Early career to 1978
Julio was the son of Julio Iglesias Sr, a doctor. He was a professional football player with Real Madrid, where he played as goalkeeper. During this time, he also enrolled in law school. He had an accident that dashed his hopes of becoming a great soccer player, but during his period in bed, he started to compose songs. He received a certificate as a lawyer from Cambridge University a little later.
In 1968, he won the Benidorm International Song Festival, a songwriter's contest in Spain, and signed a contract with a Columbia Records Latin music label, Discos Columbia. He represented Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1970, finishing fourth behind Northern Irish singer Dana Scallon, and the Welsh singer Mary Hopkin. His entry was the song "Gwendolyne" which was his first recording. During the 1970s he married the Spanish-mestiza Philippine socialite Isabel Preysler with whom he had three children: Chabeli Iglesias, who has been a show host and is now a news reporter in Washington D.C., Enrique Iglesias, now a world-famous singer who followed in his father's footsteps, and Julio José Iglesias, a model who has released two CDs. It was during the 1970s that the Iglesias family's private life became very public, with Julio and the rest of the family frequently featured on the covers of various international magazines.
Peak of success 1978-1990
In 1978, he signed a contract for CBS International, adding English, French, Portuguese, German and Italian to his language repertoire. He had his first hit in English with a cover of "Begin the Beguine" and released a collection Julio in 1983 building his reputation.
In 1984, he released the smash hit album 1100 Bel Air Place, which gave him considerable fame in English-language markets. The album sold three million albums in the US alone, with the first single "To All The Girls I've Loved Before", a duet with Willie Nelson reaching the top five on the Billboard Hot 100. The album also featured "All of You", a hit duet with Diana Ross.
In 1985, his father was kidnapped but found well and alive after two agonizing weeks. This prompted Julio, who had already divorced Preysler, to move his family to Miami, Florida, where they settled in a mansion at Miami Beach. That year he also recorded duets with Diana Ross and Willie Nelson. It was rumored in 1986 that Julio, perhaps seeking to get away from all the fame and hoopla for one week, was found walking around the streets of Cayey, Puerto Rico, after disappearing for seven days. Julio feels there is a deep connection between him and Puerto Rico because one of his grandmothers was Puerto Rican.
Iglesias won a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album in the 1988 Grammy Awards for the album Un Hombre Solo ("A Single Man"). He also recorded a duet with Stevie Wonder on "My Love" from his Non Stop album which achieved crossover success in 1988.
Stories of Julio's expensive private jets, boats, and houses became legendary during that decade, and his world tours took him to many countries and continents around the world performing in many sold out concerts among the vast women populations.
Career 1990-today
In the 1990s, Julio went back to his Spanish music roots, and in 1996, he released a CD nicknamed Tango. He is slowly stepping out of the limelight now and enjoying his son Enrique's popularity, together with his long-time companion Miranda and their 2 sons Miguel Alejandro (September 7, 1997), Rodrigo (April 3, 1999) and twin daughters Cristina and Victoria (May 1, 2001). Julio is very amenable to signing autographs, although he can be a little difficult to reach sometimes, due to his and his family's security detail, which they have had since the 1985 kidnapping of Julio's father.
Iglesias returned to the headlines in October, 2003, when he went to Argentina and kissed show host Susana Gimenez three times during a live telecast of her show.
2003 saw the release of the Spanish album "Divorcio." (Divorce) In its first day of sales, "Divorcio" sold a record 350,000 copies in Spain; and quickly reached the #1 spot on the charts in Spain, Portugal, France,Italy, and Russia.
The remainder of 2003 and early 2004 featured a mega 10 month world tour; which took Iglesias, fuled with the success of "Divorcio" from Europe and Asia to The United States, South America, and Africa. More than half the shows on the tour sold out within days of going on sale, showing that fans still adore Julio.
In December of 2004, Miranda and Julio recorded a duet of the Christmas song Silent Night. The song, which was not released also included a voice message from Julio, Miranda, and their 4 young children. The song was released online through the singer's web page, and was a holiday gift from the Iglesias' to their fans around the world.
Julio has made important investments in the Dominican Republic's eastern town of Punta Cana, a major tourist destination, where he spends most of the year when he is not on tour.
