Siblings include Saned, Edwin, Ito, and José, who all have careers in salsa (one of his brothers was with Puerto Rican Power). In an interview with Maria Conchita Alonso (for "Al día con Maria Conchita"), Jerry talks about how sure his father was that he would succeed.
His parents, also musicians, inspired him to become a musician and as a child he would often accompany his mother Dominga, a singer, and father Edwin, a guitarist and director of Los Barones Trio, during their shows.
His favorite singers are Eddie Santiago, Lalo Rodriguez and, in particular, Frankie Ruiz. In 1986, when he was 13 years old, he accompanied his father who was performing at a hotel in Isla Verde, San Juan. Ruiz, who was a guest at the hotel, appeared and sang a couple of songs with them and had his picture taken alongside Rivera. In 2003 this picture was used by Rivera to make the album cover for his tribute Canto a mi Idolo... Frankie Ruiz ('I sing to my Idol... Frankie Ruiz'), who had died in 1998.
In 1988, Tommy Olivencia heard Rivera sing alongside his father and recommended that he sing solo. When Jerry was 14, his father made a demo and presented it to the CBS music department. They signed Rivera.
With his first album, Empezando A Vivir, Jerry Rivera earned the title "El Bebé de la Salsa" (the salsa baby). This project generated the hit, De La Cabeza A Los Pies (loosely translates to "From Head To Toes").
His second album, Abriendo Puertas ('Opening Doors'), produced the hit songs Esa Niña ('That Girl'), Dime ('Tell Me') and Como un Milagro ('Like a Miracle') became number one hits first in Puerto Rico, then among the Hispanic populations in the United States and finally across Latin America.
His third album, Cuenta Conmigo ('Count on Me'), won three Platinum Record awards in the United States, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and Colombia. It became the most-sold salsa album in history, a record previously held by Willie Colon,[1] and held the number-one spot in the Latin American Billboards for three consecutive months. Its hit songs included the Cuenta Conmigo, Me Estoy Enamorado ('I am in Love') and Casi Un Hechizo. The number one hit for the album was Amores Como El Nuestro (Loves Like Ours) which is considered to be the best song by Rivera. Rivera was awarded two Premio Lo Nuestro Awards for "Singer of the Year" and "Album of the Year" and Sony Records presented him with three Crystal Awards.
The introduction of Amores Como El Nuestro was sampled by Haitian-rapper Wyclef Jean in his 2004 song "Dance Like This" from the soundtrack of Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights which would later become the worldwide number-one 2006 hit "Hips Don't Lie" by Colombian-singer Shakira and Wyclef, too.
In 1993, he released Cara de Niño ('Baby Face') with Que Hay De Malo ('That There of Bad') and Cara de Niño as hits.
In 1994, as his popularity was rising, he released his first compilation album, Lo Nuevo y lo Mejor (The New and the Best), and contained the single hit Me Estoy Enloqueciendo Por Ti.
In 1996, Rivera released "Fresco" and Una y Mil Veces (One Thousand and One Tries) became another hit for Rivera.
In 1999, Rivera recorded De Otra Manera ('Another Way'), which featured the bolero Ese. Jerry sang the song with his father at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan.
In 2000, Rivera recorded Para Siempre ('Forever'), and the hits were Amor de Novela, Navegándote, and Puerta Abierta. This was his album on Sony Latin records.
He has performed in Venezuela, Colombia, Honduras, Panama, the United States, Spain and Japan.
In 2001, he released his self-titled album Jerry Rivera, which would include ballad songs for the first time in his salsa career, and Quiero (I Want) would be the only hit. The year after, he recorded Vuela Muy Alto (She Flies High) which brought him a new fanbase all over Latin-America and the U.S., with the title track hit the top spot and the top 10 in many charts. The following year he released Cantando A Mi Idolo... Frankie Ruiz ('Singing To My Idol... Frankie Ruiz'), a tribute album to one of his idol Frankie Ruiz. The album ganer him a Latin Grammy nominatation and his hit was Ruiz's Mi Libertad featuring Voltio.
