Education
After studying philosophy and literature for a year at the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, Guerra switched to the Conservatorio Nacional de Música. Guerra was a great admirer, at this time, of the Beatles music.
After finishing his studies at the Santo Domingo conservatory, Guerra went to the Berklee College of Music in Boston to study composition and arranging in 1979.
Career
After his return to the Dominican Republic, he released his first album, Soplando (1984) with a group of local musicians which subsequently became known as Juan Luis Guerra y 440. Note that the band's name in Spanish is officially publicized as Cuatro Cuarenta (Four Forty), a shortening of the normally strict reading of number four hundred and forty. The 440 part of the band's name refers to the standard tuning "A=440." Reportedly the name for the band came from a practice session where Juan Luis's brother suggested the name, because the name would reflect how "in-tune and precise they were."
Two albums followed, Mudanza y Acarreo and Mientras más lo pienso ... tú. The band garnered some fame in their country.
Their next album, in 1989, brought them international fame. Ojalá que Llueva Cafe (If only it would rain coffee), a slow melodic number with superfast background tracks, became a number one hit in many Latin American countries, with the hit song of the same name. Subsequently, a video of the hit song was filmed and Juan Luis Guerra and his 440 band began touring. (The song's fame was revived in 1996 with a cover by Café Tacuba). In 1990, they released their next album, Bachata Rosa, which also became a major hit and earned him his first Grammy award. The album, having sold more than 5 million copies at that time, allowed Guerra to keep touring Latin America, USA and Europe. This album contains memorable love songs such as "Burbujas de amor" (Bubbles of Love), the self-hit "Bachaata Rosa", "Rosalia", "Como Abeja al Panal" ("Like a Bee to the Beehive"), "A Pedir Su Mano" ("To Ask For Your Hand"), "Carta De Amor", and "Estrellitas y Duendes" ("Little stars and elves").
Guerra became a controversial figure in the Dominican Republic after he released his next album, Areito. "Areito" (1992), featured the hit single "El costo de la vida," ("The Cost of Living/Cost of Life") but the video version was banned in several countries.
He protested against the poor conditions in many Latin American countries, the celebration of the discovery of the Americas "(1492)", and the double standard policies of first world nations. ('Areito' is a Taino word for song and dance).
That situation might have had something to do with his next album, Fogaraté (1995), where he stayed away from recording any protest songs.
One of his most recent albums, Ni es lo Mismo ni es Igual (It's not the Same nor is it Equal) (1998), garnered much critical acclaim. It won three Latin Grammys in 2000. It's hits include "Mi PC" (My PC), "Quisiera" (I Would Like To), and "El Niagara En Bicicleta".
In 2004, Guerra released his first new album in six years. Entitled "Para Ti" (For you), the album's songs are mostly religious in nature, reflecting Guerra's conversion to Evangelical Christianity. With this album the singer won two awards at the 2005 Billboards in the categories of Gospel-Pop and Tropical-Merengue, for the hit single Las Avispas, being this the first time ever that the same song wins these two categories at the same time. Other hits included "Para Ti" and "Soldado" (Soldier). In the same time, Guerra was honored with the Latino Special Award for the Music Academy of Spain for his contributions to the music of his country and the Caribbean in the last 20 years.
Guerra is the uncle-in-law of Miss Universe 2003, Amelia Vega. In January 2006, Juan Luis performed at Berklee's 60th anniversary along with other artist such as Paul Simon, Herbie Hancock, Michel Camilo and Chiara Chivello.
In 2006, he recorded with famous artists Diego Torres in "Abriendo Caminos" and with Maná in "Bendita luz". He has also opened the concert of The Rolling Stones in Puerto Rico and was invited by Sting to sing with him in a concert at Altos de Chavón, La Romana in Domincan Republic. At the Premio Lo Nuestro awards in 2007, he was given the honorary lifetime achievement award. He also performed the lead single of his new album, "La Llave De Mi Corazon." 2007.
La llave de mi corazón has been #1 song In Billboard charts for four consecutive weeks, #1 selling album in Colombia and it keeps climbing the charts in other countries.
He has recorded in English, the song "July 14th" in Fogaraté(1995), and more recently "Medicine for my soul" and" Something good" with Italian singer Chiara Chivello. Some of his songs are both in English and Spanish such as "Woman Del Callao" and "Guavaberry".
