Beginning her career in 1975 as lead vocalist for the then exclusively Spanish-language band, Miami Sound Machine, before crossing over to mainstream pop success with the international hit singles "Dr. Beat" (1984) and "Conga" (1986), Estefan emerged as one of the biggest new stars in the mid-'80s, predating the still nascent Latin pop explosion by a decade, and scoring a series of propulsive dance hits rooted in the rhythms of her native Cuba, before shifting her focus to softer, more ballad-oriented fare.
Born in Havana, Cuba, the young Gloria Fajardo was raised primarily in Miami, FL, after her father, a bodyguard of Cuban president Fulgencio Batista, was forced to flee the island following the 1959 coup helmed by Fidel Castro. In the fall of 1975, Fajardo and her cousin Merci Murciano auditioned for the Miami Latin Boys, a local wedding band headed by keyboardist Emilio Estefan. With their addition, the group was rechristened Miami Sound Machine and four years later, Fajardo and Estefan were wed. As Miami Sound Machine began composing their own original material, their fusion of pop, disco, and salsa earned a devoted local following, and in 1979 the group issued their first Spanish-language LP on CBS International. Despite a growing Hispanic fan base, they did not cross over to non-Latin audiences until "Dr. Beat" topped European dance charts in 1984.
With 1985's Primitive Love, Miami Sound Machine recorded their first English-language effort, scoring three Top Ten pop hits in the U.S. alone with the infectious "Conga", "Bad Boy", and "Words Get in the Way". Following 1987's triple-platinum Let It Loose, Estefan took top billing and the group changed its name to Gloria Estefan & The Miami Sound Machine in 1988, reeling off four Top Ten hits - "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You", "Can't Stay Away from You", the chart-topping "Anything for You", and "1-2-3". 1989's Cuts Both Ways was credited to Estefan alone and generated her second #1 hit, "Don't Wanna Lose You". However, on March 20, 1990, while touring in support of the album, her bus was struck by a tractor trailer. Estefan suffered a broken vertebra that required extensive surgery and kept her off the road for over a year. Her husband Emilio and the couple's son were injured in the crash as well, but all three recovered. Estefan resurfaced in 1991 with Into the Light, again topping the charts with "Coming Out of the Dark", a single inspired by her near-fatal accident. Two more cuts from the album, "Can't Forget You" and "Live for Loving You", secured her foothold on the adult contemporary charts.
With 1993's Mi Tierra, Estefan returned to her roots, recording her first Spanish-language record in nearly a decade and earning a Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Album; on the follow-up 1994 covers collection, Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, she also recalled her dance-pop origins with a rendition of the Vicki Sue Robinson disco classic, "Turn the Beat Around". Another all-Spanish effort, Abriendo Puertas (1995), earned her a Grammy as well, while Destiny featured "Reach", named the official theme of the 1996 Summer Olympics. As Latin pop made new commercial headway, thanks to the efforts of acts like Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias, Estefan reigned as the most successful crossover artist in Latin music history, with international record sales close to the 50 million mark. In 1999, she also made her feature film debut alongside Meryl Streep in Music of the Heart, recording the film's title song as a duet with *NSYNC, and scoring both a massive pop hit and an Oscar nomination in the process. A new Spanish-language album, Alma Caribeña, followed in the spring of 2000. Several months later, Estefan was awarded a Grammy for Best Music Video for "No Me Dehes de Querer" at the inaugural annual Latin Grammy Awards. Her husband, Emilio, won for Producer of the Year. - Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
Appearances and tours
In April 2004, Estefan appeared on the Fox Broadcasting Company’s program, American Idol, but declined an offer to be an official judge, saying she did not like to “judge” others.
On July 28, 2004, in a press conference hosted by Donald Trump at the Trump Tower, Estefan announced that her then-upcoming tour would be her final one. The Live and Re-Wrapped Summer/Fall 2004 Tour, her first tour in eight years was produced by Clear Channel Entertainment. The tour featured Estefan’s greatest hits, along with new material from Unwrapped.
In December 2006, Estefan appeared as a special guest singer on the UK talent show The X Factor.
Gloria's 11th studio album,Miss Little Havana. The Miss Little Havana Songfacts says that the first nine tracks tells the tale of a young girl who hooks up with the wrong guy in Miami after moving there from Cuba. All of these tracks were written or co-written by Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes. It is described by Estefan as a project in the vein of her 1998 hit album gloria!.
Songfacts reports that "Hotel Nacional" debuted at #1 on Billboard's Latin countdown - the first time a female artist had achieved that feat since the chart was introduced in 1986. Both "Wepa" and "Hotel Nacional" achieved number one on Billboard Latin Songs and on Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs.
