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.
Buena O Mala
José Alfredo Jiménez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
entregado mi amor
para que yo me hubiera
entregado a tu vida
como tu te entregas
cuando estas de humor
ya quien sabe donde
tendría el corazón
andaría por el mundo
detrás de tu sombra
causando dolor
No tienes terminos medios
eres buena o eres mala
tu lo mismo das un beso
que das una puñalada
no tienes terminos medios
eres buena o eres mala
Para que yo te hubiera
enseñado a querer
y que por esas cosas
bonitas que tienes
hubiera podido
hacerte a mi ley
que divinas noches
de abrazos y besos
habriamos de ver
No tienes terminos medios
eres buena o eres mala
tu lo mismo das un beso
que das una puñalada
no tienes terminos medios
eres buena o eres mala
The lyrics to "Buena o Mala" by Jose Alfredo Jimenez express the singer's regret for having given his love to someone who is unpredictable and inconsistent in her affections. He states that he doesn't know where his heart would be if he had given himself over to her completely, as she is often moody and unpredictable in her behavior. He acknowledges that she has both good qualities and bad, and though he would have liked to teach her how to love, her unreliable nature would have made it difficult for him to commit to her completely.
The refrain of the song highlights the dichotomy of the woman's personality - she is not someone who can be easily classified as either good or bad. She is capable of being loving with one moment, and then violent the next. The singer admires her for her positive attributes, but recognizes that her temperamental nature makes it difficult for him to trust her.
Overall, the song depicts the complicated and often contradictory nature of human relationships. It suggests that even when we love someone deeply, it can be difficult to fully commit to them when they are unpredictable and moody.
Line by Line Meaning
Para que yo te hubiera entregado mi amor
In order for me to have given you my love
Para que yo me hubiera entregado a tu vida
For me to have given myself to your life
Como tu te entregas cuando estas de humor
Like how you give yourself when you're in the mood
Ya quien sabe donde tendría el corazón
Who knows where my heart would be
Ya quien sabe donde andaría por el mundo
Who knows where I would be in the world
Detrás de tu sombra causando dolor
Following your shadow, causing pain
No tienes terminos medios
You don't have middle terms
Eres buena o eres mala
You're either good or bad
Tu lo mismo das un beso que das una puñalada
You give a kiss or a stab, it's the same for you
Para que yo te hubiera enseñado a querer
For me to have taught you how to love
Y que por esas cosas bonitas que tienes
And for those beautiful things you possess
Hubiera podido hacerte a mi ley
I could have made you mine
Que divinas noches de abrazos y besos habriamos de ver
What beautiful nights of hugs and kisses we would have had
Contributed by Oliver T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@emmacoronado1992
Mi adorado José Alfredo Jiménez, le tengo respeto y admiración, Dios lo bendiga por su enorme legado que nos dejó, gracias José Alfredo Jiménez, fuiste un gran poeta, no morirás jamás, siempre vivirás en los corazones de los mexicanos
@gudeliaflores2969
Con mucho.sentimiento cantaba Jose Alfredo Jimenez mi ídolo que hermosas todas sus canciones
@emmacoronado1992
Realmente sentía lo que escribía, por eso nos transmite el sentimiento
@isbeliasarmientomorales9169
HERMOSA CANCIÓN, NO HABÍA ESCUCHADO ESTA VERSIÓN.
@rubencantu6059
todas las canciones de jose alfredo son chingonas.
@adolfopinoriquelme6970
QUE SERIA DE LA MUSICA SIN JOSE ALFREDO JIMENEZ,
@jesusmldz
Una composición de jose alfredo jimenez!!!
@oliversalvadorjimenez6306
chingona la cancion
@enriquejavierduenas4173
me acuerdo de mi padre lindo
@robertocruz5021
Que letra solo a él se le ocurrió hacer esta canción que es de las llegadoras