Julio, Jr. has a half-brother who is 60 years younger than him. Julio's father, Julio Sr. had a child at 89 called Jaime. The birth came after a 17-year romance with Ronna, which culminated in them walking down the aisle in 2001. His wife underwent fertility treatment in order to conceive first time around and medical science is believed to have played a role in her latest pregnancy too. After little Jaime made his debut in 2004, Julio Sr. rejected suggestions Ronna was the driving force behind their decision to start a family. "At my age, a child is marvellous," he declared. "If people say I just did it for my wife, I don't take it as an insult, but the truth is I wanted it just as much as her." Julio Iglesias's father died just days after he announced he was to become a father for the fourth time at the age of 90. Julio Sr. died after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home in Madrid. Julio Sr. confirmed that his wife of four years, Ronna Kneit, was expecting their second child together. He said he wanted his 42-year-old partner to have something to remember him by. "My wife wanted it and I owed it to her," he explained. "It was an act of generosity towards her. I leave her part of my blood, of my life. I need her so much that I said to her 'Here, this is what you wanted for when I am gone'."
Currently, Julio is in the studio recording a new English Album titled "Romantic Classics" which is due out in September of 2006. Romantic Classics is a series of the greatest love songs in American culture, and features the hits "I want to know what love is", "Careless Whisper", and "Right Here Waiting" all major hits of the past 20 years. A series of promotional events, followed by a world tour will help promote the album after its release.
The singer's web page [1] is currently under construction, and will feature information from "Romantic Classics" when it is updated later this year.
Discography
This list contains all albums of original material plus notable collections.
Gwendolyne (1970)
Julio Iglesias (1972)
Un Canto a Galicia (1973)
A Flor de Piel (1974)
A Mexico (1974)
El Amor (1975)
En El Olympia (1976) recorded live at the Paris Olympia
Si Mi Lasci (1976)
Yo Canto (1977)
A Mis 33 Anos (1977)
Sono Un Pirata, Sono Un Signore (1978)
Soy (1978)
The 24 Greatest Songs (1978)
A Vous Les Femmes (1979)
Aimer La Vie (1979)
America (1979)
Emociones (1979)
Innamorarsi Alla Mia Eta (1979)
Hey! (1980)
Sentimental (1980)
Fidele (1981)
Zartlichkeiten (1981)
From A Child To A Woman (1981)
Minhas Cancoes Prefidas (1981)
Moments (1982) also Momento or Momenti
Por Una Mujer (1982)
In Concert (1983)
Pelo Amor di Uma Mulher (1983)
Julio (1983)
1100 Bel Air Place (1984)
Libra (1985)
Un Hombre Solo (1987)
Tutto L'Amore Che Ti Manca (1987)
Non Stop (1988)
Latinamente (1989)
Raices (1989)
Starry Night (1990)
Ein Weihnachtsabend Mit Julio Iglesias (1992)
Calor (1992)
Crazy (1994)
La Carretera (1995)
Tango (1996)
My Life: The Greatest Hits (1998)
Noche de Cuatro Lunas (2000)
Una Donna Puo Cambiar la Vita (2001)
Ao Meu Brasil (2001)
Personalidad: 20 Exitos (2002)
Divorcio (2003)
Love Songs (2004)
l'homme que je suis (2005)
Romantic Classics (To Be Released in September of 2006)
Quelque Chose de France (2007)
Julio Iglesias 1 (2011) - He is starting with this new world tour.
Extracted from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julio_Iglesias
Mano A Mano
Julio Iglesias Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
En mi pobre vida paria solo una buena mujer
Tu presencia de bacana puso calor en mi nido
Fuiste buena, consecuente, y yo sé que me has querido
Como no quisiste a nadie, como no podrás querer
Se dio el juego de remanye, cuando vos, pobre percanta
Gambeteabas la pobreza en la casa de pensión
Los morlacos del otario los tiras a la marchanta
Como juega el gato maula con el misero ratón
Hoy tenes el mate lleno de infelices ilusiones
Te engrupieron los otarios, las amigas, el gavión
La milonga entre magnates con sus locas tentaciones
Donde triunfan y claudican milongueras pretensiones
Se te ha entrado muy adentro en el pobre corazón
Nada debo agradecerte, mano a mano hemos quedado
No me importa lo que has hecho, lo que haces, ni lo que harás
Los favores recibidos creo habértelos pagado
Y si alguna deuda chica sin querer se me ha olvidado
En la cuenta del otario que tenés se la cargas
Mientras tanto que tus triunfos, pobres triunfos pasajeros
Sean una larga fila de riquezas y placer
Que el bacan que te acamala tenga pesos duraderos
Y te abrace en las paradas con cafishios milonqueros
Y que digan los muchachos es una buena mujer
Y mañana cuando seas descolado mueble viejo
Y no tengas esperanzas en el pobre corazón
Si precisas una ayuda, si te hace falta un consejo
Acordate de este amigo que ha de jugarse el pellejo
P'ayudarte en lo que pueda, cuando llegue la ocasión
The song "Mano A Mano" by Julio Iglesias is about two former lovers who have moved on from their poor pasts. The singer reflects on his past relationship and how the woman in question was the only good thing in his life. She changed him for the better and he knows she truly loved him like no one else ever has. He acknowledges that she has moved on to a better life now and has become a successful woman by using her beauty to her advantage. She now controls her own fate, unlike when she was poor and powerless.
