Latin American beats had been joined with flamenco by gitanos since at least the 1950s, mixing complex strumming with rhythmic, percussive tapping on their guitars' tops. The new Reyes generation — soon to meet and join up with three guitar-playing brothers from the Baliardo family — began creating more pop-oriented songs. They played at roma parties and at street corners until they got their chance to record under the group's new name, Gipsy Kings.
Sharp-eyed individuals might have noted that all the left-handed members of the group play guitars strung upside-down; this is usually as a result of the individuals' not having their own guitars when growing-up. Borrowing and playing a right-hander's the wrong way up was the only way to learn.
Band's story
They became popular with their self-titled first album, Gipsy Kings, which included the songs "Djobi Djoba ", "Bamboleo " and the romantic ballad "Un Amor". The song "Volare" on their second album Mosaique is a rumba version of Domenico Modugno's Italian hit "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu". The Gipsy Kings were enormously popular in France and throughout Europe along with the middle east. In 1989, Gipsy Kings was released in the United States and it spent 40 weeks on the charts, one of very few Spanish language albums to do so. Their cover version of "Hotel California" is an excellent example of fast flamenco guitar leads and rhythmic strumming (this version was featured in the Coen Brothers' movie The Big Lebowski).
In 1991 the Gipsy Kings provided flamenco guitar and backing vocals on Bananarama's version of "Long Train Running", using the pseudonym "Alma de Noche" ("Soul of the Night"). Also in '91, for a multi-artist project called "Simply Mad About the Mouse" — a compilation of new versions of songs from Disney films — the Kings contributed an annaly-crafted, fast-paced rumba flamenca version of "I've Got No Strings" from "Pinocchio" - replete with feverish flamenco guitar leads and rhythmic hand-claps (palmas). The lyrics' enthusiasm for freedom, not being tied down, fit the gipsy creed perfectly.
Their 1993 album "Love and Liberte" won the Latin Grammy Award for "Best Pop Album of the Year," and contained the enduring song "Montana," an emotional account of Roma chased from their birthplace by prejudice and persecution.
The '95 compilation "The Best of the Gipsy Kings" went platinum, staying on the charts more than one year. Albums "Mosaïque," "Allegria," "Este Mundo," "Gipsy Kings Live," "Love & Liberte," "Tierra Gitana," "Cantos de Amor" and "Volare! - the Very Best of the Gipsy Kings" went gold.
Lead guitarist Tonino Baliardo — who has always written the group's instrumentals — released his first solo album, Essences, in 2001; a second self-titled one followed in 2003.
Flamenco purists criticized their use of drum kits, electronic bass, and electronic keyboards and rock and reggae beats. Defenders say they helped create a new style.
Gipsy Kings' total album sales worldwide now exceed 18 million; they toured worldwide again in 2007. They are the world's best-selling music group from France in history, according to their website, where dates and places of their current tour can be found.
Years active: from 1987 till present.
Members
Gipsy Kings are members of two related families: the Reyes and the Baliardos (Reyes means Kings in Spanish). They are cousins of the flamenco great Manitas de Plata, lead guitarist Tonino Baliardo married his granddaughter. Nicolas, Canut, Paul, Andre and Patchai Reyes are sons of flamenco singer Jose Reyes. The Gipsy Kings are:
Nicolas Reyes: lead vocals, guitar
Paul Reyes: backup vocals, guitar
Canut Reyes: backup vocals, guitar
Patchai Reyes: backup vocals, guitar
Andre Reyes: backup vocals, guitar
Diego Baliardo: guitar
Paco Baliardo: guitar
Tonino Baliardo: lead guitar
Chico Bouchikhi was also a member of the Gipsy Kings, but quit after the album Mosaique.
Campana
Gipsy Kings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo no puede quedar me un dia sin ti
Los gitanos juntos siempre estan mirando ahi
Cuando sueno la noche me siento feliz
Los gitanos juntos siempre estan mirando ahi
Dime porque senor no vienes a mi
Los gitanos juntos siempre estan mirando ahi
Le le lei le le lei le le lei
Los gitanos juntos siempre estan mirando ahi
Ta ta ti na na num num na nai nai
Los gitanos juntos siempre estan mirando ahi
Dime senor porque no viense a mi
Los gitanos juntos siempre estan mirando ahi
Ta ta ti na na num num na nai nai
Los gitanos juntos siempre estan mirando ahi
Ta ta ti na na num num na nai nai
Ta ta ti na na num num na nai nai
Le le lei le le lei le le lei
Los gitanos juntos siempre estan mirando ahi
Le le lei le le lei le le lei
Los gitanos juntos siempre estan mirando ahi
Ta ta ti na na num num na nai nai
The lyrics of Gipsy Kings' "Campana" express yearning for the presence of a desired person. The singer asks why the person they are addressing does not come to them, as they cannot go a day without them. The singer notes that the gypsies are always watching and listening, maybe referring to the shared bond they have with the music and the constant companionship between fellow gypsies. They find solace in the music played at night, and ask why the person being addressed does not come to them. The repetition of the phrase "Los gitanos juntos siempre estan mirando ahi," meaning "The gypsies are always looking there together," seems to emphasize the importance of togetherness and the singer's desire for the person to be with them.
The song relies heavily on rhythmic repetition with occasional vocal flourishes that give a sense of longing and passion to the lyrics. The melody and lyrics blend together to create an emotive experience that transports the listener to another time and place, evoking the gypsy lifestyle and culture. The lyrics are sung in Spanish, the language of the band's homeland of southern France and Spain, adding to the authenticity of the song's cultural references. Overall, "Campana" is a beautiful tribute to the importance of connections and personal relationships, and the music itself serves as a vessel for the expression of the singers' desire for togetherness.
Line by Line Meaning
Dime senor porque no vienes a mi
Please tell me, sir, why don't you come to me?
Yo no puede quedar me un dia sin ti
I cannot go a day without you
Los gitanos juntos siempre estan mirando ahi
The gypsies are always watching there together
Cuando sueno la noche me siento feliz
When night falls, I feel happy
Le le lei le le lei le le lei
Nonsense syllables that emphasize the rhythm of the song
Ta ta ti na na num num na nai nai
More nonsense syllables that emphasize the rhythm of the song
Dime porque senor no vienes a mi
Please tell me, sir, why don't you come to me?
Ta ta ti na na num num na nai nai
More nonsense syllables that emphasize the rhythm of the song
Ta ta ti na na num num na nai nai
More nonsense syllables that emphasize the rhythm of the song
Le los gitanos juntos siempre estan mirando ahi
The gypsies are always watching there together
Los gitanos juntos siempre estan mirando ahi
The gypsies are always watching there together
Ta ta ti na na num num na nai nai
More nonsense syllables that emphasize the rhythm of the song
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BALIARDO, REYES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Recep Halil Gültekin
on Un Amor
Vuoi amare Bedla