Estefan started a reality show called The Next: Fame Is at Your Doorstep opposite Joe Jonas, Nelly and John Rich on the CW Network, where she, and the other three mentors are searched for the next big star, to record an album with Atlantic Records. Unlike other music reality shows, in this program, the mentors selected the "candidates" for the show, and trained them for a live performance, where they'd be voted for the best act of the day. The first season ended in October 2012, with musician Michael Ray, as the big finalist.
This same year, Estefan appeared as a musical guest in Tony Bennett's compilation of duets with Latin-American musicians, Viva Duets with a rendition of the song, "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)". Weeks later, she helped the American version of Teleton, releasing the charity single "Por Un Mundo Mejor" along with Mexican singer Lucero, Dominican rapper El Cata and Mexican pop band, Reik. A video for the song was shot, with them recording the song, which was marked as the official hymn for the foundation.
In May 2013, she appears doing another duet with the song "Think I'm In Love Again" as part of the albums Duets released by Paul Anka.
Estefan has announced she was working on a new album of covers, The Standards, released in September 2013. The album will feature some collaborations with artists like Laura Pausini, Dave Koz and Joshua Bell, and the selection of songs are mostly songs from the Great American songbook. Estefan released the first single, "How Long Has This Been Going On?", digitally on Amazon and iTunes on July 9, 2013
Official website: http://www.gloriaestefan.com
Morenita
Gloria Estefan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que el santo el quiere da
Que le pasa a Caridad
Que el santo le quiere da
Todos la negritas
Se han de electrizar
Todas las negritas
La' pasa' las tiene duras
La bemba ta' engurruña
El Santo le quiere da' Caridad
El Santo le quiere da'
Ehh, Goza la vida
Si no, no gozan na'
Ehh, Goza la vida
Si no, no gozan na'
La rumba se pone Buena
El tambo' comienza a sonar
Olvida ya los problemas
La noche se va' acabar
Minutos que pasa, eso no vuelve más
Si no goza' ahora no goza na' más
Sit ú no lo baila'
Que pena me da
Why sit ú no lo baila'
Que pena me da
Why sit ú me falta'
La vida no vale na'
No vale na'
No vale na'
No vale, no vale, no vale
Toda' las negritas
Se han de electrizar
Toda' las negritas
Se han de electrizar
La' pasa' las tiene duras
La bemba ta' engurruñá
El Santo le quiere da' Caridad
El Santo le quiere da'
Ehh, Goza la vida
Si no, no gozan na'
Ehh, Goza la vida
Si no, no gozan na'
A aquel que inventó la rumba
Lo voy a felicitar
Why a aquel que inventó el trabajo
Lo' vamos a condenar
Que siga la rumba, que suenen los cueros
Why que nuestra fiesta no pare jamás
La luz de los pueblos no tiene final
Disfruta la vida why no mires a atrás
No vale na'
No vale na'
No vale na'
Ay no no no vale, no vale
No vale na' no, no, no, no
Seguro que no vale na'
No vale na'
Toda' las negritas
Toda' las negritas
Se han de electrizar
Se han de electrizar
La' pasa' las tiene duras
La bemba ta' engurruñá
El Santo le quiere da' Caridad
El Santo le quiere da'
Mueve la cintura
Why mueve los pies
Cuando tú lo bailas
Me siento bien
Que rompan los cueros
Why la percussion
Que siga el bembé
Why este vacilón
Mueve la cintura
Why mueve los pies
Cuando tú lo bailas
Me siento bien
Que rompan los cueros
Why la percussion
Que siga el bembé
Why este vacilón
Toda' las negritas
Toda' las negritas
Se han de electrizar
Se han de electrizar
La' pasa' las tiene duras
La bemba ta' engurruñá
El Santo le quiere da' Caridad
El Santo le quiere da'
Toda' las negritas
Toda' las negritas
Se han de electrizar
Se han de electrizar
Toda' las negritas
Toda' las negritas
Se han de electrizar
Se han de electrizar
La' pasa' las tiene duras
La bemba ta' engurruñá
El Santo le quiere da' Caridad
El Santo le quiere da'
The song "Morenita" by Gloria Estefan exudes energy and life through its lyrics, which are predominantly sung in Spanish. The song is an upbeat tribute to Afro-Cuban culture, specifically the practice of Santería, which combines African religions and beliefs with Catholicism. The song opens with a repetition of the lines "Que le pasa a Caridad / Que el santo le quiere da," which loosely translates to "What's happening to Charity / The saint wants to give her." The phrase is repeated throughout the song, reflecting the importance of the Santería tradition and its impact on the culture.
