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.
Que Si Que No
Gipsy Kings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Che mi cantavan
Y otra vez
Adesso la canzon
Che mi cantavan
Quando tuve la nonna mia
Quando tuve la nonna mia
La cancion que te cantaban
Que lo mismo
Tengo ahora
Tengo advertido
Mira, mira, mira la canzone
Mira, mira, mira la canzone
Que cantare
Y otra vez, y otra vez
Que si que si que no que no
Que la palabra la tengo yo
Que si que si que no que no
Que la palabra la tengo yo
Oy que si que no
Que la palabra la quiero yo
Adesso la canzon
Che mi cantavan
Quando tuve la nonna mia
Quando tuve la nonna mia
Adesso la canzon
Che mi cantavan
Quando tuve la nonna mia
Quando tuve la nonna mia
Te la cantaban
Otra vez
Sin tu querer
Mira, mira, mira la canzone
Mira, mira, mira la canzone
Que cantare
Y otra vez
Te la cantare
Te la cantare
Que si que si que no que no
Que la palabra la tengo yo
Que si que si que no que no
Que la palabra la tengo yo
Oy que si que no
Que la palabra en el corazon
Que si que si que no que no
Que la palabra la tengo yo
Que si que si que no que no
Que la palabra la tengo yo
The lyrics of Gipsy Kings' song Que Si Que No convey a sense of nostalgia and a longing for the past through the reminiscing of a grandma's song. The song opens with Adesso la canzon / Che mi cantavan, which translates to "Now the song that they sang to me," and repeats itself several times to reinforce the sense of returning to memories. The singer then goes on to describe his or her grandmother's song, which was presumably a significant part of their childhood. The line Quando tuve la nonna mia (When I had my grandmother) is repeated to emphasize the importance of this person in the singer's life.
The chorus of the song "Que si que si que no que no / Que la palabra la tengo yo" can be interpreted in several ways. The phrase "que si" means "yes" while "que no" means "no." The repetition of the phrases over and over seems to suggest that the singer is grappling with a decision or trying to assert control over a particular situation. The singer then declares that the decision is theirs to make, repeating the line "la palabra la tengo yo," which translates to "I have the word." The line "Oy que si que no / Que la palabra en el corazon" can be translated to "Oh yes, oh no / That word in the heart" and adds an emotional layer to the decision-making process.
Line by Line Meaning
Adesso la canzon che mi cantavan
Now the song that they used to sing to me
Y otra vez adesso la canzon che mi cantavan
And again now the song that they used to sing to me
Quando tuve la nonna mia
When I had my grandmother
La cancion que te cantaban lo sabes bien
You know the song they used to sing to you well
Que lo mismo tengo ahora, tengo advertido
That I have it now, I am aware
Mira, mira, mira la canzone que cantare
Look, look, look at the song that I will sing
Que si que si que no que no
Yes or yes, no or no
Que la palabra la tengo yo
I have the final say
Oy que si que no que la palabra la quiero yo
If it's yes or no, I want to have the final say
Te la cantaban otra vez sin tu querer
They would sing it to you again without you wanting it
Te la cantare, te la cantare
I will sing it to you, I will sing it to you
Que si que si que no que no
Yes or yes, no or no
Que la palabra la tengo yo
I have the final say
Oy que si que no, que la palabra en el corazon
If it's yes or no, I want to have the final say in my heart
Contributed by Ethan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Recep Halil Gültekin
on Un Amor
Vuoi amare Bedla