Florencio Santana, Gerardo Macia, Felix Escobar and Nico Saquito founded Lo… Read Full Bio ↴Florencio Santana, Gerardo Macia, Felix Escobar and Nico Saquito founded Los Guaracheros de Oriente (The Guaracha Players of Oriente) in 1940. Saquito, who passed away in 1981, was one of Cuba's most prolific and beloved song-writers and many of his songs are classics of the Cuban repertoire. The quartet moved to Venezuela in 1950 and gained local fame by performing live on radio variety programmes. Saquito left the group in 1955, but they continued on as a trio, moving to the United States in 1959.

As the name of the group implies, Los Guaracheros de Oriente primarily performed <>, a relative of the <> that developed in eastern Cuba. <> is essentially a balladic song style with poetic lyrics and lush, multi-part harmonies that were very influenced by French and Spanish music. It is less percussive and syncopated than <>, but they are both instantly engaging musical styles that liven up any party. The instrumentation is often quite basic: guitar, <>, <> and <> (cowbell).

Guajira Moruna
Los Guaracheros De Oriente Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

GUAJIRA MORUNA
Tan pronto nace la aurora
Mi gallo empieza a cantar
Y yo me levanto enseguida
Y me pongo a trabajar
Ahhh, ahhh, ahhh
Que lindo despunta el sol
Entre valles y colinas

Que hermosas son las mañanas
De la bella patria mía
•Ven, ven mi Guajira
Guajira Moruna (bis)

Tengo una linda trigueña
Que es la reina del bohío
Ella es dueña de mi vida
Y también del amor mío
Ahhh, ahhh, ahhh
Y ella comparte conmigo
Las penas y los dolores
Ella ríe cuando rio
Y llora cuando yo lloro
•Ven, ven mi Guajira
Guajira Moruna (bis)

Tengo una linda trigueña
Que es la reina del bohío
Ella es dueña de mi vida
Y también del amor mío
Ahhh, ahhh, ahhh

Y ella comparte conmigo
Las penas y los dolores
Ella rie cuando rio
Y llora cuando yo lloro

•Ven, ven mi Guajira
Guajira Moruna (bis)

Overall Meaning

The song "Guajira Moruna" by Los Guaracheros de Oriente is a celebration of the simple and beautiful life in the countryside, specifically in Cuba. The song starts with the first light of dawn, when the singer's rooster starts to crow, signaling the beginning of a new day of work. The singer expresses his appreciation for the natural beauty of his homeland as he works in the fields among the valleys and hills. The chorus invites the singer's "Guajira Moruna" to join him in this idyllic life in the countryside.

The second verse speaks about the singer's "trigueña" (a light-skinned person of mixed race) who is the queen of his humble shanty. The singer acknowledges that she is not only the owner of his life, but also the one who holds his heart. The trigueña shares all of his sorrows and joys, and they support each other through life's ups and downs. The chorus repeats the invitation to the Guajira Moruna to come and join them, emphasizing the importance of community and companionship in a life of hard work and simplicity.

Overall, the song exalts the virtues of the simple life, the beauty of nature, and the power of love and community to sustain and enrich people's lives. It remains a beloved classic among Cuban music and culture.

Line by Line Meaning

Tan pronto nace la aurora
As soon as dawn breaks

Mi gallo empieza a cantar
My rooster starts to sing

Y yo me levanto enseguida
And I get up right away

Y me pongo a trabajar
And I start to work

Que lindo despunta el sol
How beautifully the sun rises

Entre valles y colinas
Among valleys and hills

Que hermosas son las mañanas
How beautiful are the mornings

De la bella patria mía
Of my beautiful homeland

Ven, ven mi Guajira
Come, come my Guajira

Guajira Moruna (bis)
Moruna Guajira (repeat)

Tengo una linda trigueña
I have a beautiful brunette