She was born in Chipiona, Cádiz, Spain and was nicknamed "The Greatest".
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.
You can read more about Rocío Jurado in Wikipedia.
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article in English Wikipedia
Carcelera
Rocio Jurado Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dicen que de El Coronil,
Con unos ojos rajaos
Y al mirarme enloquecí.
Sombrero negro, faja de oro,
Metío en años, pero galán,
Duro y valiente para los toros,
En el Café de la Aurora,
Donde cenamos los dos,
La voz de una cantaora
En un cante me avisó:
Carcelera, ay, carcelera,
La del color bronceao,
Morenita y con ojeras
De terciopelo morao.
Apártalo de tu vera,
Porque es un hombre casao,
Y, si dejas que te quiera,
Lo vas a hacé un desgraciao.
¡Carcelera, ay, carcelera!
No me importó de la gente,
Ni lo que hablaron de mí,
Que me importó solamente
Su cariño compartir.
Pero una noche de luna llena,
Cuando en mi reja me hablaba él,
Sentí mi arma de angustia llena
Al ver la sombra de su mujer.
—Vengo aquí por lo que es mío—
Arrodillá me pidió.
Le juré darlo al olvío
Y ahora ya no escucho yo:
Apártame de tu vera,
Que soy un hombre casao,
Y, si dejas que te quiera,
Me vas a hacé un desgraciao.
¡Carcelera, ay, carcelera!
The lyrics of Rocío Jurado's song Carcelera revolve around the central theme of a forbidden love affair. The singer falls for a handsome and charming man, who is not only older than her but also married. This man is introduced in the first verse as being a tostao, meaning dark-skinned, and hailing from El Coronil. The singer describes his striking eyes that mesmerize her. The description of the man's clothing adds to his charm, with his black hat and gold sash, and his reputation as a brave bullfighter.
The scene shifts to the Cafe de la Aurora, where the singer and the man meet to share a meal. Here, the singer hears a cantaora singing a song about a woman who is referred to as Carcelera. The song warns women to stay away from men who are married as it will only bring them misfortune. The singer pays no heed to this warning and continues her relationship with the man despite the societal disapproval.
However, in the last verse, we see the consequences of their actions catch up to them. The man's wife discovers their relationship and confronts the singer. The singer promises to walk away and forget about the man, and in doing so, she becomes the Carcelera herself. The song culminates with the chorus repeating the warning of the cantaora not to fall in love with married men.
Line by Line Meaning
Era moreno tostao,
He was a sun-tanned brunette,
Dicen que de El Coronil,
They say he’s from El Coronil,
Con unos ojos rajaos
With some slashed eyes
Y al mirarme enloquecí.
And looking at me drove me crazy.
Sombrero negro, faja de oro,
Black hat, golden sash,
Metío en años, pero galán,
He’s getting older, but he’s still dapper,
Duro y valiente para los toros,
He’s tough and brave in the corrida,
Pa las mujeres, como un Don Juan.
For women, he’s like a Don Juan.
En el Café de la Aurora,
At the Café de la Aurora,
Donde cenamos los dos,
Where we both had dinner,
La voz de una cantaora
The voice of a singer
En un cante me avisó:
Warned me with a song:
Carcelera, ay, carcelera,
Jailer, oh, jailer,
La del color bronceao,
The bronze-colored one,
Morenita y con ojeras
Little brunette with dark circles,
De terciopelo morao.
Purple velvet clothes.
Apártalo de tu vera,
Keep him away from you,
Porque es un hombre casao,
Because he’s a married man,
Y, si dejas que te quiera,
And if you let him love you,
Lo vas a hacé un desgraciao.
He’ll ruin you.
¡Carcelera, ay, carcelera!
Jailer, oh, jailer!
No me importó de la gente,
I didn’t care about people,
Ni lo que hablaron de mí,
Or what they said about me,
Que me importó solamente
I just cared about
Su cariño compartir.
Sharing his affection.
Pero una noche de luna llena,
But one night under the full moon,
Cuando en mi reja me hablaba él,
When he spoke to me through my bars,
Sentí mi arma de angustia llena
I felt my pain-filled heart
Al ver la sombra de su mujer.
When I saw his wife’s shadow.
—Vengo aquí por lo que es mío—
I came here for what’s mine,
Arrodillá me pidió.
He asked me on his knees.
Le juré darlo al olvío
I promised to forget him,
Y ahora ya no escucho yo:
And now I don’t hear:
Apártame de tu vera,
Stay away from me,
Que soy un hombre casao,
Because I’m a married man,
Y, si dejas que te quiera,
And if you let me love you,
Me vas a hacé un desgraciao.
I’ll ruin you.
¡Carcelera, ay, carcelera!
Jailer, oh, jailer!
Contributed by Scarlett H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rosemary Rocha
OLE Y OLE DESDE AUSTRALIA
JOSE CELESTINO FERNANDEZ MENDEZ
La voz de la copla