Juan García E… Read Full Bio ↴Known as Juan Garcia Esquivel, Esquivel and Esquivel!.
Juan García Esquivel (January 20, 1918 – January 3, 2002) often known as simply Esquivel!, was a Mexican band leader, pianist, and film composer. He's known today mostly for creating unique lounge jazz music. Esquivel is sometimes called "The King of Space Age Pop" and "The Busby Berkley of Cocktail Music". Esquivel is considered one of the foremost exponents of a style of late 1950s-early 1960s quirky instrumental pop that became known (in retrospect) as "Space Age Bachelor Pad Music."
He was born in Tampico, Mexico, and his family moved to Mexico City in 1928 where he studied at the UNAM.
Esquivel is considered the king of a style of late 1950s-early 1960s quirky instrumental pop that became known (in retrospect) as "Space Age Bachelor Pad Music." Esquivel's musical style is highly idiosyncratic, and although elements sound like his contemporaries, he has many stylistic tics that distinguish his music and make it instantly recognizable, including exotic percussion, wordless vocals, virtuoso piano runs, and exaggerated dynamic shifts in volume. He uses many jazz-like elements, but other than his piano solos, there is no improvisation and the works are tightly, meticulously, even perfectionistically arranged by Esquivel himself.
His orchestration tends toward the very lush; he combines an orchestra, his own heavily-ornamented piano stylings, a mixed chorus, and a long list of novel instruments, such as Chinese bells, mariachi bands, whistling, and numerous percussion instruments. The chorus was often called upon to sing only nonsense syllables, most famously "zu-zu" and "pow!" A survey of Esquivel's recordings reveals a fondness for glissandi, sometimes on a half-valved trumpet, sometimes on a kettle drum, but most frequently on pitched percussion instruments and slide guitars.
Esquivel's use of stereo recording is legendary, occasionally using two bands recording simultaneously in separate studios. The song "Mucha Muchacha" makes particularly mind-bending use of the separation, with the chorus and brass rapidly alternating sides.
He arranged many traditional Mexican songs like "Besame Mucho", "La Bamba", "El Manisero"(Cuban/Mexican) and "La Bikina"; also Brazilian songs like "Aquarela do Brasil"(also known simply as Brazil), "Surfboard" and "Agua de Beber"; and composed spicy lounge-like novelties such as "Mini Skirt", "Yeyo" , "Latin-Esque", "Mucha Muchacha" and "Whatchamacallit". He was commissioned to compose the music of a Mexican children's TV show Odisea Burbujas.
His concerts also featured elaborate light shows, years before effects like that became popular in live music. He performed in Las Vegas on a number of occasions, often as the opening act for Frank Sinatra.
Several compilation albums of Esquivel's music were issued starting with Space Age Bachelor Pad Music in 1994. The apparent success of these releases led to reissues of several of Esquivel's albums. The first reissues were compiled by Irwin Chusid, who also produced the first CD reissues of Raymond Scott and The Langley Schools Music Project.
The last recording Esquivel worked on was Merry Christmas from the Space-Age Bachelor Pad in 1996, for which he did a voiceover on a track by the band Combustible Edison, as well as including several obscure tracks from his past sessions. The last CD released during his lifetime, See It In Sound, was actually recorded in 1960, but was not released at the time because the record company felt it wasn't commercial enough. When finally released in 1998, it exhibited very unusual and introspective stylings absent from his other works, including a version of "Brazil" which is played as a musical soundscape of a man bar-hopping, and the band playing "Brazil" in different versions at each bar.
Besame mucho
Juan Garcia Esquivel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Besame, besame mucho
como si fuera esta la noche
la ultima vez
Besame, besame mucho
que tengo miedo a perderte
Quiero tenerte muy cerca
mirarme en tus ojos
verte junto a mi
Piensa que tal vez mañana
yo ya estare lejos,
muy lejos de aqui
Besame, besame mucho
como si fuera esta noche
la ultima vez
Besame, besame mucho
que tengo miedo a perderte, perderte despues
The lyrics of Juan Garcia Esquivel's "Besame Mucho" convey an emotional plea from the singer to be kissed passionately, as if it were the very last time. The lyrics are filled with urgency and fear of losing the person they are singing to. The repetition of the title phrase "besame mucho" emphasizes the intense desire of the singer to be kissed over and over. The singer implores their lover to hold them closely, look into their eyes, and be with them in the present moment, as they acknowledge that tomorrow may bring separation.
The lyrics also suggest a sense of vulnerability, as the singer admits that they are afraid of losing their lover, emphasizing the importance of this moment and this kiss. The overall tone of the song is one of emotional intensity, as the singer tries to convey their deepest feelings through the lyrics and the music.
Line by Line Meaning
Besame, besame mucho
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
como si fuera esta la noche la ultima vez
As if tonight were the last time
Besame, besame mucho
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
que tengo miedo a perderte
Because I'm afraid of losing you
perderte despues
To lose you afterwards
Quiero tenerte muy cerca
I want to hold you so close
mirarme en tus ojos
Look into your eyes
verte junto a mi
To have you next to me
Piensa que tal vez mañana
Think that maybe tomorrow
yo ya estare lejos, muy lejos de aqui
I will be far away from here
Besame, besame mucho
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
como si fuera esta noche la ultima vez
As if tonight were the last time
Besame, besame mucho
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
que tengo miedo a perderte, perderte despues
Because I'm afraid of losing you, to lose you afterwards
Contributed by Oliver O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@juanmanuelalvarezrodriguez84
Que versión tan bella!!! Esquivel es un genio un adelantado a su tiempo. Sus arreglos orquestales son maravillosos
@humbertoangelgomez1375
Excelente musico y arreglista internacional. En Colombia los de nuestra generación lo recordamos con mucho cariño y agradecimiento por tan hermosos e inolvidables arreglos que marcaron nuestra juventud.
Gracias y Felicitaciones
@davidgarciaortega5572
ESTE TIPO DE ARREGLISTA YA NO LOS HAY.
EL SR, ESQUIVEL FUE UNICO.
@manuelcuevas7693
El Gran director musical
De los ayeres...
de la época de oro en las orquestas de México.
Saludos cordiales desde la Ciudad de México
--mancueso --@moiiises38
NO conocía esta música!!! de cuanto me he perdido!
@adolfodelcastillomartinez1085
...estando en París pedí una canción mexicana... y tocaron 'besame mucho'...
@jasvmusic
Juan Garcia Esquivel uno de los mejores arreglistas mexicanos de todos los tiempos
@lauraservinfigueroa4156
En Taxco Gro se encuentra un pequeño Room Esquivel, q modestamente su hijo Mario Esquivel le hizo en su honor. tambien se encuentra su piano, las portadas de sus discos.... en fin les invito lo visiten. Esta canción Universal es sencillamente Espectacular ¡¡ ;)
@martinortiz2785
Quiero ir a conocerlo :)
@arturoalvarez9627
GRAN ÉPOCA DE COMPOSITORES, DIRECTORES MUSICALES, ARREGLISTAS QUE NOS REGALARON CON SUS JOYAS MUSICALES INOLVIDABLES EPOCA EN LA QUE PODÍAS BAILAR EN ESAS FIESTAS IMPROVISADAS DE FAMILIA.