Beber
Eugenia León Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que el alma tengo negra, muy negra
Que soy interesada y presuntuosa
Que de orgullosa no cabe más
Ya sé por qué de mí vas así hablando
Y es que el despecho te está matando
De no ver tu pasión correspondida
Ni eso en la vida lo lograrás
No te ocupes de mí
No he de ser para ti
No te canses, déjame ya
Agua que no has de beber
Déjala correr, déjala, déjala
Si hablando así de mí vas a las gentes
Mi nombre echando por el arroyo
Por qué en mi reja lloras como niño
Y mi cariño vas a implorar
Si dices que soy mala y soy perversa
Que tengo el alma endurecida
Por qué pensando en mí pasas la vida
Si mi cariño no has de lograr
No te ocupes de mí
No he de ser para ti
No te canses, déjame ya
Agua que no has de beber
Déjala correr, déjala, déjala
The song Agua que no has de beber is a poignant note on a failed romance where the singer Eugenia León is being slandered by her past lover who is spreading rumors about her to others. He accuses her of being bad, having a black soul, being interested in money, being presumptuous, and extremely proud. Eugenia understands this and realizes that he is doing this out of spite because he cannot bear the rejection he has faced from her. He will never find a love that he yearns for if he continues to behave this way. She urges him to move on and let go of his bitterness towards her and to realize that he cannot force her to love him.
Despite the words of bitterness that the lovers have towards each other, Eugenia has chosen to take the high road by not lashing back at him with the same words. Instead, she repeatedly urges him to let go of the bitterness and leave her alone. The title of the song “Agua que no has de beber” means water that you’re not going to drink which is a metaphor for a relationship that is not meant to be. Eugenia advises that one should let go of such a relationship and let it flow.
In conclusion, the song is a relatable note on failed romance, unrequited love, and unfulfilled desires. Eugenia León's vocals beautifully capture the pain, heartbreak, and bitterness that come with it. Through this song, she sends the message that love cannot be forced or controlled and that one should move on when it is not reciprocated.
Line by Line Meaning
Ya sé que vas diciendo que soy mala
I am aware that you are spreading rumors that I am a bad person
Que el alma tengo negra, muy negra
That my soul is black, very black
Que soy interesada y presuntuosa
That I am self-centered and conceited
Que de orgullosa no cabe más
That I am excessively prideful
Ya sé por qué de mí vas así hablando
I understand why you speak of me in such a way
Y es que el despecho te está matando
It is because bitterness is consuming you
De no ver tu pasión correspondida
Because you have not received the reciprocation of your affection
Ni eso en la vida lo lograrás
And you will never achieve that in life
No te ocupes de mí
Do not concern yourself with me
No he de ser para ti
I will not belong to you
No te canses, déjame ya
Do not tire yourself out, let me be
Agua que no has de beber
You should not drink from the water
Déjala correr, déjala, déjala
Let it flow, let it flow, let it flow
Si hablando así de mí vas a las gentes
If you speak of me in this way to others
Mi nombre echando por el arroyo
Slandering my name
Por qué en mi reja lloras como niño
Why do you cry at my doorstep like a child
Y mi cariño vas a implorar
And plead for my affection
Si dices que soy mala y soy perversa
If you say that I am bad and wicked
Que tengo el alma endurecida
That my soul is hardened
Por qué pensando en mí pasas la vida
Why do you waste your life thinking about me
Si mi cariño no has de lograr
If you will never have my love
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: D.P.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
pedro zafeliu
maavillosa version,en español,y con la mejor voz de este pais,nuestro orgullo,emblema musical...la grandiosa EUGENIA LEON.BRAVA.UN DISCO EPICO.no puede faltar.
Luis Enrique
¡Fabulosa! Una excelente versión en español, sin abandonar el sabor brasileiro.
Roland Vasquez
Excellent. Great singing, great arrangement. What's most interesting is the translation to Spanish; it's very true to the Brazilian/Portuguese.
Rebeca Pérez Morán
Increible Eugenia voz de ángel al oido :-D
jprh01281
¡Fantastico que te hayas tomado la molestia de subir estas canciones con esta maravillosa voz, una de mis preferidas y ¡QUIERO ESTE CD! me encanta este tipo de musica, ¡Boza Nova! y ¡Samba P'a Bailar! ¡Gracias!
Rosa Mar
Que dulce voz, hermosiiiima interpretación.
Bravoooo!!!
Eduardo Maldonado Herrera
Con esta hermosa voz cualquier genero musical es mâs q agradable,claro con la señora Eugenia Leôn.
JOSE CAMPOS MARQUEZ
Agua de Beber!!!! un Orgasmo al Oido!!! Mas nada.
Atte. Jose Campos. Guayaquil - Ecuador.
ana Cadeti
Gracias por esta buena música
El Gaby Trastornado
Genial!!!