Discography
* Soplando — 1983
* Mudanza y Acarreo — 1984–1985
* Mientras más lo pienso tú — 1986
* Ojalá que llueva Café — 1988
* Bachata Rosa — 1990
* Areíto — 1992
* Fogarate — 1994
* Grandes Exitos Juan Luis Guerra y 440
* No Es Lo Mismo Ni Es Igual — 1998
* Para Ti — 2004
* La Llave de mi Corazón — March 19, 2007
Source: Wikipedia®
Como Yo
Juan Luis Guerra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Si no estás aquí, yo no soy feliz, ay no, no
Lluvia, como lagrimas de pino verde
Si no estás a mi lado
Besos, los besos que me dió tu boca
Me los como a diario
Te he buscado hasta en la sopa
Que dejé en la cocina
Mira, yo he visto a Plácido Domingo cantar en Rigoletto
De Bethoven Fidelio y las nueve sinfonías
Los conciertos Brandenburgo y un coro moscovita
Pero nada se compara con tu cara bonita
Como yo te quiero, como yo te anhelo
Si no estás aquí, yo no sé vivir
Como yo te quiero, como yo te anhelo
Si no estás aquí, yo no soy feliz, ay no no
Mira, he visto Los Agapantos de Monet en el MOMA
He visto exhibir las obras de Van Gogh y de Picasso
El Foliage de Cézanne y la Mona Lisa
Pero nada se compara con tu cara bonita
Como yo te quiero, como yo te anhelo
Si no estás aquí, yo no sé vivir
Como yo te quiero, como yo te anhelo
Si no estás aquí, yo no soy feliz
Yo no soy feliz, si no estás aquí
Ojooye
Tanto que yo he visto en esta vida
Nada se compara con tu risa
Vives en el óleo de mis días
Y hasta en el sudoku de mi sinfonía
Como yo te quiero, como yo te anhelo
Si no estás aquí, yo no sé vivir
Como yo te quiero, como yo te anhelo
Si no estás aquí, yo no soy feliz
Yo no soy feliz, si no estás aquí
(Como yo, como yo, como yo, como yo te quiero)
(Como yo, como yo, como yo, como yo te quiero)
The song "Como Yo" by Juan Luis Guerra expresses the overwhelming love and desire the singer has for his beloved. He begins the song by saying that he loves and longs for her in a way that no one else can. He emphasizes that his life would be meaningless without her and that her absence renders him unhappy. The all-consuming nature of his emotions is expressed through the comparison of raindrops to tears of a pine tree and how he devours the memories of her kisses every day.
The singer goes on to express the extent to which he has searched for her, even looking for her in the soup he left in the kitchen. This shows his desperation and how much he misses her. Despite having witnessed some of the most significant and remarkable events, such as the performances of Plácido Domingo and art exhibits of Van Gogh and Picasso, he still feels that nothing compares to the beauty of her face. He concludes by saying that nothing in his life, not even his accomplishments or the amazing things he has seen, compares to the love and happiness that she brings.
Line by Line Meaning
Como yo te quiero, como yo te anhelo
I love and miss you intensely
Si no estás aquí, yo no soy feliz, ay no, no
If you're not here, I can't be happy
Lluvia, como lagrimas de pino verde
Rain falls like green pine tears
Besos, los besos que me dió tu boca
I remember and savor your kisses
Me los como a diario
I remember and savor your kisses every day
Te busco en el ginkobiloba de mis vitaminas
I search for you even in my vitamins
Te he buscado hasta en la sopa
I search for you everywhere, even in my soup
Mira, yo he visto a Plácido Domingo cantar en Rigoletto
I've seen Plácido Domingo perform in Rigoletto
De Bethoven Fidelio y las nueve sinfonías
I've heard Beethoven's Fidelio and nine symphonies
Los conciertos Brandenburgo y un coro moscovita
I've heard Bach's Brandenburg concertos and a Moscow choir
Pero nada se compara con tu cara bonita
But nothing compares to your beautiful face
Mira, he visto Los Agapantos de Monet en el MOMA
I've seen Monet's Agapanthus at the MOMA
He visto exhibir las obras de Van Gogh y de Picasso
I've seen exhibitions of Van Gogh and Picasso's works
El Foliage de Cézanne y la Mona Lisa
I've seen Cézanne's Foliage and the Mona Lisa
Tanto que yo he visto en esta vida
I've seen so much in this life
Nada se compara con tu risa
But nothing compares to your laugh
Vives en el óleo de mis días
You live in the oil of my days (you are always with me)
Y hasta en el sudoku de mi sinfonía
And even in the details of my symphony
Yo no soy feliz, si no estás aquí
I can't be happy if you're not here
(Como yo, como yo, como yo, como yo te quiero)
(Like I, like I, like I, like I love you)
(Como yo, como yo, como yo, como yo te quiero)
(Like I, like I, like I, like I love you)
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Juan Luis Guerra
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
naty De la cruz
Grande juan luis guerra
Rosa Maria Maza Ruiz
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