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.
Hotel California
Gipsy Kings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
El viento me despeina
Sube el aroma de colita
Luna, luna de nadie
Ella a lo lejos
Una luz centela
La idea de mi estar
Quedar por la noche
why las campanas a sonar
why me di con llamarme mismo
Que es puerta del cielo
Ella enciende una vela
En muestra del camino
Suenan voces en el corredor
why lo que indican diciend
(In English)
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely place
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely place
Ella al lado que brillaba
Tenia una Mercedes
Rodeada de chicos guapos
Ella llamaba amigos
Cuando viene despacio
Del tumba de verano
Aquel era pa recordar
why otro pa olvidar
Le pedi al capitan
Que sirve el vino
why pedi con un amor
Tenido este alcohol
De este sesenta why nueve
Famosa why que llamando
Pues me va a despertar
La noche para decir
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely place
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely place
(Speaking)
El espejo en el techo
Champana en el hielo
why ella dijo somos todos prisioneros
De propia voluntad
why en los cuartos principales
Hacen sucias esta
Hasta aca a la bestia
Pero no la logra a matar
(Singing again)
Mi ultimo recuerdo
Corria hacia la puerta
Ver una candela en el camino
Por donde habia llegado
"Relax" dijo el portero
Por mi es honor recibir
Puede salir cuando quiere
Pero nunca yo partir
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely place
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely place
The verses in Gipsy Kings' version of Hotel California differ from the original by the Eagles in that the lyrics are completely in Spanish and the melody has been changed to fit the band's flamenco style. The opening verse sets the scene of a traveler driving through the desert, feeling the wind in his hair, and seeing the light of the hotel in the distance. He hears the sound of bells and wonders if it is the entrance to heaven. When he enters, he sees a woman with a Mercedes surrounded by handsome men who she calls her friends.
As the night goes on, the traveler becomes increasingly intoxicated and observes bizarre and twisted behavior around him, such as voluptuous women in the hallways and defilement of the main rooms. The singer/singer sings about being trapped in the hotel, as if it were a prison of his own making, and how he cannot leave even if he wants to. The meaning of the lyrics is open to interpretation, but it can be seen as a commentary on the dark allure and consequences of excess and materialism in modern society.
Line by Line Meaning
Por el camino del desierto
I am traveling through the desert
El viento me despeina
The wind is blowing my hair
Sube el aroma de colita
I smell the scent of colitas
Luna, luna de nadie
The moon is a nobody's property
Ella a lo lejos
She is far away
Una luz centela
There is a flickering light
La idea de mi estar
I am thinking about where I am
Quedar por la noche
I decide to stay for the night
Alli estaba a la entrada
I see the entrance of the hotel
why las campanas a sonar
I hear the bells ringing
why me di con llamarme mismo
I introduce myself
Que es puerta del cielo
I am told that this is the door to heaven
Ella enciende una vela
She lights a candle
En muestra del camino
It shows me the way
Suenan voces en el corredor
I hear voices in the hallway
why lo que indican diciend
They seem to be saying something
Welcome to the Hotel California
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely place
Ella al lado que brillaba
I see a woman shining brightly
Tenia una Mercedes
She is driving a Mercedes
Rodeada de chicos guapos
She is surrounded by handsome men
Ella llamaba amigos
She is calling her friends
Cuando viene despacio
When she walks slowly
Del tumba de verano
From the summer grave
Aquel era pa recordar
It was a memorable moment
why otro pa olvidar
And another to forget
Le pedi al capitan
I ask the captain
Que sirve el vino
To serve wine
why pedi con un amor
I ask with love
Tenido este alcohol
This alcohol that I have
De este sesenta why nueve
From this sixty-nine vintage
Famosa why que llamando
It is well-known and named
Pues me va a despertar
Because it will wake me up
La noche para decir
In the night, to say
El espejo en el techo
There is a mirror on the ceiling
Champana en el hielo
There is champagne in the ice bucket
why ella dijo somos todos prisioneros
She tells me we are all prisoners
De propia voluntad
Of our own free will
why en los cuartos principales
And in the master's chambers
Hacen sucias esta
They are making it dirty
Hasta aca a la bestia
Even the beast is allowed here
Pero no la logra a matar
But it cannot be killed
Mi ultimo recuerdo
My last memory
Corria hacia la puerta
I was running towards the door
Ver una candela en el camino
I see a candle in the path
Por donde habia llegado
The way I came
"Relax" dijo el portero
"Relax", the doorman said
Por mi es honor recibir
It is an honor to have you here
Puede salir cuando quiere
You can leave whenever you like
Pero nunca yo partir
But I will never leave
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Glenn Lewis Frey, Don Felder, Donald Hugh Henley
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sirezekiel6156
Por el camino del desierto
El viento me despeina
Sube el aroma de colita
Luna, luna de nadi'
Ella de lo lejos
Una luz centela
La idea se mezclan
Se evaporan las noches
Allí estaba a la entrada
Y las campanas de sonar
Y me digo yo a mi mismo
Esto apodo del cielo
Ella enciende una vela
Y muestra el camino
Se oyen voces en el corredor
Y yo entendí que dicen
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely place
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely place
Ella del lado que brillaba
Tenía una Mercedes
Rodea'e chicos guapos
Ella llamaba amigos
Cuando baila en el patio
Del tumba de verano
Aquel era pa' recordar
Y otro pa' olvidar
Le pide el capitán
Que sirve el vino
Y me dijo, no amor
Tenido este alcohol
Desde senti y de nueve
La voz sigue llamando
Pues medio va despertando
La noche para decir
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely place
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely place
El espejo en el techo
Champana' en el hielo
Y ella dijo, somos todos prisioneros
Por propia voluntad
Y en los cuartos principales
Hacen sucias esta
Atacan a la bestia
Pero no la logran matar
Mi último recuerdo
Corría hacia la puerta
Debío encontrar el camino
Por donde había llegado
"Relax", dijo el portero
Por mí es honor de recibir
Puede salir cuando quiere
Pero nunca haz de partir
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely place
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely place
@garys872
That creep can roll, man...
@nonyodambiz
8 year olds dude...
@JohnThePGHAndPSUFanatic
Yeah but he’s a pervert Dude
@LisaPFMoore
No body fucks wit da Jesus
@Longboard2311
Pet-ter Ass dude!
@996blackduc
yea but he's a pederast
@held2157
THIS AGRESSION WILL NOT STAND, Man
-this song is amazing
@fellspoint9364
God, yes !
@69adrummer
I hate the fucking Eagles man....
but this will do
@catholicdad
8 year olds dude