Joaquín Sabina, is the second son of Adela Sabina del Campo and Jerónimo Martinez Gallego, which was a policeman. He attended a Carmelite primary school and he started writing his firsts poems and composing music at 14 years old. He was part of a band called Merry Youngs which imitated singers such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry or Little Richard.
In 1968 he enrolled in the University of Granada, but went into exile in London, using a fake passport, to avoid Francisco Franco's persecution. In London, he collaborated with other young artists in theater and cultural events.
In 1975, he started composing songs and singing at local bars. When the dictatorship ended in 1977 he returned to Spain and enrolled in the military.
In 1978 his first album, Inventario (Inventory), debuted with the number-one hit single Pongamos que hablo de Madrid (Let's say I'm talking about Madrid).
Afterwards, he released Malas compañías (The Wrong Crowd) and a live album called La mandrágora (The Mandragora), which caused much controversy due to the racy content of its lyrics. Spain was just coming out of the dictatorship, and Sabina's favorite topics have always been deemed "morally inappropriate" by some: the homeless, prostitutes, drunks, and Robin Hood-styled thieves. He is very much anti-stablishment.
In 1983 he released Ruleta Rusa (Russian Roulette) and two years later, Juez y parte (Judge and Jury). His political views led him to take part in the anti-NATO movement. He later published Joaquín Sabina y Viceversa.
In 1987 he released Hotel, dulce hotel (Hotel, Sweet Hotel), which sold a large number of records in Spain. That success followed with his next album El hombre del traje gris (The Man in The Gray Suit), and followed with a successful tour of South America.
In 1990 he released Mentiras piadosas (White Lies) and two years later Física y química (Physics and Chemistry), which led to another successful tour of the Americas.
His later albums Esta boca es mía (These Lips are Mine), Yo, mi, me contigo (I, Me, With You) and 19 días y 500 noches (19 Days and 500 Nights), won him recognition and multiple platinum albums.
After recovering from a stroke, he returned to the stage in 2002 with Dímelo en la calle (Let's Take It Outside). He later released a double album called Diario de un peatón (Diary of A Pedestrian), which included both his previous album and 12 new songs, along with a book illustrated by him.
In 2005 his new record Alivio de luto (Mourning Relief), put him in track to being one of the biggest names in Spanish musical stardom. The album comes with a DVD that includes interviews, music videos, acoustic versions of the songs and some home-made recordings.
Rosa de Lima
Joaquín Sabina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rodando por peldaños de caracol
Desembocó en un laberinto de andenes
Diciendo adiós a los trenes
Que pierdo yo
Jimena tiene un master en desengaños
Jimena es una mina antipersonal
Mientras yo me las apaño
Para olvidar
Jimena no traiciona por treinta lucas
Y en vez de silicona bajo el jersey
Tiene un jardín con dos terrones de azúcar
Y un potpurrí de Chabuca
Con J. J. Cale
Rosa de Lima, prima lejana
Lengua de gato, bicarbonato de porcelana
Dolor de muelas, pan de centeno
Hasta las suelas de mi zapatos te echan de menos
Prenda de abrigo, ven, vente conmigo
Jimena no deshoja las margaritas
Por miedo a que le digan todas que sí
Cuando se le atragantan mis nochecitas
La canta las mañanitas
El rey David
Los dioses que me quitan los pies del suelo
Planchan su camisita y su canesú
Su nikon, su abanico de terciopelo
Su bolsa de caramelos
Y su rithm and blues
Horizontal seis letras nombre de dama
Maldito crucigrama, maldito Bryce
Se mueren los botones de mis pijamas
Desde que nadie me llama
Supay, supay
Rosa de Lima, prima lejana
Lengua de gato, bicarbonato de porcelana
Dolor de muelas, pan de centeno
Hasta las suelas de mi zapatos te echan de menos
Prenda de abrigo, ven, vente conmigo
The song "Rosa de Lima" by Joaquín Sabina, tells the story of two different women, Jimena and Rosa de Lima. The first stanza describes Jimena, who is a complex character with a master's degree in disappointment. She only remembers to love the singer every two years, and he is left trying to forget her in the meantime. She is also a woman of principles, who doesn't betray anyone for money, and has a garden with two lumps of sugar and a medley of Chabuca and J. J. Cale, indicating her love for music.
The chorus then turns to Rosa de Lima, the distant cousin of the singer. Rosa is described as a warm and comforting presence, like bicarbonate of porcelain or a warm coat. She is a reminder of home and the simple things in life, like painkillers and rye bread. The singer longs for her companionship and support, urging her to come with him.
The second verse brings back Jimena, who is described as someone who doesn't take chances in love. She doesn't want to ask the daisies if they love her back in fear of always getting the same answer. The only time she shows affection is when the singer is struggling to forget her, and she sings him happy birthday in the mornings. The lyrics then turn to the singer's own struggle and the different things that remind him of Rosa, from the six letters in her name to his old pijamas.
Overall, the song is a bittersweet reflection on love and longing, with two contrasting female characters that represent different types of relationships. Jimena is complex and hard to understand, while Rosa is simple and comforting, but both are important in their own way. The lyrics are typical of Sabina's style, with clever wordplay, dark humor, and a touch of nostalgia.
Line by Line Meaning
Jimena tuvo un sueño el martes que viene
Jimena had a dream last Tuesday
Rodando por peldaños de caracol
Rolling down spiral steps
Desembocó en un laberinto de andenes
She found herself in a labyrinth of platforms
Diciendo adiós a los trenes
Saying goodbye to the trains
Que pierdo yo
Which I lose
Jimena tiene un master en desengaños
Jimena has a master's degree in disappointments
Jimena es una mina antipersonal
Jimena is an anti-personnel mine
Se acuerda de quererme cada dos años
She remembers loving me every two years
Mientras yo me las apaño
While I manage
Para olvidar
To forget
Jimena no traiciona por treinta lucas
Jimena doesn't betray for thirty thousand
Y en vez de silicona bajo el jersey
And instead of silicone under her sweater
Tiene un jardín con dos terrones de azúcar
She has a garden with two sugar lumps
Y un potpurrí de Chabuca
And a potpourri of Chabuca
Con J. J. Cale
With J.J. Cale
Rosa de Lima, prima lejana
Rosa de Lima, distant cousin
Lengua de gato, bicarbonato de porcelana
Cat's tongue, porcelain bicarbonate
Dolor de muelas, pan de centeno
Toothache, rye bread
Hasta las suelas de mi zapatos te echan de menos
Even the soles of my shoes miss you
Prenda de abrigo, ven, vente conmigo
Warm clothing, come, come with me
Jimena no deshoja las margaritas
Jimena doesn't pluck daisy petals
Por miedo a que le digan todas que sí
For fear that they'll all say yes to her
Cuando se le atragantan mis nochecitas
When my little nights get stuck in her throat
La canta las mañanitas
She sings her morning tunes
El rey David
King David
Los dioses que me quitan los pies del suelo
The gods who take my feet off the ground
Planchan su camisita y su canesú
They iron his shirt and his yoke
Su nikon, su abanico de terciopelo
His Nikon, his velvet fan
Su bolsa de caramelos
His bag of candies
Y su rithm and blues
And his rhythm and blues
Horizontal seis letras nombre de dama
Six letters horizontal, lady's name
Maldito crucigrama, maldito Bryce
Damn crossword, damn Bryce
Se mueren los botones de mis pijamas
The buttons on my pajamas are dying
Desde que nadie me llama
Since nobody calls me
Supay, supay
Supay, supay
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Joaquin Ramon Martinez Sabina
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bethpiquard
Jimena tuvo un sueño el martes que viene
Rodando por peldaños de caracol
Aterrizó en un laberinto de andenes
Diciendo adiós a los trenes
Que pierdo yo
Jimena tiene un master en desengaños
Jimena es una mina antipersonal
Se acuerda de quererme cada dos años
Mientras yo me las apaño
Para olvidar
Jimena no traiciona por treinta lucas
Y en vez de silicona bajo el jersey
Cuida un jardín con dos terrones de azúcar
Y un bis a bis de Chabuca
Con J. J. Cale
Rosa de Lima, prima lejana
Lengua de gato, bicarbonato de porcelana
Dolor de muelas, pan de centeno
Hasta las suelas de mi zapatos te echan de menos
Prenda de abrigo, ven, vente conmigo
Jimena no deshoja las margaritas
Por miedo a que le digan todas que sí
Cuando se le atragantan mis nochecitas
La canta las mañanitas
El rey David
Los dioses que me quitan los pies del suelo
Planchan su camisita y su canesú
Su nikon, su abanico de terciopelo
Su bolsa de caramelos
Y su rithm and blues
Horizontal seis letras nombre de dama
Maldito crucigrama, maldito Bryce
Se mueren los botones de mis pijamas
Desde que nadie me llama
Supay, supay
Rosa de Lima, prima lejana
Lengua de gato, bicarbonato de porcelana
Dolor de muelas, pan de centeno
Hasta las suelas de mi zapatos te echan de menos
Prenda de abrigo, ven, vente conmigo
Compositores: Joaquin Ramon Martinez Sabina
Letra de Rosa de Lima © Warner Chappell Music, Inc
@jimenapozo4934
Un honor llamarme así, gracias a mi madre por elegirlo de esta preciosa canción, Joaquín eres un grande 💖
@ceciliahernandez1641
Excelente
@dannygalicia2961
No tienes idea, de cuantas veces te la contará, mi esposa se llama: Eva María, y yo le canto: Eva Tomando el Sol.
@DavidSantos-en1tr
Lo que hace García de Diego en esta canción es majestuoso
@miguelaugustochinchayansan5412
Supay" significa "diablo" en quechua y Jimena, según la canción le dice Supay, Supay, a Joaquín. No hay como compartir las "benditas" diabluras del Amor.
@juancarlosgonzalezlopez5076
Supay no sabia diablo
@antonioesteves1317
Desde Portugal te digo algo. Como portugues que soy te digo que eres una persona que jamas se creara otra como tu.Gracias gran maestro de la vida
@SuuuMR
Siempre me creí Jimena, escuchaba esta canción y creía que era para mí, incluso he estudiado fotografía y tenía mi Nikon. La descripción física que hace de ella es tal cual a mí. Pero no me llamo Jimena, así que dije que si tenía una hija le pondría ese nombre, y aquí estoy, en dulce espera...
@danielbeltran835
Así suele suceder con ciertas canciones. Nos hacen sentir que han sido escritos por o para nosotros, o incluso que describen con exactitud lo que estamos viviendo.
@carloroberto47
Asi son las canciones, nos creemos sus historias y las hacemos nuestras...¡Chau, Jime!