The music portrays a melancholic atmosphere with a slow, melodic tune that matches the sadness of the lyrics. The words themselves are poetic and romantic, but also acknowledge the harsh realities of society and how people use others to get ahead.
The song is a tribute to the tango, a famous Argentine traditional music and dance form. The lyrics are written in the lunfardo dialect, a slang used by the lower class of Buenos Aires in the 20th century.
Line by Line Meaning
Rechiflao en mi tristeza hoy te evoco y veo que has sido
I am remembering you today while I am feeling down, and I see that you were the one.
En mi pobre vida paria solo una buena mujer
In my poor and difficult life, I had only one good woman.
Tu presencia de bacana puso calor en mi nido
Your presence as a warrior woman brought warmth to my home.
Fuiste buena, consecuente, y yo sé que me has querido
You were a good and consistent partner, and I know that you loved me.
Como no quisiste a nadie, como no podrás querer
Since you did not love anyone, you won't be able to love.
Se dio el juego de remanye, cuando vos, pobre percanta
The game played out when you were a poor woman.
Gambeteabas la pobreza en la casa de pensión
You were dodging poverty while living in the cheap housing.
Hoy sos toda una bacana, la vida te rie y canta
Now you are a warrior, life laughs and sings to you.
Los morlacos del otario los tiras a la marchanta
You sell the foolish guy's coins to the market.
Como juega el gato maula con el misero ratón
You play with the poor man like a cat plays with a mouse.
Hoy tenes el mate lleno de infelices ilusiones
Your mind is full of unhappy illusions.
Te engrupieron los otarios, las amigas, el gavión
The fools, friends, and the pimp tricked you.
La milonga entre magnates con sus locas tentaciones
The ball of the magnates with its crazy temptations.
Donde triunfan y claudican milongueras pretensiones
Where the milonga singer's ambitions rise and fall.
Se te ha entrado muy adentro en el pobre corazón
It has deeply rooted in your poor heart.
Nada debo agradecerte, mano a mano hemos quedado
I don't have to thank you; we're just even now.
No me importa lo que has hecho, lo que haces, ni lo que harás
I don't care what you did, what you do, or what you will do.
Los favores recibidos creo habértelos pagado
I believe I have already paid you back for the favors I received.
Y si alguna deuda chica sin querer se me ha olvidado
And if I have missed repaying any small debt unintentionally.
En la cuenta del otario que tenés se la cargas
You can add it to the foolish man's account you have.
Mientras tanto que tus triunfos, pobres triunfos pasajeros
Meanwhile, your victories, insignificant and temporary.
Sean una larga fila de riquezas y placer
May they become a long row of riches and pleasure.
Que el bacan que te acamala tenga pesos duraderos
May the pimp who keeps you with him have long-lasting money.
Y te abrace en las paradas con cafishios milonqueros
And embrace you in the nightclubs with streetwise flatteries.
Y que digan los muchachos es una buena mujer
And let the guys say she's a good woman.
Y mañana cuando seas descolado mueble viejo
And tomorrow when you become an old and discarded piece of furniture.
Y no tengas esperanzas en el pobre corazón
And have no hope left in your poor heart.
Si precisas una ayuda, si te hace falta un consejo
If you need help or advice.
Acordate de este amigo que ha de jugarse el pellejo
Remember this friend who will do everything to help, even risking his life.
P'ayudarte en lo que pueda, cuando llegue la ocasión
To help you in any way I can, whenever the opportunity arises.
Lyrics © Tratore, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Carlos Gardel, Esteban Flores, Jose Razzano
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind