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.
La Dona
Gipsy Kings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sin saber sin comprender
Yo no quiero nuestro amor pensar
Por el amor de una mujer
Que no llegara a comprender
En el fondo de mi vida
Todo mi parece
Como un sueño de esta vida
Todo mi parece
Que tu no lo acariciaba
Te prometo, te prometo que no volverá
Todo mi parece
Que tu no lo acariciaba
Te prometo, te prometo que no volverá
Lai, lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lai, lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lai, lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lai, lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
The lyrics of Gipsy Kings' song La Dona speak about the struggles of love and the pain that can come with it. The singer is expressing his confusion and frustration over his love for a woman whom he cannot understand or comprehend. He is willing to overlook their differences and continue the relationship because of his love for her, but he knows that it may not be reciprocated in the same way.
In the second verse, the singer describes his life as a dream that he wishes to change for the sake of their love. He believes that their sincere love can conquer all, but he also acknowledges that it may be fleeting and temporary. He promises the woman that he will not let the pain of their failed love influence his future relationships.
Overall, the song conveys a message that love is complicated and can be painful, but it is still worth pursuing. The singer recognizes the difficulties in their relationship but chooses to focus on the positive aspects of their love.
Line by Line Meaning
Por el amor de una mujer
For the love of a woman
Sin saber sin comprender
Without knowing, without understanding
Yo no quiero nuestro amor pensar
I do not want to think about our love
Por el amor de una mujer
For the love of a woman
Que no llegara a comprender
Who will not come to understand
En el fondo de mi vida
In the depths of my life
Todo mi parece
Everything seems to me
Como un sueño de esta vida
Like a dream of this life
Por todo cambiará de nuestro amor sincero
Because everything will change with our true love
Todo mi parece
Everything seems to me
Que tu no lo acariciaba
That you did not caress it
Te prometo, te prometo que no volverá
I promise you, I promise you it will not happen again
Lai, lolai, lolai, lolai
Lai, lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lai, lolai, lolai, lolai
Lai, lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lai, lolai, lolai, lolai
Lai, lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lai, lolai, lolai, lolai
Lai, lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lolai, lolai, lolai
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Bruno Baliardo, Jalhoul Bouchikhi, Maurice Baliardo, Nicolas Reyes, Patchai Reyes, Paul Reyes, Tonino Baliardo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jose Carlos Jimenez
Muy bueno André.Muy bonita tu voz.Y muy afinado. Si señor.Lo has hecho muy bien , campeon.Muy buena interpretacion.Dejar a Nicolas tambien cantar alguna cancion.Nicolas tambien tiene una voz muy bonita.Ronca , pero bonita tambien.
Mofeed Qasem
The first time I heard this song I did not give it any thought and it did not strike me that it is a timeless song about the love of a woman that lingers longer than one thinks. This song lingers in my head. La Dona!
I love it a lot.
ibrahim naim
the historical band ❤
jules hunt
Love this song sends me into dream land gk are special
PortsmouthLad
Great singing and beautiful shirt too by the way!🔥🎸🎼😀
Ronin easy
Hermosa!
Fabiola Rivas
Me encantan
Danny Daniel
La Dona no es de los Gipsy kings . Yo, Danny Daniel soy el compositor y Sonny Marti es el Autor, La cacion original es por el AMOR DE UNA MUJER .Los Gipsy Kings se ha propiaron de DE LA CANCION , LE CAMBIARON EL NOMBRE A LA DONA SIN AUTORIZACION , LA REGISTRARON A SU NOMBRE , SE QUEDARON CON TODO LOS DERECHOS DE AUTORES COMO SI FUERAN UNOS LADRONES. ESA ES LA REALIDAD DE LOS GIPSY KINGS , SE QUE👎👎DARON CON DJOBY, DJOBA ,ETC , NO RESPETAN , NO TIENEN ETICA . ENGANAN A SU PUBLICO. BUSQUEN EN YOUTUBE POR EL AMOR DE UNA MUJER / DANNY DANIEL. SON UNOS SINVERGUENZAS. NO RESPETAN A LOS COMPOSITORES
Gera Rosales
Tonino Is magic
Mohammad Shirazinejad
Prefect
Oh my beautiful