He was the youngest of five children, the son of flamenco guitarist Antonio Sánchez, and brother of flamenco singer Pepe de Lucía and flamenco guitarist Ramón de Algeciras, he adopted the stage name Paco de Lucía in honor of his Portuguese mother, Lucía Gomes.
In 1958, at age 11, de Lucía made his first public appearance on Radio Algeciras, and a year later he was awarded a special prize in the Jerez flamenco competition. In 1961, he toured with the flamenco troupe of dancer José Greco. In 1964, de Lucía met Madrilenian guitarist Ricardo Modrego with whom he recorded three albums: Dos guitarras flamencas, Dos guitarras flamencas en stereo, and 12 canciones de Garcia Lorca para guitarra. Between 1968 and 1977, he enjoyed a fruitful collaboration with fellow New Flamenco innovator Camarón de la Isla. The two recorded 10 albums together.
In 1979, de Lucía, John McLaughlin and Larry Coryell formed "The Guitar Trio" and together made a brief tour of Europe and released a video recorded at London's Royal Albert Hall entitled Meeting of Spirits. Coryell was later replaced by Al Di Meola, and since 1981, the trio have recorded three albums under that line-up. His own band, the Paco de Lucía Sextet (which includes his brothers Ramón and Pepe) released the first of their three albums that same year. He has released several albums encompassing both traditional and modern flamenco styles. Through his wide discography he has given rise to a new way of understanding flamenco and has advanced the technical and musical boundaries of his instrument. The University of Cadiz recognized de Lucía's musical and cultural contributions by conferring on him the title of Doctor Honoris Causa on March 23, 2007.
Until asked to perform and interpret Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez in 1991, de Lucía was not proficient at reading musical notation. As a flamenco guitarist, de Lucía claimed in Paco de Lucía. Light and Shade: A Portrait that he gave greater emphasis to rhythmical accuracy in his interpretation of the Concierto at the expense of the perfect tone preferred by classical guitarists. Joaquín Rodrigo declared that no one had ever played his composition in such a brilliant manner.
Paco de Lucía died on 26 Feb 2014 due to a heart attack. He was 66 years old.
Solo Quiero Caminar
Paco de Lucía Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
como corre la lluvia en el cristal,
como camina el río hacia la mar.
larairo rairo......
Yo sólo quiero caminar
como corre la lluvia en el cristal,
como camina el río hacia la mar.
Repican tocando al alba
la torre de las campanas
Repican tocando al alba
la torre de las campanas
y un rayo de sol alumbra
la escarcha de la mañana
y al gurugú, y al gurugú ....
Yo sólo quiero caminar
como corre la lluvia en el cristal,
como camina el río hacia la mar.
larairo rairo......
The lyrics of Paco de Lucía's song "Sólo Quiero Caminar" express a deep desire for freedom and movement, for letting go of any kind of constraint and following the flow of nature. The first and main verse "Yo sólo quiero caminar, como corre la lluvia en el cristal, como camina el río hacia la mar" sets the tone for the whole song, as it repeats again and again throughout the piece, evoking a sense of steady, almost meditative motion. The comparison to raindrops running down a window or a river streaming towards the sea is significant, as it implies a natural and effortless movement, like the one that nature itself embodies.
The second verse brings in the idea of a new day, with the tolling of the bells marking the sunrise and the warmth of the sun breaking through the morning frost. The repetition of the expression "y al gurugú" at the end of the verse can be read as a sonic representation of the bells ringing, adding another layer of musicality to the text. Overall, the song conveys a sense of fluidity and ease, and it can resonate with listeners on different levels, from a literal interpretation of the lyrics as a longing for travel and adventure, to a more metaphorical reading as a quest for inner peace and authenticity.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo sólo quiero caminar
I simply want to walk aimlessly
como corre la lluvia en el cristal
Like rain gliding down a windowpane
como camina el río hacia la mar
Like a river flowing towards the sea
larairo rairo......
vocables
Repican tocando al alba
The church bells chime at dawn
la torre de las campanas
From the tower of the bells
Repican tocando al alba
The church bells chime at dawn
la torre de las campanas
From the tower of the bells
y un rayo de sol alumbra
And a ray of sunshine illuminates
la escarcha de la mañana
The frost of the morning
y al gurugú, y al gurugú ....
And to the gurugú rhythm
Contributed by Grace R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@romana315
Tuve la fortuna de asistir a uno de sus conciertos.... Magico alucinante... Gracias por tanto Paco.. Dios te tenga en la gloria..!
@Daniel_Silva3
Que amigo afortunado
@carolinagarzao
Lo que mas me llena de alegría es verlos comunicándose entre miradas , tanta pasión y tanto arte, las sonrisas llenas de júbilo y el cante desde lo profundo del alma. Escuchar esto alegra la vida si andas apagado.
@joseplleberia8930
Minuto 5:30.... Intensidad pura en la mirada.... Es de lo más brutal que he visto. Cierto que tengo devoción por Paco. El disfrute de ver un genio en acción no tiene palabras, ellos lo sienten y te lo hacen sentir. Bárbaro.
@CarlosEduardo-kf4zk
Carolinagarzao, verdad
@marcialfernandezromero9303
Cierto, hermano!!
@jhonsonspears6870
Tengo 53 lo escucho y veo desde muy chico. Soy apasionado por el verdadero arte instrumental. Y Paco de Lucía cuando ejecuta el instrumento junto con estos profesionales de la música deja a aquellos que amamos el verdadero arte de la música en éxtasis.
@marcialfernandezromero9303
Qué bonito. Es como coger una noche clara de Verano y dormirte con la luna y encargarle a las estrellas que te despierten con canciones de bellos recuerdos!!
@-bepyandfriends
Meraviglioso ! Grande Paco, un mago della chitarra. 🎸Grazie Spagna per questo incredibile artista.
Saluti dall'italia.
@mehmetmutluoglu1542
I consider myself as a sacred man since I had a chance to listen to his live concert including also this song. May he rest in peace.