José Alfredo Jiménez (born in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico on 19 Jan… Read Full Bio ↴José Alfredo Jiménez (born in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico on 19 January 1926 - died 23 November 1973 in Mexico City, Mexico) was a legendary Mexican singer-songwriter in the ranchera style. His songs are considered part of the Mexican musical heritage and comparable, for instance, to what Woody Guthrie meant to American folk music.

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.

El Camino De La Noche
José Alfredo Jiménez Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Y échele bonito si señor, puro Gavilanes de José Alfredo Jiménez a, ja, ja, ja, ja, ja

Yo quiero que el silencio de la noche
Nos envuelva
Y quiero que un rayito de la luna nos cobije
Y quiero que levante ya por fin la niebla
Y comprendas por favor lo que te dije
Y una vez comprendidos los dos

Alzaremos las manos al mundo
Y daremos las gracias a Dios
Por tu amor y mi amor tan profundo

Ay amor como me tienes a, ja, ja, ja, ja, ja

Yo quiero que tu vida y que mi vida
No se insulten
Yo quiero que tus labios y mis labios
No se engañen
Y quiero que se adoren más de lo que sufren
Y que el tiempo y el amor nos acompañen
Y una vez comprendidos los dos
Alzaremos las manos al mundo
Y daremos las gracias a Dios
Por tu amor y mi amor tan profundo

Y una vez comprendidos los dos
Alzaremos las manos al mundo
Y daremos las gracias a Dios
Por tu amor y mi amor tan profundo

Por tu amor y mi amor tan profundo
Por tu amor y mi amor tan profundo

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of José Alfredo Jiménez's song "El Camino de la Noche" speak to the desire for a deep connection and understanding between two individuals in a relationship. The song begins by expressing a desire for the silence of the night to surround them, as well as for the moonlight to shelter them. The singer wants the fog to finally lift so that the listener can understand what they have been trying to communicate. Once this understanding is reached, they will raise their hands to the world and give thanks to God for the profound love they share.

The second verse emphasizes the importance of harmony and honesty in their lives. The singer wishes for their lives and lips to not fight or deceive each other. They hope that they will cherish each other more than they suffer, and that time and love will be on their side. The song concludes with a repetition of the desire for understanding and gratitude, both for the deep love they share and for the opportunity to express it.

In essence, "El Camino de la Noche" is a heartfelt plea for a relationship built on understanding, trust, and mutual love. It emphasizes the importance of clear communication and cherishing each other's happiness and well-being.

Line by Line Meaning

Yo quiero que el silencio de la noche
I want the silence of the night to surround us

Nos envuelva
and envelop us

Y quiero que un rayito de la luna nos cobije
I want a little ray of the moon to cover us

Y quiero que levante ya por fin la niebla
And I want the fog to finally lift

Y comprendas por favor lo que te dije
And please understand what I told you

Y una vez comprendidos los dos
And once we both understand

Alzaremos las manos al mundo
We will raise our hands to the world

Y daremos las gracias a Dios
And we will thank God

Por tu amor y mi amor tan profundo
For your love and my deep love

Ay amor como me tienes a, ja, ja, ja, ja, ja
Oh, love, how you have me, ha ha ha

Yo quiero que tu vida y que mi vida
I want your life and my life