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
The Christmas Song
Gloria Estefan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos, everybody knows
A turkey and some mistletoe help to make the season bright
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow will find it hard to sleep tonight
They know that Santa is on his way
And every mother's child is gonna spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly
And so I'm offering this simple phrase
From kids from one to ninety-two
Although it's been said many times
Many ways Merry Christmas to you
And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two
Although it's been said many times
Many ways Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas to you
Merry Christmas to you
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
Have a Merry, Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to you
The lyrics to Gloria Estefan's version of The Christmas Song celebrate the holiday season with its familiar and cozy images. The opening lines evoke the cozy ambiance of Christmas with chestnuts that are roasting on an open flame, and the chilly frost that nips at your nose. The second verse switches to images of people dressed in their best winter gear, with yuletide carols being sung and everyone laughing and having a good time. The third verse is a playful nod to Santa's arrival and the anticipation that builds as the children prepare for his visit. The final verse emphasizes the simple power of holiday cheer, a phrase that is not only appropriate for children but also for anyone who wants to celebrate this festive occasion.
One interesting fact about the song is that it was first recorded in 1946 by singer Mel Tormé, who co-wrote the tune with Robert Wells. Tormé initially didn't like the song and thought it was too sentimental, but it became a holiday classic and a favorite of many listeners. The song has been covered by countless artists, including Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, and John Legend.
Another fascinating tidbit about The Christmas Song is that it's the only holiday tune to be nominated for an Oscar in the Best Original Song category thanks to a rendition by Christina Aguilera in the 2000 film How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Additionally, in 2004, the version by rookie singer Diana Krall peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it the first holiday song to reach the top 40 in over 40 years.
The chords for The Christmas Song G are:
Verse 1:
G . . . C . . .
G . . . D . . .
G . . . Em . . .
Bm . C . . D .
Chorus:
G . . . C . . .
G . . . D . . .
G . . . Em . . .
Bm . C . . D .
Line by Line Meaning
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
The fire is warm and inviting in the winter season.
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
The cold weather is biting and icy cold.
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir
The choir is singing joyous songs of the Christmas season.
And folks dressed up like Eskimos, everybody knows
People are bundled up in warm clothing for protection against the cold, just like Eskimos do.
A turkey and some mistletoe help to make the season bright
The food, decorations, and fellowship of the holidays make them joyous and bright.
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow will find it hard to sleep tonight
Children are so excited about Christmas that they have trouble sleeping.
They know that Santa is on his way
Children believe that Santa is on his way to deliver presents.
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
Santa brings lots of toys and treats for the children.
And every mother's child is gonna spy
All children want to catch a glimpse of Santa and his reindeer.
To see if reindeer really know how to fly
Children believe that reindeer can fly, so they want to see it for themselves.
And so I'm offering this simple phrase
The singer is sharing a message of goodwill.
From kids from one to ninety-two
The message is for everyone, regardless of age.
Although it's been said many times
The message of Merry Christmas has been shared for generations.
Many ways Merry Christmas to you
There are many ways to express the sentiment of Merry Christmas.
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas
The singer repeats the message of joy and happiness for Christmas.
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas
The singer continues to share the message of Merry Christmas.
Have a Merry, Merry Christmas
The singer wishes everyone a joyous Christmas.
Merry Christmas
The singer repeats the message of Merry Christmas one last time.
Merry Christmas to you
The singer ends by personally directing the message of Merry Christmas to the listener.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mel Torme, Robert Wells
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind