Born in the barrio of San Pedrito, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba - her father was a worker at the local Bacardi distillery and was a major influence on her life. He strictly encouraged her to become a school teacher. Just like her counterpart, Celia Cruz, she was a schoolteacher before she became a singer.
She married in 1958 and formed a musical trio with her husband Eulogio "Yoyo" Reyes and another female singer. This group "The Tropicuba Trio" broke up with the marriage in 1960. She began to perform her own act at a small nightclub in Havana, La Red, and acquired a devoted following also appearing on radio. She released her first album, Con el Diablo en el Cuerpo (With the Devil Inside) on Discuba in 1961. Her expressive performances with their violent sexuality attracted criticism that she was a poor example to the revolutionary state, this led to professional difficulties which together with personal problems made it difficult to stay in Cuba.
In 1962 she found herself exiled to the United States. In New York City she performed at a cabaret named La Barraca, where she was discovered by Mongo Santamaria and started a new career, making more than 10 records in five years.
Her passionate performances covered the range of Cuban music: son montuno, bolero, Guantanamera venturing into other Caribbean styles like merengue, boogaloo, golpe tocuyano, busamba, salsa. In the sixties she was the most acclaimed Latin singer in New York City due her partnership with Tito Puente. She was the first Latin singer to sell out a concert at Madison Square Garden. She also did a wide variety of cover versions in either Spanish or accented English, including "Yesterday", "Dominique" by The Singing Nun, "Twist & Shout", "Unchained Melody", "Fever" and "America" from from the play/film West Side Story.
A devout follower of Santería, she continued to practice her religion regardless of the influence, fortune, and fame she had acquired throughout the height of her career. However, due to the decision by her record label, Fania Records, to end her contract in the last 1970s (mainly because the label wanted to focus on the less controversial, yet commercially-successful Celia Cruz), she saw herself destitute by the early 1980s. After being led to believe she was miraculously healed by an evangelical Christian faith healer, she abandoned her Santeria roots and became a born-again Christian. She died in the Bronx and was survived by her husband William Garcia, their daughter Rainbow, and her son Rene Camaro (whose father was Eulogio Reyes). She is interred permanently in Saint Raymond's Cemetery in the Bronx.
In the 1990s, interest in her music was re-sparked when Pedro Almodóvar included "Puro Teatro", one of her boleros of love and breakup in his film classic Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. Due to her similarities to American singer Judy Garland such as her strong, yet raspy voice, and her energetic and unpredictable stage performances, she has become an icon among many gays in Latin America and Spain.
In 2002, The New York City renamed East 140th Street in The Bronx as La Lupe Way in her memory.
Unchained Melody
La Lupe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've hungered for your touch
A long lonely time
And time goes by so slowly
Are you still mine
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me
Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea
To the open arms of the sea
Lonely rivers cry
Wait for me
Wait for me
I'll be coming home
Wait for me
Oh my love, my darling
I've hungered for your touch
A long lonely time
And time goes by so slowly
And time can do so much
Are you still mine
I need your love
I need your love
God speed your love to me
La Lupe's rendition of Unchained Melody is a soulful, yearning ballad. The singer's opening lines convey her deep longing for her lover's touch. She has been waiting a "long lonely time" for him, and time seems to pass painfully slowly. Despite this, the singer believes that time can also work in her favor: as she waits, time can bring her closer to her lover. She pleads with him to send his love to her quickly, as she is desperate for his affection.
The second verse of the song is a little more abstract, but La Lupe's emotive vocal delivery conveys its melancholic tone. She compares herself to a lonely river, constantly flowing towards the sea in search of her lover. She begs him to wait for her, promising that she will return to him soon. The final verse echoes the first, with the singer repeating her need for her lover's touch and begging him to send his love quickly.
This song is a classic for a reason - its lyrics are heartbreakingly beautiful, and the singer's passionate delivery makes them all the more poignant.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh my love, my darling
Addressing my love, my beloved
I've hungered for your touch
I've longed for your touch, craved your emotional and physical presence
A long lonely time
For a considerable length of time, I've experienced loneliness
And time goes by so slowly
The passage of time feels sluggish and prolonged
And time can do so much
An indication of time's influential power
Are you still mine
Am I still the object of your love and desire?
I need your love
I require your love, your affection, your support
I need your love
I require your love, your affection, your support
God speed your love to me
May your love reach me quickly and with divine favor
Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea
Rivers devoid of companionship travel towards the ocean
To the open arms of the sea
Seeking the welcoming embrace of the sea
Lonely rivers cry
Isolated rivers express sadness
Wait for me
Hold on for me, have patience for my return
Wait for me
Hold on for me, have patience for my return
I'll be coming home
I'll return to the place where I belong
Oh my love, my darling
Addressing my love, my beloved
I've hungered for your touch
I've longed for your touch, craved your emotional and physical presence
A long lonely time
For a considerable length of time, I've experienced loneliness
And time goes by so slowly
The passage of time feels sluggish and prolonged
And time can do so much
An indication of time's influential power
Are you still mine
Am I still the object of your love and desire?
I need your love
I require your love, your affection, your support
I need your love
I require your love, your affection, your support
God speed your love to me
May your love reach me quickly and with divine favor
Contributed by Adeline L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Miguelangel Ariza Villarreal
En cada interpretación imprimía su pasión y entrega. Fue la más grande!
Damisela Cubana
La Yiyiyi, mi coterránea, ya te escuchas en tu tierra. ya te interpretan en el teatro de tu ciudad natal! Poco a poco! Descanza en Paz!
Rafael Fernandez
La amo. La mejor voz natural femenina.
Dayana Hermoso
LA MEJOR!! PODIA CANTAR LO QUE SE LE ANTOJARA!! GRANDIOOOOSA!!!
barcelonapeverini
Muchas grazias ...
Es una fantastica interpretazion
Marta Rodriguez
Era lo máximo nunca la he olvidado Panamá te recuerda
LENIN HUAQUILLAS ECUADOR el ORO
Dios la guarde , forever
Rafael Gonzalez
she could pull anythibg off because she was her and only tried to be the best at being herself. may God rest her beautiful soul❤
Mercedes Cruz
ella era en ese tienpo una cantante fucion cantaba todo tipo de genero y idioma genio me reflejo en ella y soy rebelde y libre como ella la diferencia soy muy deportiba y no tengo ningun bicio pero en el amor muy desafortunada como ella y por mi caracter hoy y siempre estare sola como ella mi gran genio espiracion la interpretare muy bien
Franxisco Sanchez
Ella nunca tuvo ningún vicio , eso fue mala propaganda de los intereses que no les convenía su gran entrega y arollador éxito , la envidia , y los vicios de otros dioses de la mala jugada , jamás fumo cigarros ni bebió fue una excelente madre y esposa al igual que amiga , trabajo mucho grabo mucho y triunfo como ninguna , aun se le recuerda con cariño y sorprende su gran calidad musical no por gusto ostenta el titulo de representante de la canción latina y máxima representante de CUBA sola triunfo y fue aceptada y muy amada por el pueblo Norte Americano y su industria musical , abarrotando los lugares mas encumbrados del momento .En tiempos que abundaban los grandes en todos los géneros . POR TANTO Y PARA SIEMPRE RESPETEMOS AL TALENTO INMENSO DE ESTA GENIAL Y HUMILDE QUE GLORIOSAMENTE NOS REPRESENTO ........................