Luis Gatica Silva was born in Rancagua, Chili. He attended school at Instituto O'Higgins. He and his brother Arturo were struggling singers before they released their first album, in 1949, when Gatica was 21 years old.
Chileans generally experienced a change in their taste in music during the 1950s, when bolero music overtook tango as Chileans' preferred music genre for some time. Singers like Cuba's Olga Guillot, and Argentinian Leo Marini and Mexican Elvira Ríos, among others, were very popular during that time. So were Xavier Cugat and his orchestra, which included Puerto Rican Bobby Capó. These singers would influence Gatica.
Gatica's first record, 1951's Me Importas Tú (You Matter to Me) became a mega hit across Latin America, opening many doors for Gatica. He followed that with 1952's Contigo en la Distancia (With You in the Distance). Gatica recorded his version of Consuelo Velázquez's Bésame Mucho (Kiss Me a Lot) in 1953, a year in which he produced two more albums, Las Muchachas de la Plaza España (The Girls from Spain Square) and Sinceridad (Sincerity). The following year his hit "Sinceridad" was released.
By 1957, Gatica moved to Mexico, a country that would be of great importance in his life. In Mexico, he released No me Platiques Más (Don't Talk to me Anymore), Tú me Acostumbraste (You Accustomed Me) and Voy a Apagar la Luz (I'm Turning the Lights Off), which was released in 1959.
In 1956, Gatica's songs were recorded in North America on LP albums for the first time by Capitol Records ('Capitol of the World' series). Three albums were released within 14 months by Capitol. The third one in that group with Capitol was El Gran Gatica, which featured such songs as Somos (We Are),' Sabrá Dios (God Will Know), and Si me Comprendieras (If You Understood Me). One of the three Lucho Gatica albums released in 1958 was a greatest hits compilation; the third was named Envenenados (Poisoned). He also recorded a song entitled Encadenados (Chained (We Are)).
Gatica had important changes in his personal life after arriving in Mexico for the first time. He decided to become a permanent resident of that North American country, and married Puerto Rican actress Mapita Cortés, who had been a celebrity in Mexico (and Puerto Rico) for some years, and who also resided in Mexico. The couple had two sons named Luis and Alfredo. Luis went on to become a telenovela and rock star during the 1980s and Alfredo (Alfie) became a music entrepreneur. Gatica remarried an American woman and had one daughter named Lily, as well. One of Gatica's last known releases was 1963's Recuerdos de Amor (Memories of Love). He had seven children.
He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording.
Gatica Died in Mexico on November 13, 2018.
Encadenados
Lucho Gatica Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
quizas fuera mejor que me olvidaras,
volver es empezar a atormentarnos
a querernos para odiarnos
sin principio ni final.
Nos hemos hecho tanto tanto daño
que amor entre nosotros es martirio;
ni el olvido ni el delirio,
seguiremos siempre igual.
Cariño como el nuestro es un castigo
que se lleva en el alma hasta la muerte
mi suerte necesita de tu suerte
y tú me necesitas mucho más.
Por eso no habra nunca despedida
ni paz alguna habra de consolarnos
y el paso del dolor ha de encontrarnos
de rodillas en la vida frente a frente
y nada más.
Lucho Gatica's song, Encadenados tells the story of a couple that is chained to each other by the love that they once shared. The first verse sets the tone, suggesting that it might be better if the other person never returned, so that they could completely forget about each other. However, as the song progresses, it becomes clear that their love for each other is too strong to be ignored. Even though they have hurt each other so much that being together is difficult and painful, they are still drawn to each other.
The lyrics are particularly powerful in the second verse when they talk about the nature of their love as a "castigo" (punishment) that they have to bear until death. The use of this word indicates the deep emotional pain that has been caused by their love, but at the same time, it reveals that they cannot live without each other. The song explains that they need each other's fortune to ensure their own well-being. They are chained to each other and the pain they cause each other is something they will never escape from.
Overall, Encadenados is a melancholy song about two people who cannot live with or without each other. They are trapped in their love and will remain so until the end of their days.
Line by Line Meaning
Tal vez sería mejor que no volvieras
Maybe it would be better if you didn't come back
quizas fuera mejor que me olvidaras,
Maybe it would be better if you forgot about me
volver es empezar a atormentarnos
Returning is starting to torment us
a querernos para odiarnos
To love each other and then hate each other
sin principio ni final.
Without a beginning or an end
Nos hemos hecho tanto tanto daño
We have hurt each other so much
que amor entre nosotros es martirio;
That love between us is torture
jamás quiso llegar el desengaño
Disillusionment never wanted to come
ni el olvido ni el delirio,
Nor forgetfulness nor delirium
seguiremos siempre igual.
We will always continue like this
Cariño como el nuestro es un castigo
Our love is a punishment
que se lleva en el alma hasta la muerte
That we carry in our soul until death
mi suerte necesita de tu suerte
My luck needs your luck
y tú me necesitas mucho más.
And you need me much more
Por eso no habra nunca despedida
That's why there will never be a goodbye
ni paz alguna habra de consolarnos
Nor any peace to console us
y el paso del dolor ha de encontrarnos
And the passing of pain will find us
de rodillas en la vida frente a frente
On our knees in life face to face
y nada más.
And nothing more
Contributed by Charlie A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@CarlosAvila-et8ko
“Si sabes de donde vienes, sabes quien eres y a donde vas.”
Carlos A. Ávila Fdez
Empezaba yo a despuntar cuando en la ‘edad de oro’ de los 50s nuestra Cuba otrora brillaba como verdadera ‘tasa de oro’ en el mundo Occidental.
Desde que empecé a tener de razón y la con experiencia de oír diariamente la música en general de aquellos tiempos alegres y añorados, Lucho Gatica fue y es uno de mis preferidos intérpretes de ese género musical que llamamos ‘Bolero’.
Estos boleros nunca pasan de moda. ¡Allá los profanos en la materia!
Como dice el dicho de Lord Albert Tennyson (1809-1892); “Es mejor haber amado y haber perdido que jamas haber amado.”
Tíldenme de romántico varado en el pasado, pero estas canciones son poesías y poemas de realidades vividas o no.
@Mike16011
ENCADENADOS:
Tal vez, sería mejor que no volvieras.
Quizás, sería mejor que me olvidaras.
Volver, es empezar a atormentarnos;
a querernos para odiarnos,
sin principio ni final.
Nos hemos hecho tanto, tanto daño...,
que amar entre nosotros es un martirio.
Jamás quiso llegar el desengaño,
ni el olvido ni el delirio...
Seguiremos siempre igual.
Cariño como el nuestro es un castigo
que se lleva en el alma hasta la muerte.
Mi suerte, necesita de tu suerte,
y tú me necesitas mucho más.
Por eso, no habrá nunca despedida.
Ni paz alguna habrá de consolarnos.
Y el paso del dolor ha de encontrarnos
de rodillas en la vida,
frente a frente,
y nada mas.
@MauricioAguilar123
El AUTOR de esta canción es el mexicano CARLOS ARTURO BRIZ ; nació en Tuxpan, Veracruz el 23 de Noviembre de 1917 y murió el 10 de Mayo de 1973. Honor a quien honor merece.
@arturodelapena5039
CABALLERO Mauricio Aguilar, muchas gracias por información tan valiosa para los melómanos diletantes de su Majestad El Bolero. Felicidades !
@MauricioAguilar123
@@arturodelapena5039 .Amigo he escuchado ésta canción de autor mexicano con muchos cantantes famosos;hay una versión actualizada de una cantante española poco conocida pero que logra una buena interpretación emotiva con su voz y expresión facial;haber que le parece.
En YouTube así: "Jacaranda con las damas del bolero-Encadenados"
@andrestes3848
Es bueno saber quien es el compositor. Punto a parte no he escuchado nadie que cante mejor esta canción que Lucho Gatica. Honor a quien honor merece , el mejor intérprete de boleros que ha existido Don Lucho Gatica . Una leyenda que merece respeto .
@hombregato912
Muy cierto amigo sobre la autoría original de esta gran canción, pero la Gran voz de Gatica, la hace aún más genial.
@arturoruiz8078
Nadie la cantará como Gatica!
@patricialopezgomez8361
Yo soy fan al 100% de luis Miguel pero esta cancion no existe quien la cante mejor que el gran Lucho Gatica
@claudioc.vazquez3383
Excelencia absoluta... una voz prodigiosa y una letra incomparable. Aquí me trajo la película Entre Tinieblas de Pedro Almodóvar.
@cecywalks
X2
@lucyvoner824
Me pasó lo mismo..aquí estamos.( creí que era Rosamel.Araya)