The restaurant where he worked as a young man, "La Sirena" was frequented by Andres Huesca, who heard some of his compositions of the then young singer, among which was "Cuando el Destino" and "Yo". Huesca immediately decided to record this and following this in 1948 for the first time on the radio station XEX-AM and months after the XEW-AM, which was catapulted to fame. He married Paloma Gálvez and had two children, José Alfredo and Paloma.
He had no musical training—according to the singer Miguel Aceves Mejía, Jiménez didn't play an instrument and didn't even know the Spanish terms for "waltz" and "key". Nonetheless he composed more than 1000 songs. Among the most famous are "Ella", "Media Vuelta", "El Rey", "El Jinete", "Si Nos Dejan", "Amanecí Entre Tus Brazos", "Cuando el Destino", "El Caballo Blanco", "Llegó Borracho el Borracho" and "Que Te Vaya Bonito", as well as "Camino de Guanajuato", where he sang about his home State of Guanajuato as well as his home town of Dolores Hidalgo Guanajuato.
In addition to his own hit recordings, many of his songs have been recorded successfully by recording artists around the Spanish-speaking world, most notably by Pedro Infante, Rocío Durcal, Javier Solís, Pedro Fernández, Jorge Negrete, Vikki Carr, Luis Miguel, Lola Beltrán, Lucha Villa, Vicente Fernández and by Spaniards Julio Iglesias, Joaquín Sabina and Manolo García.
Jiménez passed at a young age, like others of his contemporaries: Negrete, Infante and Solís, the so-called "Three Mexican Roosters", or Tres Gallos Mexicanos all died young. He was struck-down by hepatitis at age 47 and is regarded, along with Agustín Lara and Juan Gabriel, as one of the best songwriters that Mexico has ever produced. He was certainly one of the most prolific composers in the history of popular music, world-wide.
Shortly before his death, he wrote and recorded his last song, "Gracias", thanking the public for all of the affection they had shown him. His tomb has become a place of pilgrimage for serious music fans from around the Spanish-speaking world.
Amor Sin Medida
José Alfredo Jiménez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Qué dolor tan profundo y tan fuerte recorre mi cuerpo
Yo sabía que tu amor, a la larga, sería mi desgracia
Yo sabía que tendría que llorar y llorar mucho tiempo
Porque amor que provoca desvelos
Y mata de celos no puede acabar
Porque amor que se da sin medida
Yo no sé si podrás olvidarme, o nunca me olvides
Solo sé que a través de la vida seré tu recuerdo
Yo te puedo apostar lo que quieras que no te despides
Yo te puedo apostar que te vas de la gloria al infierno
Porque amor que provoca desvelos
Y mata de celos, no puede acabar
Porque amor que se da sin medida
Hasta con la vida se puede pagar
The lyrics of José Alfredo Jiménez's song "Amor Sin Medida" express a profound sadness and pain caused by a love that was known from the beginning to be a source of suffering. The singer laments the immense sadness and deep pain that this love has left in their life, emphasizing the physical and emotional toll it has taken on them.
The lyrics suggest that the love the singer had for this person was so intense that it caused sleepless nights and consumed them with jealousy. They knew all along that this love would be their downfall, that they would have to suffer and cry for a long time. The repetition of the phrase "Porque amor que provoca desvelos y mata de celos no puede acabar" (Because love that causes sleepless nights and kills with jealousy can't end) reinforces the idea that this love is destructive and cannot be escaped.
The second verse reflects a sense of resignation and acceptance of the fact that they may never be forgotten by this person. They believe that even after their physical presence is gone, they will continue to be a memory in the other person's life. The singer expresses confidence in their prediction, boldly betting that this person will go from glory to hell, indicating the turmoil and torment they will experience without their love.
Overall, "Amor Sin Medida" portrays a love that is all-consuming, destructive, and inevitable in its consequences. It delves into the pain, sadness, and acceptance that comes with such love, highlighting the lasting impact it leaves on the person who experiences it.
Line by Line Meaning
Qué tristeza tan grande, tan grande dejaste en mi vida
The immense sadness that you left in my life is overwhelming
Qué dolor tan profundo y tan fuerte recorre mi cuerpo
The deep and intense pain courses through my body
Yo sabía que tu amor, a la larga, sería mi desgracia
I knew that your love, in the long run, would be my downfall
Yo sabía que tendría que llorar y llorar mucho tiempo
I knew that I would have to cry and cry for a long time
Porque amor que provoca desvelos
Because love that causes sleepless nights
Y mata de celos no puede acabar
And kills with jealousy cannot end
Porque amor que se da sin medida
Because love that is given without measure
Hasta con la vida se puede pagar
Can even be paid with one's life
Yo no sé si podrás olvidarme, o nunca me olvides
I don't know if you will be able to forget me, or never forget me
Solo sé que a través de la vida seré tu recuerdo
But I know that throughout life, I will be your memory
Yo te puedo apostar lo que quieras que no te despides
I can bet you anything that you won't say goodbye
Yo te puedo apostar que te vas de la gloria al infierno
I can bet you that you go from glory to hell
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Jose Alfredo Jimenez Sandoval
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@carlossaavedra6497
José Alfredo Jiménez, es único y ninguno jamás lo va a igualar. Orgullo de Guanajuato.
@LuisGuerrero-no4fz
El mejor compositor de la Historia sin duda.
@fantasmagarduno9341
Claro que si compita Salud 🇲🇽🍷
@mariomartinez3024
Está sí es música no me canso de escucharla..saludos dese mí México..l😍😍😍😍🙏🙋
@Setheskivias
Catalogo a Don Jose Alfredo como genio de la musica ranchera. Que exitazos nos otorgo y dejo. Una parranda sin las canciones de este Senor no son parrandas!
@lolitaandrade2294
Gracias a gente que de verdad amaban el verdadero amor es inspirador de temas como estos. El verdadero amor nunca falla. Nunca muere. Como yo te sigo amando. Amor de mi vida eres para siempre
@leyendaurbana4708
Como este señoron no habra otro igual cuanto sentimiento le ponia a sus canciones y muchas d sus grandes conposiciones nos cala y nos identificamos con ellas grande maestro!!!🙌🙌🙌
@lulupaez144
Viejon! Gracias, gracias por tantas canciones 👍👏👏👏
@erickestrada42
un éxito todas sus composiciones nunca pasarán desapercibidas arriba mi estado Guanajuato
@ceciliasanmartin373
Suludos🇨🇱