José Luis Perales (born January 28, 1945 in Castejón-Cuenca, Spain) is a ta… Read Full Bio ↴José Luis Perales (born January 28, 1945 in Castejón-Cuenca, Spain) is a talented singer and composer who has presented part of his extensive work in Carnegie Hall, New York. Since tender age, he showed his pasion for music, and at age 6, he learned how to play the lute. At 16, Perales studied to be an Electrical Engineer at the Universidad Laboral of Sevilla as scholarship student. He joined the university tuna and learned how to play the guitar. And it was then when he knew that music was going to be a big part of his life. After university, Perales went to Madrid where he finished his studies and continued with his music. His first opportunity was as a composer because he did not like to sing and did not want problems with his girlfriend, Manuela. Encouraged by her mother, Mariana, Perales sang in his hometown and some local festivals. However, it is not until he met Rafael Trabucchelli (main Spanish music producer of the time) in 1970 that his career changed totally. Trabucchelli tried to convince Perales to sing but did not succeed. Perales composed "Porque Te Vas" ("Because You're Leaving") performed by Jeanette, which sold 4 million copies worldwide in 1972, and this is how Trabucchelli finally persuaded him to sing. Perales humbly admitted that it was luck what allowed him to succeed. As a home-loving family man, he had trouble adaping himself to his new life and leaving his current job to dedicate himself to his new career. Despite of his success, Perales is still a humble family man who still lives in Castejon with his now wife, Manuela, which whom he has a son and a daughter, Pablo and Maria. Perales has recorded 27 record productions with more than 50 million copies sold worldwide. His compositions have been recorded by singers such as Raphael, Rocio Jurado, Jeanette, Miguel Bose, Isabel Pantoja, Julio Iglesias, Paloma San Basilio, Mocedades, and La Oreja de Van Gogh among others. His concert tours have included countries such as Uruguay, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, Puerto Rico, the USA, Brazil, Italy, France, Portugal. He just recently had a concert in the famous Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles and will be moving eastward across the USA on his tour. He does not come to America very often but when he does, the seats are full. He has also created a wonderful song called "Que canten los niños"

La primera vez
José Luis Perales Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Se cansó de esperarlo y se durmió
al filo de las tres.
Tenía frente a ella aquel sillón vacío,
era probablemente la primera vez.
Se fue apagando el fuego
en un silencio blanco.
El sol besó su frente y despertó.

¿Quién le habría robado su corazón?
¿Quién le habría mimado?
¿Dónde habría pasado la noche?
¿Quién le habría besado?
¿Quién le habrá preparado hoy el café?
¿Quién le habrá despertado?
¿Quien habrá acariciado su espalda?
¿Quién le habrá amado?

La mañana empezó y en reloj
eran casi las diez.
Ella escuchó sus pasos subiendo la escalera
y se vistió de orgullo para no llorar.
El se quedó en silencio y la miró a los ojos,
acarició sus manos, la conquistó.

¿Quién le habría robado su corazón?
¿Quién le habría mimado?
¿Dónde habría pasado la noche?
¿Quién le habría besado?
¿Quién le habrá preparado hoy el café?
¿Quién le habrá despertado?
¿Quien habrá acariciado su espalda?
¿Quién le habrá amado?

¿Quién le habrá preparado hoy el café?
¿Quién le habrá despertado?

¿Quien habrá acariciado su espalda?
¿Quién le habrá amado?

Overall Meaning

The song La primera vez by José Luis Perales revolves around a love story where the singer finds herself waiting for her lover who never shows up. She grows tired of waiting and eventually falls asleep on the empty couch with a string of unanswered questions running through her mind. The lyrics describe her emotions as she contemplates her lover's absence and the possibility of feeling heartbroken for the first time.

The lyrics go on to describe her thoughts as she wakes up the next morning and hears her lover's footsteps approaching. She dresses up in pride to hide her pain and emotions, and her lover looks at her with tenderness as the two reconcile. The lyrics suggest a hint of betrayal and insecurity between the two lovers, as the woman wonders where her lover had spent the night and with whom he had been.

Overall, the song is a poignant portrayal of love and its complexities, exploring the feelings of love, loss, and betrayal with a touch of vulnerability and depth.

Line by Line Meaning

Se cansó de esperarlo y se durmió al filo de las tres.
She grew tired of waiting for him and fell asleep around three in the morning.

Tenía frente a ella aquel sillón vacío, era probablemente la primera vez.
She had that empty armchair in front of her, it was probably the first time.

Se fue apagando el fuego en un silencio blanco.
The fire went out in a white silence.

El sol besó su frente y despertó.
The sun kissed her forehead and woke her up.

¿Quién le habría robado su corazón?
Who might have stolen her heart?

¿Quién le habría mimado?
Who might have pampered her?

¿Dónde habría pasado la noche?
Where could she have spent the night?

¿Quién le habría besado?
Who might have kissed her?

¿Quién le habrá preparado hoy el café?
Who might have made her coffee today?

¿Quién le habrá despertado?
Who might have woken her up?

¿Quien habrá acariciado su espalda?
Who might have caressed her back?

¿Quién le habrá amado?
Who might have loved her?

La mañana empezó y en reloj eran casi las diez.
Morning began and on the clock it was almost ten.

Ella escuchó sus pasos subiendo la escalera y se vistió de orgullo para no llorar.
She heard his footsteps climbing the stairs and dressed in pride to avoid crying.

El se quedó en silencio y la miró a los ojos, acarició sus manos, la conquistó.
He remained silent and looked into her eyes, caressed her hands, and won her over.

Contributed by Liam E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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