María del Rocío Trinidad Mohedano Jurado September 18, 1944 – June 1, 2006)… Read Full Bio ↴María del Rocío Trinidad Mohedano Jurado September 18, 1944 – June 1, 2006) was a Spanish singer and actress. She was born in Chipiona, Cádiz, Spain and was nicknamed "La más grande" ("The Greatest"). Jurado was once married to boxer Pedro Carrasco, with whom she had a daughter, Rocío Carrasco. Divorced, she married bullfighter José Ortega Cano, and they adopted two children, Gloria Camila and José Fernando. In 2001, Pedro Carrasco died of cardiorespiratory failure

Career
Jurado began performing flamenco at a very young age, debuting on the big screen in 1962 with Los guerrilleros, acting alongside Manolo Escobar. She also played a main role in 1966's Proceso a una estrella and 1971's Una chica casi decente. While temporarily living in Argentina, the Spanish diva participated in a successful musical called La zapatera prodigiosa, based on Federico García Lorca's work. After teaming with composer Manuel Alejandro, Rocío Jurado became a major and beloved figure on the Latin music scene, acclaimed throughout America and Spain after releasing Muera el amor and Señora, among other hits.

Illness
In 2004, Jurado was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer for which she was treated in Houston, Texas in 2006. In April 2006, she was also treated for acute liver failure in a hospital in Madrid, Spain. On May 26, 2006, Spain's Culture Minister Carmen Calvo announced that Jurado had suffered a stroke, an assertion denied by Jurado's personal physician Dr. Domingo and by her brother and manager Amador Mohedano. She died at 5:15 in the morning on June 1st, 2006, at her home in La Moraleja, Madrid, aged 61. She is buried in her hometown, Chipiona, Cadiz, in the San José Cemetery.

Cantaba José
Rocío Jurado Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Descansando al lado de un pozo,
A la sombra de un ciprés,
A la sombra de un ciprés,
Los pastores se han parado
Antes de llegar a Belén;
Antes de llegar a Belén.

Cantaba José,

María lavaba
Tendiendo los trapos
Pa que se secaran.
Pa que se secaran,
Pa que se secaran,
El Niño dormía,
José le cantaba.

Una pareja de ángeles
Llegaron a toda prisa;
Llegaron a toda prisa
A ver al Niño Divino
Y a darle los buenos días,
Y a darle los buenos días.

Estando todos los pastores
Haciendo de centinela,
Haciendo de centinela;
Adorando al Rey del Cielo
Sobre su cuna más bella,
Sobre su cuna más bella.

Con su Niño en la rodilla,
José le estaba cantando,
José le estaba cantando,
Mientras María lavaba

En un arroyo cercano,
En un arroyo cercano.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Rocío Jurado's song "Cantaba José" depict a peaceful and idyllic scene of shepherds resting next to a well and a cypress tree before reaching Bethlehem. As the shepherds contemplate their journey thus far, Joseph sings to the baby Jesus while Mary washes his clothes and hangs them out to dry. The song highlights the simplicity and humility of the holy family's surroundings and their daily routines, painting a picture of a tender and loving family taking care of their newborn child.

The arrival of a pair of angels adds to the awe and wonder of the situation, as they hasten to greet the divine infant and wish him good morning. Meanwhile, the shepherds stand guard, worshiping the King of Heaven as he lies in his beautiful cradle. Joseph continues singing to the baby on his lap, while Mary tends to household tasks nearby. Overall, the song conveys a sense of peace, harmony, and gratitude for the miraculous birth of Jesus, and the love and care surrounding him.

Line by Line Meaning

Descansando al lado de un pozo,
Resting beside a well,

A la sombra de un ciprés,
In the shade of a cypress tree,

Los pastores se han parado
The shepherds have stopped,

Antes de llegar a Belén;
Before arriving at Bethlehem;

Cantaba José,
José was singing,

María lavaba
Mary was washing,

Tendiendo los trapos
Hanging the clothes

Pa que se secaran.
So they could dry.

El Niño dormía,
The baby was sleeping,

José le cantaba.
José was singing to him.

Una pareja de ángeles
A pair of angels