Rivera played a small role in the movie I Like It Like That and will appear as himself in a Latin American soap opera titled Mi destino eres tu ('You are my destiny') slated to air on Univision in the US during on November 2005. Rivera has also appeared in various Banco Popular de Puerto Rico productions, including Al Compas de un Sentimiento (dedicated to the late Puerto Rican composer Pedro Flores) and Con la musica por Dentro. Amores Como El Nuestro and Magia is another of his hit songs.
Discography
Empezando a Vivir (Beginning to Live) (1989)
Abriendo Puertas (Opening Doors) (1991)
Cuenta Conmigo (Count On Me) (1992)
Cara de Niño (Baby Face) (1993)
Jerry Rivera: Lo Nuevo Y Lo Mejor (Jerry Rivera: The New and the Best)
Magia (Magic) (1995)
Fresco (album) (Fresh) (1996)
Ya No Soy El Niño Aquel(I'm Not That Child Anymore) (1997)
De Otra Manera (In Other Words) (1998)
Oro Salsero (Salsa Gold) (2000)
Historia 1 (History 1) (2000)
Para Siempre (Forever) (2000)
Jerry Rivera (Rivera) (2001)
No Me Olvidaras (You Won't Forget Me) (2001)
Vuela Muy Alto (Fly Very High) (2002)
Cantando A Mi Idolo... Frankie Ruiz (Singing To My Idol... Frankie Ruiz) (2003)
Ay Mi Vida (Oh My Life) (2005)
20 Exitos Originales (20 originals) (2007)
Official Website
http://www.jerryrivera.com/
La Oportunidad
Jerry Rivera Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que se nos da al nacer
Es la oportunidad
Para el amor why el querer
Es la oportunidad
Que se nos da al nacer
Es la oportunidad
Es visto donde quieras
encuentres quien te quiera
why es justo que te encuentres
a un alguien que te hiera
A veces que se piensa
vivir no vale la pena
porque a veces lloramos
como una magdalena
why yo llore cuando la vi partir
why yo llore crei que iba morir
why yo llore cuando la vi partir
why yo llore crei que iba morir
Pero si somos sabios
why usamos la cabeza
a esos pensamientos
los echamos por tierra
Porque es el tiempo
la mejor medicina
antes estaba abajo
why ahora estoy arriba
why yo llore cuando la vi partir
why yo llore crei que iba morir
why yo llore cuando la vi partir
why yo llore crei que iba morir
Es la oportunidad
Que se nos da al nacer
Es la oportunidad
Para el amor why el querer
Es visto donde quieras
encuentres quien te quiera
why es justo que te encuentres
a un alguien que te hiera
A veces que se piensa
vivir no vale la pena
porque a veces lloramos
como una magdalena
why yo llore cuando la vi partir
why yo llore crei que iba morir
why yo llore cuando la vi partir
why yo llore crei que iba morir
Pero si somos sabios
why usamos la cabeza
a esos pensamientos
los echamos por tierra
Porque es el tiempo
la mejor medicina
antes estaba abajo
why ahora estoy arriba
why yo llore cuando la vi partir
why yo llore crei que iba morir
why yo llore cuando la vi partir
why yo llore crei que iba morir
Es la oportunidad
Que se nos da al nacer
Es la oportunidad
Para el amor why el quereeer...
The song La Oportunidad by Jerry Rivera speaks about the opportunity that is given to us when we are born. It is an opportunity for love and caring for others. The lyrics repeat that this opportunity should be valued and cherished because it can be easily lost. The song acknowledges that finding someone who loves us is not always easy but it is essential for happiness. It is only when we experience heartbreak that we realize how much we care about someone, and sometimes it is through loss that we learn to appreciate what we have.
The song talks about the pain that comes with loving someone and losing them. The lyrics illustrate the anguish that Rivera felt when his loved one left. He thought he would never recover from the hurt and devastation of losing her. However, it is only with time that he learned to let go of his pain and move on. Hence, the song encourages us to use our minds and think wisely. We need to let go of negative emotions and focus on the present and future.
Overall, the song is a reminder that we only have one chance at life, and it is up to us to make the most of it. The opportunity to love and be loved is precious and should be treasured.
Line by Line Meaning
Es la oportunidad
Life is an opportunity
Que se nos da al nacer
Bestowed upon our birth
Es la oportunidad
Life is an opportunity
Para el amor y el querer
For love and desire
Es visto donde quieras
Love is found anywhere
Encuentres quien te quiera
Someone will love you
Y es justo que te encuentres
It's fair to find
A un alguien que te hiera
Someone who will hurt you
A veces que se piensa
Sometimes we consider
Vivir no vale la pena
Life isn't worth living
Porque a veces lloramos
Because sometimes we cry
Como una magdalena
Like a baby
Y yo lloré cuando la vi partir
And I cried when she left
Y yo lloré creí que iba morir
And I cried as if I were dying
Pero si somos sabios
But if we are wise
Y usamos la cabeza
And use our mind
A esos pensamientos
We can dismiss those thoughts
Los echamos por tierra
And put them to rest
Porque es el tiempo
Because time
La mejor medicina
Is the best medicine
Antes estaba abajo
I used to be down
Y ahora estoy arriba
And now I'm up
Es la oportunidad
Life is an opportunity
Que se nos da al nacer
Bestowed upon our birth
Es la oportunidad
Life is an opportunity
Para el amor y el querer
For love and desire
Es visto donde quieras
Love is found anywhere
Encuentres quien te quiera
Someone will love you
Y es justo que te encuentres
It's fair to find
A un alguien que te hiera
Someone who will hurt you
A veces que se piensa
Sometimes we consider
Vivir no vale la pena
Life isn't worth living
Porque a veces lloramos
Because sometimes we cry
Como una magdalena
Like a baby
Y yo lloré cuando la vi partir
And I cried when she left
Y yo lloré creí que iba morir
And I cried as if I were dying
Pero si somos sabios
But if we are wise
Y usamos la cabeza
And use our mind
A esos pensamientos
We can dismiss those thoughts
Los echamos por tierra
And put them to rest
Porque es el tiempo
Because time
La mejor medicina
Is the best medicine
Antes estaba abajo
I used to be down
Y ahora estoy arriba
And now I'm up
Es la oportunidad
Life is an opportunity
Que se nos da al nacer
Bestowed upon our birth
Es la oportunidad
Life is an opportunity
Para el amor y el querer...
For love and desire
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Maiker Calzadilla
Al escuchar esta canción se me eriza la piel. Esta canción forma parte de mi infancia cuando sonaba en la radio en Venezuela y tenía a penas 4 añitos ahora tengo 24 y la nostalgia que siento es bien grande solo de volver aquellos tiempos
Snayder Parra
Yo estudiaba tercer año de bachillerato
Oswaldo Castillo
Yo estaba en 5 grado y sonaba mucho en la rádio..tênia 9 años..ya tengo 33. 😢😢..tiempos aquellos ..te extraño mi Venezuela 😢
Julio Cesar
Yo no soy Boricua pero admiro a todos los nacidos en la Isla De El Encanto, una Isla pequeña pero llena de estrellas , Boxeo, Salsa, buena comida , gente amable , saludos a todos los Boricuas , que Dios los bendiga
cr10 cr10
Naaa boxeo México 🇲🇽 llegaron tarde Im sorry
Julio Cesar
@cr10 cr10tienes razón México en boxeo es de lo mejor pero hay que tomar en cuenta que México tiene mas de 125 millones de abitantes y Puerto Rico un poco mas de 3 millones
Felipe Cervantes
2022 y sigue siendo un temazo!
Mejor que toda la "música" que están sacando
aurislady gonzalez
Hermosa canción... Me trae muchos recuerdos😘 Tan bello q eres mi Jerry
Oswaldo Castillo
La escuchaba cuando tenia 9_ 10 años ..ya tengo 33 y la escucho igual q antes 😢😢. Recuerdos de mi Venezuela 😢😢
Johanna Ibáñez Tobón
Linda cancion para aquellos que alguna vez perdimos la fé!