Portuondo was born in October 1930 in Havana, one of three sisters; her mother came from a wealthy Spanish family, and had created a scandal by running off with and marrying a black professional baseball player. Omara started her career in 1945 as a dancer at Havana's Tropicana Club (following her older sister, Haydee). The two sisters used to sing for family and friends, however, and after a brief time in a band called Loquibambla Swing, in 1952 they got together with two friends (Elena Bourke and Moraima Secada) and formed the singing group Cuarteto las d'Aida, backed by pianist Aida Diestro. The group had considerable success, touring the United States, performing with Nat King Cole at the Tropicana, and recording an album for RCA Victor.
In 1959 Portuondo recorded a solo album, Magia Negra, involving both jazz and Cuban music. This didn't, however, mark the beginning of a solo career, and although Haydee left the group in 1961, Omara continued singing with Cuarteto las d'Aida until 1967.
In 1967 Portuondo embarked on a solo career, and in the same year represented Cuba at the Sopot Festival in Poland, singing Juanito Marquez' "Como un Milagro". Alongside her solo work, in the 1970s she sang with charanga band Orquestra Aragon, and toured with them.
In 1974 she recorded, with guitarist Martin Rojas, what would become one of her most critically acclaimed albums in which she sings praises to Salvador Allende and the people of Chile a year after the military coup led by General Augusto Pinochet. Among many other hits from the album, she also praises the work of Ernesto "Che" Guevara in the beautiful "Hasta Siempre".
During the 1970s and 1980s Portuonda enjoyed considerable success at home and abroad, with tours, albums (including one of her most lauded recordings in 1984 with Adalberto Alvarez), film rôles, and her own television series. Her international profile was due to soar, however, in 1996.
Portuondo sang (duetting with Compay Segundo) on the album Buena Vista Social Club in 1996. This led, not only to more touring (including playing at Carnegie Hall with the Buena Vista troupe) and her appearance in Wim Wenders' film The Buena Vista Social Club, but to two further albums for the World Circuit label: Buena Vista Social Club Presents Omara Portuondo (2000) and Flor de Amor (2004). In July 2005 she presented a symphonic concert of her most important repertoire at the Berlin Festival Classic Open Air am Gendarmenmarkt for an audience of 7,000. The entire program was specially orchestrated by Roberto Sánchez Ferrer, a colleague with whom she had worked during her early years at Havana's Tropicana Club. Scott Lawton conducted the Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg.
Gracias
Omara Portuondo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Quiero agradecer a quien corresponda
Why a nosotros dos el premio a la audacia
Por entrar al mar por la parte más honda
Tiempo al tiempo al tiempo
Cada huella irá encontrando su arena
Cada beso deteniendo un momento
Yo quiero dar la noticia
Yo quiero gritar que me quieres a los cuatro vientos
No quiero guardarme lo que siento
Los relojes se detuvieron en aquel corredor vacío
Yo te vi llegar flotando a un palmo del suelo
Tus labios rumbo a los míos
Nunca digas nunca
Todo pasa en el momento menos pensado
No pensé que fuera a oir tu pregunta
Ni a tu corazón latiendo a mi lado
Yo quiero dar la noticia
Yo quiero gritar que me quieres a los cuatro vientos
No quiero guardarme lo que siento
Gracias, gracias, gracias
Quiero agradecer a quien corresponda
Why a nosotros dos el premio a la audacia
Por entrar al mar por la parte más honda
Tiempo al tiempo al tiempo
Cada huella irá encontrando su arena
Cada beso deteniendo un momento
Why cada canción matando una pena
Yo quiero dar la noticia
Yo quiero gritar que me quieres a los cuatro vientos
No quiero guardarme lo que siento
Gracias, gracias, gracias
Gracias, gracias, gracias
Gracias, gracias, gracias
Gracias, gracias, gracias
In Omara Portuondo's song, "Gracias," the singer expresses gratitude to someone for a bold decision they made that allowed them to dive into the deep part of the sea. She also talks about the passage of time and how it allows every footprint to find its sand, every kiss to hold a moment, and every song to take away a pain. She wants to make an announcement and shout out about her love to the whole world, and not keep her feelings to herself. She talks about a moment frozen in time where she saw her lover arrive, floating just above the ground, and she felt his lips move towards hers. She concludes by saying that anything can happen, and that everything has its time, as she expresses her gratitude once again.
The song "Gracias" won the 2009 Latin Grammy Award for Best Tropical Song, proving the song's emotional impact on listeners. It was released in Omara Portuondo's album "Gracias," in which she gave credit to several well-known Latin American singers and songwriters. The album was widely celebrated, with many critics and fans saying that it represented the rich culture of Latin America.
Line by Line Meaning
Gracias, gracias, gracias
Expressing gratitude multiple times
Quiero agradecer a quien corresponda
Wanting to thank the person who deserves it
Por entrar al mar por la parte más honda
Thankful for taking a risk and going deep into the sea
Tiempo al tiempo al tiempo
Everything happens in due time
Cada huella irá encontrando su arena
Every step will find its place
Cada beso deteniendo un momento
Each kiss capturing a moment in time
Why cada canción matando una pena
Every song erasing a pain
Yo quiero dar la noticia
Wanting to share some news
Yo quiero gritar que me quieres a los cuatro vientos
Wanting to shout out that you love someone to the whole world
No quiero guardarme lo que siento
Not wanting to keep feelings bottled up
Los relojes se detuvieron en aquel corredor vacío
A moment in time stood still in an empty hallway
Yo te vi llegar flotando a un palmo del suelo
I saw you arrive, seemingly soaring just above the ground
Tus labios rumbo a los míos
Your lips headed towards mine
Nunca digas nunca
Never say never
Todo pasa en el momento menos pensado
Everything happens when you least expect it
No pensé que fuera a oir tu pregunta
I didn't expect to hear your question
Ni a tu corazón latiendo a mi lado
Nor your heart beating next to mine
Gracias, gracias, gracias
Expressing gratitude multiple times
Por entrar al mar por la parte más honda
Thankful for taking a risk and going deep into the sea
Cada huella irá encontrando su arena
Every step will find its place
Cada beso deteniendo un momento
Each kiss capturing a moment in time
Why cada canción matando una pena
Every song erasing a pain
Yo quiero dar la noticia
Wanting to share some news
Yo quiero gritar que me quieres a los cuatro vientos
Wanting to shout out that you love someone to the whole world
No quiero guardarme lo que siento
Not wanting to keep feelings bottled up
Gracias, gracias, gracias
Expressing gratitude multiple times
Gracias, gracias, gracias
Expressing gratitude multiple times
Gracias, gracias, gracias
Expressing gratitude multiple times
Gracias, gracias, gracias
Expressing gratitude multiple times
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JORGE ABNER DREXLER, JORGE ABNER DREXLER PRADA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Innocent Gomez
Cuando la bossa nova no estaba aún de moda ya se cantaba en Cuba. Y el jazz también, de toda la vida. Grande Omara, grande Cuba. Que se lo digan a otro grande de la música : Chico Buarque.
Maria martinez
Le regale este CD a una persona que creía especial y hoy me arrepiento. 🙁
Rojas93 -
Dios mío que exquisitez.👍👍👍
Daniel Poder
Tal como dice Rojas93 qué exquisitez!!!!!!
María Virginia Hoyos
Gracias a Quién con Amabilidad me ayudó a atravesar un borde!
Viviana Velásquez
😍
Monika
q dulzura....
Juan José Feliz
Linda