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.
Que vulgares somos
Eugenia León Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Al dejarnos igual que lo hacen todos
Cómo fuimos tontos
Al pensar que lo nuestro era distinto
Igual que los demás
Quisimos dominarnos mutuamente
Igual que los demás
Qué vulgares somos
Al decir que a ninguno nos importa
Falsos y orgullosos
Al querer ocultar nuestra derrota
Y con frases hirientes
Que alimenta el despecho
Vamos a dejarnos
Y después a llorar
Por haberlo hecho
Igual que los demás
Quisimos dominarnos mutuamente
Igual que los demás
Juramos proceder sinceramente
Qué vulgares somos
Al decir que a ninguno nos importa
Falsos y orgullosos
Al querer ocultar nuestra derrota
Y con frases hirientes
Que alimenta el despecho
Vamos a dejarnos
Y después a llorar
Por haberlo hecho
The lyrics to Eugenia León's song "Qué vulgares somos" explore the theme of human vulnerability and the tendency to conform to societal norms and expectations. The song reflects on how foolish we were to believe that our relationship was different from others, only to realize that we are just like everyone else. The opening lines, "Qué vulgares somos, al dejarnos igual que lo hacen todos" (How vulgar we are, to let ourselves be like everyone else), suggest that by conforming to conventional patterns of behavior in relationships, we lose our individuality and uniqueness.
The song also examines the dynamics of power and control within a relationship. The lines "Igual que los demás, quisimos dominarnos mutuamente" (Just like others, we wanted to dominate each other) highlight the tendency for power struggles to arise, emphasizing how we are no different from others in seeking control. By stating that we swore to be sincere with each other, the lyrics question the authenticity of our intentions and how easily we can deceive ourselves and others.
As the song progresses, it emphasizes our false pride and the futile attempts to hide our own defeat. With hurtful words that feed on resentment, we ultimately choose to let go of each other, even though it will lead us to cry in regret for having done so. The repetition of the lines "Que alimenta el despecho, vamos a dejarnos, y después a llorar, por haberlo hecho" (Feeding on resentment, we will let go of each other, and then cry for having done it) underscores the self-destructive pattern we engage in despite knowing the consequences.
Overall, "Qué vulgares somos" offers a critique of societal expectations and conformity within relationships. It highlights our common flaws and the emotional consequences of trying to fit into predetermined molds. The lyrics serve as a reminder to embrace our individuality and seek genuine connections rather than succumbing to societal pressures.
Line by Line Meaning
Qué vulgares somos
What vulgar beings we are
Al dejarnos igual que lo hacen todos
By allowing ourselves to be like everyone else
Cómo fuimos tontos
How foolish we were
Al pensar que lo nuestro era distinto
To think that ours was different
Igual que los demás
Just like the others
Quisimos dominarnos mutuamente
We wanted to dominate each other
Igual que los demás
Just like the others
Juramos proceder sinceramente
We swore to proceed sincerely
Qué vulgares somos
What vulgar beings we are
Al decir que a ninguno nos importa
By saying that neither of us cares
Falsos y orgullosos
False and proud
Al querer ocultar nuestra derrota
By wanting to hide our defeat
Y con frases hirientes
And with hurtful phrases
Que alimenta el despecho
That feed the resentment
Vamos a dejarnos
Let's leave each other
Y después a llorar
And then cry
Por haberlo hecho
For having done it
Igual que los demás
Just like the others
Quisimos dominarnos mutuamente
We wanted to dominate each other
Igual que los demás
Just like the others
Juramos proceder sinceramente
We swore to proceed sincerely
Qué vulgares somos
What vulgar beings we are
Al decir que a ninguno nos importa
By saying that neither of us cares
Falsos y orgullosos
False and proud
Al querer ocultar nuestra derrota
By wanting to hide our defeat
Y con frases hirientes
And with hurtful phrases
Que alimenta el despecho
That feed the resentment
Vamos a dejarnos
Let's leave each other
Y después a llorar
And then cry
Por haberlo hecho
For having done it
Writer(s): Ruben Fuentes Gasson
Contributed by Jordyn V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Eleazar Vaca
Que hermosa canción, que hermosa interpretación, que hermosa mujer.
María Gabriela Vélez Ramírez
HERMOSO TEMASO 👏👏👏✌️ NO MÁS 👏✌️🍄💜😊 GRACIAS SALUDOS GABY VÉLEZ RAMÍREZ 💜🍄✌️
julian salcedo
Siento q me clavan un punal en el alma..q hermosa cancion..
Shulada Shulada
Hermosa cancion GRACIAS EUGENIA 💖💖💖💖💖💖
Daniel Hernández
Está canción,es de lo mejor q se ha escrito, pero también interpretado. El arreglo es prodigioso, además. Eugenia es única. Gracias.
julian salcedo
Hermosa su interpretacion..Eugenia leon mi amor platonico
Rodolfo Scotmorg
Ud interpreta lo que quiero. Y se escucha sin que duela el alma
Papu709.6 XD
EXQUISITO ESCUCHAR SU VOZ E INTERPRETACION CÓMO UN ANGEL CANTANDO
Marian De los Monteros
Hermosa melodía de RUBEN FUENTES EN LA ÚNICA VOZ DE EUGENIA LEÓN.
julian salcedo
Q bonita es usted con todo respeto🌹💔