Muniz was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Since he was a small boy, he showed musical talent, specifically as a romantic singer. He joined a trio and moved to Ciudad Juarez at age thirteen. He traveled extensively around Mexico, combining his singing assignments with odd jobs (he worked at a bakery once) and even became the valet for Libertad Lamarque and Benny Moré until he settled in Mexico City and organized a trio.
Muniz's first album was a tribute to singers of other eras. It was titled "Aquellas Canciones!" ("Those (old) Songs!"), and it was released in 1946. That was the first of close to 80 albums, all of which he recorded under the BMG or RCA Internacional labels.
During the 1960s, Muniz recorded his first solo albums, which became hits all over Latin America. He eventually moved back to Guadalajara, where he still lives.
In 1965, he began an uninterrupted streak of years traveling to Puerto Rico's Caribe Hilton Hotel in San Juan around Christmas, to offer concerts there (at one time, Muñiz claimed he was such a regular at the hotel that could figure out his way out of any of the hotel's suites and out of the facility blindfolded). This lasted close to thirty years. Muñiz has since returned for yearly shows at the Caribe Hilton, this time around Mother's Day.
In 1967 he was playing a hotel nightclub in Caracas, Venezuela, and left the facility during one of his breaks. A bomb exploded at the nightclub, demolishing the stage and killing various musicians. Muñiz escaped unharmed.
Muñiz's concerts are usually held in the more private atmosphere of hotel salons, but he has also performed at large stadiums and coliseums throughout his career.
Among the albums recorded by Muniz are "Marco Antonio Muniz con Los Trovadores del Caribe" ("Marco Antonio Muniz with The Trovadores del Caribe") which was his fourth album, "Mi Novia es Guadalajara!" ("Guadalajara is my Girlfriend!"), which was his fifth, "Salsa a la Manera de..." ("Salsa, Marco Antonio's Way...", which represented his first foray into the Salsa rhythm), 1991's "Mi Borinquen Querido" ("My Dear Borinquen", where he played homage to Puerto Rican autochthonous music), a 1993 dedication to Pedro Infante, and a 1997 album and CD which was dedicated to Jose Alfredo Jimenez.
Apart from his multiple albums and concerts, Muniz has also appeared several times on television shows across Latin America, but, especially, in his native Mexico and his beloved Puerto Rico.
His son, "Coque Muñiz" is also a very famous Mexican entertainment personality, as a show host and comedian at various Televisa television shows.
Puerto Rican singer Marc Anthony (real name: Marco Antonio Muniz) was named Marco Antonio by his father after Marco Antonio Muniz. Anthony changed his name to the artistic name of Marc Anthony in order to prevent public confusion between him and the Mexican singer. In addition, New York State Senator, Jose Marco Serrano was given his middle name as a tribute to Marco Antonio Muniz. Both Marc Anthony's and Senator Serrano's parents are Puerto Rican.
Lamento Borincano
Marco Antonio Muñiz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lleva en su pensamiento todo un mundo lleno de felicidad, ¡ay! de felicidad.
Piensa remediar la situación del hogar que es toda su ilusión así.
Y alegre, el jibarito va cantando así, diciendo así, pensando así por el camino,
Si yo vendo la carga, mi Dios querido, un traje a mi viejita voy a comprar.
Y alegre, también su yegua va al presentir que su cantar es todo un himno de alegría,
Pasa la mañana entera sin que nadie quiera su carga comprar, ¡ay! su carga comprar.
Todo, todo está desierto, el pueblo esta desierto de necesidad, ¡ay! de necesidad.
Se oye este lamento por doquier, en mi desdichada Borinquen sí.
Y triste, el jibarito va, pensando así, diciendo así, llorando así por el camino,
Qué será de Borinquen mi Dios querido, qué será de mis hijos y de mi hogar.
Borinquen, la tierra del Edén, la que al cantar, el gran Gautier, llamó la Perla de los Mares,
Ahora que tú te mueres con tus pensares, déjame que te cante yo también.
Yoooo, tambiéeeeeeeen.
The lyrics of Marco Antonio Muñiz's song "Lamento Borincano" describe the journey of a jibarito (a rural Puerto Rican man) to the city to sell his cargo, hoping to purchase a dress for his wife. The jibarito is full of joy and optimism, imagining the happiness his earnings will bring to his family. However, upon arriving in the city, he finds no one interested in his goods, and the whole town is filled with poverty and struggle. The jibarito's mood changes rapidly from joy to sadness as he contemplates the future of his beloved Borinquen (Puerto Rico) and his own family.
The song is a lament for the economic struggles and poverty suffered by Puerto Ricans, particularly those living in rural areas. It is a reflection of the hardship and struggle that many Puerto Ricans face on a daily basis, and the optimism and hope that is often necessary to overcome these struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
Sale, loco de contento con su cargamento para la ciudad, ¡ay! para la ciudad.
He sets off ecstatically with his goods for the city, oh, for the city.
Lleva en su pensamiento todo un mundo lleno de felicidad, ¡ay! de felicidad.
Carrying a world full of happiness in his thoughts, oh, of happiness.
Piensa remediar la situación del hogar que es toda su ilusión así.
He thinks of resolving his home's situation, which is his whole aspiration, like this.
Y alegre, el jibarito va cantando así, diciendo así, pensando así por el camino, Si yo vendo la carga, mi Dios querido, un traje a mi viejita voy a comprar.
Happy, the peasant sings, speaks, and thinks like this on the way: If I sell my goods, my dear God, I will buy a dress for my little old lady.
Y alegre, también su yegua va al presentir que su cantar es todo un himno de alegría, Y en eso le sorprende la luz del día y llegan al mercado de la ciudad.
His mare also goes cheerfully, sensing that his singing is a festive anthem. In this moment, daylight surprises them, and they arrive at the marketplace in the city.
Pasa la mañana entera sin que nadie quiera su carga comprar, ¡ay! su carga comprar.
The entire morning goes by without anyone wanting to buy his goods, oh, his goods.
Todo, todo está desierto, el pueblo esta desierto de necesidad, ¡ay! de necesidad.
Everything, everything is deserted, the town is deserted from dire need, oh, from need.
Se oye este lamento por doquier, en mi desdichada Borinquen sí.
This lament is heard everywhere, in my hapless Borinquen, yes.
Y triste, el jibarito va, pensando así, diciendo así, llorando así por el camino, Qué será de Borinquen mi Dios querido, qué será de mis hijos y de mi hogar.
And sadly, the peasant goes, thinking like this, speaking like this, crying like this on the way, What will become of Borinquen, my dear God, what will become of my children and my home.
Borinquen, la tierra del Edén, la que al cantar, el gran Gautier, llamó la Perla de los Mares, Ahora que tú te mueres con tus pensares, déjame que te cante yo también. Yoooo, tambiéeeeeeeen.
Borinquen, land of Eden, which the great Gautier called the Pearl of the Seas when he sang about it. Now that you are dying with all your thoughts, let me also sing for you. Me too, yeeees.
Writer(s): Rafael Hernandez
Contributed by Maya T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.