Los Machucambos is a group formed in Paris in August 1959 by Julia Cortes a… Read Full Bio ↴Los Machucambos is a group formed in Paris in August 1959 by Julia Cortes a Costa Rican, Rafaêl Gayoso a Spaniard, and a Peruvian, Milton Zapata who was replaced by the end of the year 1960 by an Italian, Romano Zanotti.

The name Los Machucambos comes from the word the Indians of South America call the armadillo. An animal which is used to manufacture the charango, a kind of small mandoline, which is played by the group.

The trio quickly became famous thanks to the "Jeunesses musicales de France" network. This network helped release the song "La bamba". La bamba won the Grand Prix of the l'Académie Française du disque. But the real breathrough came with "Pepito", which launched them onto the international scene in 1961.

This was followed by many hits thanks to the exceptional and particularly expressive voice of Julia Cortes. Their repertoir is composed of light, dancable songs. But it is varied and comprises also South American folklore and songs written by the great names of the French chanson such as Charles Aznavour or Léo Ferré.

La Malagueña
Los Machucambos Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Que bonitos ojos tienes
Debajo de esas dos cejas
Debajo de esas dos cejas
Que bonitos ojos tienes
Ellos me quieren mirar
Pero si tu no los dejas
Pero si tu no los dejas
Ni siquiera parpadear

Malagueña salerosa
Besar tus labios quisiera
Besar tus labios quisiera
Malagueña salerosa
Y decirte niña hermosa
Que eres linda y hechicera
Que eres linda y hechicera
Como el candor de una rosa
Como el candor de una rosa
Si por pobre me desprecias
Yo te concedo razón
Yo te concedo razón
Si por pobre me desprecias
Yo no te ofrezco riquezas
Te ofrezco mi corazon
Te ofrezco mi corazon
A cambio de mi pobreza
Malagueña salerosa

Besar tus labios quisiera
Besar tus labios quisiera
Malagueña salerosa
Y decirte niña hermosa
Que eres linda y hechicera
Eres linda y hechicera

Como el candor de una rosa
Como el candor de una rosa

Overall Meaning

In Los Machucambos's song "La Malagueña", the singer praises the beauty of a woman's eyes and expresses his desire to kiss her lips. He acknowledges that his poverty may cause her to reject him, but offers his heart in exchange for her love. The lyrics are sung in a traditional Mexican style known as "malagueña", which is characterized by its slow tempo, mournful melody, and use of flamenco-inspired guitar.

The song is full of romantic imagery and metaphors. The singer compares the woman's eyes to "the candor of a rose", emphasizing their pure and innocent beauty. He also calls her "hechicera", meaning "enchantress" or "sorceress", suggesting that he is under her spell and unable to resist her charms. The repeated lines "Malagueña salerosa" and "Besar tus labios quisiera" express his admiration and longing for her, while the final verse, in which he offers his heart in exchange for her love, reveals his vulnerability and sincerity.

Line by Line Meaning

Que bonitos ojos tienes
You have such beautiful eyes

Debajo de esas dos cejas
Under those two eyebrows

Que bonitos ojos tienes
You have such beautiful eyes

Ellos me quieren mirar
They want to look at me

Pero si tu no los dejas
But if you don't let them

Ni siquiera parpadear
Not even blink

Malagueña salerosa
Charming Malagueña

Besar tus labios quisiera
I would like to kiss your lips

Malagueña salerosa
Charming Malagueña

Y decirte niña hermosa
And tell you beautiful girl

Que eres linda y hechicera
That you are lovely and enchanting