The song's chorus, which is sung in a mix of Spanish and English, encourages listeners to enjoy life and let go of their worries. It repeats the line "Ehh, Goza la vida / Si no, no gozan na'," which means "Enjoy life / If you don't, you won't enjoy anything." The verses of the song describe the energy of a rumba, the traditional Afro-Cuban dance, and the joy it brings to participants. The song's high-energy percussion and fast tempo help to create an atmosphere of celebration and excitement.
Overall, "Morenita" is a celebration of Afro-Cuban culture and the Santería tradition. Through its lively lyrics and upbeat tempo, the song encourages listeners to embrace life and enjoy the moment. The repetition of the phrases "Que le pasa a Caridad / Que el santo le quiere da" and "Ehh, Goza la vida / Si no, no gozan na'" serve as a reminder of the importance of faith, culture, and living life to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
Que le pasa a Caridad
What's going on with Caridad?
Que el santo el quiere da
That the saint wants her
Que le pasa a Caridad
What's going on with Caridad?
Que el santo le quiere da'
That the saint wants her
Todos la negritas
All the black girls
Se han de electrizar
Will electrify themselves
Todas las negritas
All the black girls
Se han de electrizar
Will electrify themselves
La' pasa' las tiene duras
She has tough problems
La bemba ta' engurruña
Her lips are pursed
El Santo le quiere da' Caridad
The saint wants Caridad
El Santo le quiere da'
The saint wants her
Ehh, Goza la vida
Hey, enjoy life
Si no, no gozan na'
If not, they won't enjoy anything
Ehh, Goza la vida
Hey, enjoy life
Si no, no gozan na'
If not, they won't enjoy anything
La rumba se pone Buena
The rumba gets good
El tambo' comienza a sonar
The drum starts to sound
Olvida ya los problemas
Forget your problems now
La noche se va' acabar
The night is going to end
Minutos que pasa, eso no vuelve más
The minutes that pass will not come back
Si no goza' ahora no goza na' más
If you don't enjoy now, you won't enjoy anything else
Sit ú no lo baila'
If you don't dance it
Que pena me da
I feel sorry for you
Why sit ú no lo baila'
And if you don't dance it
Que pena me da
I feel sorry for you
Why sit ú me falta'
And if you don't dance it
La vida no vale na'
Life is worth nothing
No vale na'
It's worth nothing
No vale na'
It's worth nothing
No vale, no vale, no vale
It's not worth it
Toda' las negritas
All the black girls
Se han de electrizar
Will electrify themselves
Toda' las negritas
All the black girls
Se han de electrizar
Will electrify themselves
La' pasa' las tiene duras
She has tough problems
La bemba ta' engurruñá
Her lips are pursed
El Santo le quiere da' Caridad
The saint wants Caridad
El Santo le quiere da'
The saint wants her
Ehh, Goza la vida
Hey, enjoy life
Si no, no gozan na'
If not, they won't enjoy anything
Ehh, Goza la vida
Hey, enjoy life
Si no, no gozan na'
If not, they won't enjoy anything
A aquel que inventó la rumba
To the one who invented the rumba
Lo voy a felicitar
I will congratulate him
Why a aquel que inventó el trabajo
And to the one who invented work
Lo' vamos a condenar
We are going to condemn him
Que siga la rumba, que suenen los cueros
Let the rumba continue, let the drums sound
Why que nuestra fiesta no pare jamás
And let our party never stop
La luz de los pueblos no tiene final
The light of the peoples has no end
Disfruta la vida why no mires a atrás
Enjoy life and don't look back
No vale na'
It's worth nothing
No vale na'
It's worth nothing
No vale na'
It's worth nothing
Ay no no no vale, no vale
No, it's not worth it
No vale na' no, no, no, no
It's not worth it, no, no, no, no
Seguro que no vale na'
Surely it's not worth it
No vale na'
It's worth nothing
Toda' las negritas
All the black girls
Toda' las negritas
All the black girls
Se han de electrizar
Will electrify themselves
Se han de electrizar
Will electrify themselves
La' pasa' las tiene duras
She has tough problems
La bemba ta' engurruñá
Her lips are pursed
El Santo le quiere da' Caridad
The saint wants Caridad
El Santo le quiere da'
The saint wants her
Mueve la cintura
Move your waist
Why mueve los pies
And move your feet
Cuando tú lo bailas
When you dance it
Me siento bien
I feel good
Que rompan los cueros
Let the drums break
Why la percussion
And the percussion
Que siga el bembé
Let the party continue
Why este vacilón
And this fun
Mueve la cintura
Move your waist
Why mueve los pies
And move your feet
Cuando tú lo bailas
When you dance it
Me siento bien
I feel good
Que rompan los cueros
Let the drums break
Why la percussion
And the percussion
Que siga el bembé
Let the party continue
Why este vacilón
And this fun
Toda' las negritas
All the black girls
Toda' las negritas
All the black girls
Se han de electrizar
Will electrify themselves
Se han de electrizar
Will electrify themselves
Toda' las negritas
All the black girls
Toda' las negritas
All the black girls
Se han de electrizar
Will electrify themselves
Se han de electrizar
Will electrify themselves
La' pasa' las tiene duras
She has tough problems
La bemba ta' engurruñá
Her lips are pursed
El Santo le quiere da' Caridad
The saint wants Caridad
El Santo le quiere da'
The saint wants her
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ADRIAN A. SANTALLA, ANTHONY DE LA O LIONEL, EMILIO JR. ESTEFAN, RICARDO ALFREDO GAITAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Spirit Angelfish
The more I dig through Gloria's catalogue, the more gems and treasures just keep popping up! This woman is one of the most prolific musicians of all time!
Richard P
A year later I totally agree
Raq Marquez
Que le pasa a Caridad
Que el santo el quiere da
Que le pasa a Caridad
Que el santo le quiere da
Todos la negritas
Se han de electrizar
Todas las negritas
Se han de electrizar
La' pasa' las tiene duras
La bemba ta' engurruña
El Santo le quiere da' Caridad
El Santo le quiere da'
Ehh, Goza la vida
Si no, no gozan na'
Ehh, Goza la vida
Si no, no gozan na'
La rumba se pone Buena
El tambo' comienza a sonar
Olvida ya los problemas
La noche se va' acabar
Minutos que pasa, eso no vuelve más
Si no goza' ahora no goza na' más
Sit ú no lo baila'
Que pena me da
Why sit ú no lo baila'
Que pena me da
Why sit ú me falta'
La vida no vale na'
No vale na'
No vale na'
No vale, no vale, no vale
Toda' las negritas
Se han de electrizar
Toda' las negritas
Se han de electrizar
La' pasa' las tiene duras
La bemba ta' engurruñá
El Santo le quiere da' Caridad
El Santo le quiere da'
Ehh, Goza la vida
Si no, no gozan na'
Ehh, Goza la vida
Si no, no gozan na'
A aquel que inventó la rumba
Lo voy a felicitar
Why a aquel que inventó el trabajo
Lo' vamos a condenar
Que siga la rumba, que suenen los cueros
Why que nuestra fiesta no pare jamás
La luz de los pueblos no tiene final
Disfruta la vida why no mires a atrás
No vale na'
No vale na'
No vale na'
Ay no no no vale, no vale
No vale na' no, no, no, no
Seguro que no vale na'
No vale na'
Toda' las negritas
Toda' las negritas
Se han de electrizar
Se han de electrizar
La' pasa' las tiene duras
La bemba ta' engurruñá
El Santo le quiere da' Caridad
El Santo le quiere da'
Mueve la cintura
Why mueve los pies
Cuando tú lo bailas
Me siento bien
Que rompan los cueros
Why la percussion
Que siga el bembé
Why este vacilón
Mueve la cintura
Why mueve los pies
Cuando tú lo bailas
Me siento bien
Que rompan los cueros
Why la percussion
Que siga el bembé
Why este vacilón
Toda' las negritas
Toda' las negritas
Se han de electrizar
Se han de electrizar
La' pasa' las tiene duras
La bemba ta' engurruñá
El Santo le quiere da' Caridad
El Santo le quiere da'
Toda' las negritas
Toda' las negritas
Se han de electrizar
Se han de electrizar
Toda' las negritas
Toda' las negritas
Se han de electrizar
Se han de electrizar
La' pasa' las tiene duras
La bemba ta' engurruñá
El Santo le quiere da' Caridad
El Santo le quiere da'
Rachel King
Just love this song :)
Tanya Wright
"Descansa en paz, papa." (3/12/28-9/3/83)
CubeUhh Gaming
Awesome
Portboy
Amazing. Any more recommendations for hot club salsa beats? I am actually finding it difficult to find more like this.
Jacqueline Rodriguez
Portboy La India and Palo
M A
❤️
Rose Davila
GLORIA is the BEST 4 EVER