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.
La esquina de mi barrio
Eugenia León Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que se llama "La ilusión del Porvenir"
Junto de ella está la fonda de Rosenda
Que en domingos le echa al mole ajonjolí
Frente se halla la botica "La Aspirina"
Donde surte sus recetas mi amá
Tiene junto la cantina "Mi oficina"
Y le sigue la mejor carnicería
Donde vende el aguayón Don Baltazar
En la esquina de mi barrio, compañeros
Un lugar de movimiento sin igual
Los camiones, los transeúntes y los perros
No la cruzan sin tener dificultad
Cuando no ha habido moquetes, hubo heridos
O algún sonso que el camión ya lo embarró
Otras veces solo hay gritos y chiflidos
O se escucha el cilindrero trovador
(¡Arroz!)
Contra esquina, donde está la pulquería
Hay un puesto de tripitas en hervor
Allí afuera, siempre está la polecía
Y allí tiene su cuartel el cargador
De este lado vende pan "La Cucaracha"
Y le siguen las persianas del billar
"El Tafite" ya pagó ahí su carcacha
Porque llega con sus cuates a jugar
Don Fernando va siguiendo a una muchacha
Y Lupita, su mujer, ahí va detrás
En la esquina de mi barrio, compañeros
El lugar donde he perdido mi querer
Donde ayer brilló un farol como un lucero
Lo rompieron y se echaron a correr
Y la esquina me consuela en mi amargura
Con su risa, su bullicio y su esplendor
Viene el carro recogiendo la basura
Y entre tanto desperdicio va mi amor
The lyrics of the song "La esquina de mi barrio" by Eugenia León describe the bustling and lively corner of a neighborhood. The first few lines mention a store called "La ilusión del Porvenir" and a restaurant owned by Rosenda that serves mole ajonjolí on Sundays. The lyrics continue to describe several other businesses on the corner, such as a pharmacy called "La Aspirina," a cantina called "Mi oficina," and a quality butcher shop owned by Don Baltazar.
The singer goes on to describe the constant activity at this corner of the neighborhood, with trucks, pedestrians, and dogs crossing the street with difficulty. She describes various incidents such as accidents, arguments, and a musician playing a cylinder for entertainment.
The song ends with a melancholic tone as the singer mentions how the corner has witnessed the beginning and end of her love affairs. The street corner may be loud and busy, but it also holds sentimental value for the singer. With its laughter, noise, and beauty, the corner is a reminder that life goes on.
Line by Line Meaning
En la esquina de mi barrio hay una tienda
There is a store at the corner of my neighborhood.
Que se llama 'La ilusión del Porvenir'
It's called 'The Illusion of the Future.'
Junto de ella está la fonda de Rosenda
Next to it is Rosenda's eatery.
Que en domingos le echa al mole ajonjolí
On Sundays she adds sesame to the mole.
Frente se halla la botica 'La Aspirina'
Across is 'The Aspirin' pharmacy.
Donde surte sus recetas mi amá
Where my mother fills her prescriptions.
Tiene junto la cantina 'Mi oficina'
There's a bar next door called 'My office.'
Donde cura sus dolencias mi apá
Where my father treats his ailments.
Y le sigue la mejor carnicería
And next to that is the best butcher shop.
Donde vende el aguayón Don Baltazar
Where Don Baltazar sells his beef chuck.
En la esquina de mi barrio, compañeros
At the corner of my neighborhood, my friends,
Un lugar de movimiento sin igual
A place of unmatched activity.
Los camiones, los transeúntes y los perros
Trucks, pedestrians, and dogs,
No la cruzan sin tener dificultad
Don't cross it without difficulty.
Cuando no ha habido moquetes, hubo heridos
When there's no pavement, there are injuries.
O algún sonso que el camión ya lo embarró
Or some fool that has been hit by a truck.
Otras veces solo hay gritos y chiflidos
Other times, there are only shouts and whistles.
O se escucha el cilindrero trovador
Or the cylinder troubadour can be heard.
(¡Arroz!)
(Rice!)
Contra esquina, donde está la pulquería
On the opposite corner is the pulquería.
Hay un puesto de tripitas en hervor
There's a stand boiling tripas there.
Allí afuera, siempre está la polecía
The police are always outside there.
Y allí tiene su cuartel el cargador
And that's where the loader's barracks are.
De este lado vende pan 'La Cucaracha'
On this side, 'The Cockroach' sells bread.
Y le siguen las persianas del billar
And next to that are the pool hall blinds.
'El Tafite' ya pagó ahí su carcacha
'El Tafite' already paid for his car there.
Porque llega con sus cuates a jugar
Because he comes with his buddies to play.
Don Fernando va siguiendo a una muchacha
Don Fernando is following a girl.
Y Lupita, su mujer, ahí va detrás
And Lupita, his wife, is following behind.
En la esquina de mi barrio, compañeros
At the corner of my neighborhood, my friends,
El lugar donde he perdido mi querer
The place where I lost my love.
Donde ayer brilló un farol como un lucero
Where yesterday a streetlamp shone like a star.
Lo rompieron y se echaron a correr
It was broken, and they ran away.
Y la esquina me consuela en mi amargura
And the corner consoles me in my bitterness.
Con su risa, su bullicio y su esplendor
With its laughter, noise, and splendor.
Viene el carro recogiendo la basura
The garbage truck comes by.
Y entre tanto desperdicio va mi amor
And among all that waste, my love goes by.
Writer(s): Chava Flores
Contributed by Blake J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.