Selena made her first public appearance at her father's Mexican restaurant in Lake Jackson at eight and recorded her first record at nine. Throughout her adolescence Selena was constantly on tour. She completed her education via correspondence courses. The singer signed with Capitol EMI in 1989, and released several albums with that label, including 1994's wildly popular 'Amor Prohibido'.
Chris Perez replaced Roger Garcia as guitar player. A romance budded between Perez and Selena, and the two married on April 2, 1992. Even as Selena's career skyrocketed she remained very close to her family, choosing to live next door to them in Corpus Christi.
Selena holds the record of drawing the biggest concert crowd in the history of the Houston Astrodome, for her February 1995 performance at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
The greatest irony in Selena's musical career is that she became a star singing in her second language. Her first language was English, not Spanish.
Aside from her singing, Selena was an avid clothing designer. Boutique shops with the Selena name opened in Corpus Christi and San Antonio in 1994. She also dabbled in acting, making a cameo in the Johnny Depp film 'Don Juan de Marco'.
A woman named Yolanda Saldívar worked her way into the singer's inner circle, becoming president of Selena's fan club and manager of the boutiques. In 1995 the Quintanillas found out Saldivar had embezzled money from these ventures and decided to fire her. Selena agreed to meet Saldivar at a Corpus Christi Days Inn on the morning of March 31, 1995 in order to retrieve paperwork for tax purposes. At the motel an argument ensued over the embezzlement and Saldivar shot the singer once in the back. Selena died within hours at a local hospital.
Selena's death shocked and saddened Tejano fans in Latin communities throughout the United States and in Mexico. Numerous vigils and memorials were held in the singer's honor. That summer her album 'Dreaming of You', a combination of Spanish language hits and new English language tracks, debuted at #1 on the Billboard music charts in the US.
In October of 1995 a Houston jury convicted Saldívar of murder and sentenced her to life in prison, with parole eligibility in thirty years.
There is a museum to honor Selena's memory and a bronze life-sized statue of her on Ocean Drive in Corpus Christi. In 1997, Jennifer Lopez played Selena in the movie of the same name. The movie became the basis in which Lopez rose to superstardom.
In December 2020, Netflix released "Selena: The Series", together with Selena's family in production, based on her life in childhood, before fame, her space in the music industry and her importance for the Latin scenary, played by Christian Serratos. The series contains 2 parts with 18 episodes in total. The second and final part was released in May 2021.
My Love
Selena Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't throw away my love
You are to me my greatest fantasy
Night after night
I wanted you to hold me tight
I want to be with you
You can make my dream come true
Only you can make my heart and soul brand new
My love
Don't throw away my love
My love
We can have an ever lasting love
I want to be all that you want me to be
Why can't you see just how much you mean to me?
I want to be with you
You can make my dream come true
Only you can make my heart and soul brand new
My love
Don't throw away my love
My love
We can have an ever lasting love
My love
Don't throw away my love
My love
We can have an ever lasting love
Don't throw away, don't throw away my love
Don't throw away, don't throw away my love
Don't throw away, don't throw away my love
Don't throw away, don't throw away my love
The song "My Love" by Selena is a compelling plea from someone who wants their love to be reciprocated. The lyrics express an intense desire to be held tight and to be with the person they love, and how they believe that person can make their dreams come true. They also express a willingness to do whatever it takes to be all that the other person wants them to be, and how much they mean to them. The line "Only you can make my heart and soul brand new" suggests that they feel incomplete without the other person, and that their love has the power to make them whole again.
Throughout the song, the chorus of "Don't throw away my love" is repeated multiple times, emphasizing the importance of not letting go of their love. The use of repetition creates a sense of urgency and desperation, as if the singer is afraid of losing the person they love.
The song's meaning is further emphasized by Selena's powerful vocals and the accompanying instrumentals. The use of a simple melody and instrumental backing allows Selena's voice to be the main focus of the song. Her unique voice brings a sense of longing and vulnerability to the lyrics, making the song even more emotional and compelling.
Line by Line Meaning
My love
This is a message to the singer's love interest.
Don't throw away my love
The singer is pleading with their love interest to not reject or ignore their love.
You are to me my greatest fantasy
The singer views their love interest as their ideal partner and dream come true.
Night after night
The singer has been thinking about their love interest incessantly, even at night.
I wanted you to hold me tight
The singer desires physical closeness and affection from their love interest.
I want to be with you
The singer desires a romantic relationship with their love interest.
You can make my dream come true
The singer believes that their love interest has the power to fulfill their deepest desires.
Only you can make my heart and soul brand new
The singer feels that their love interest has the ability to heal their emotional wounds and make them feel new again.
We can have an ever lasting love
The singer believes that a lasting and fulfilling relationship is possible with their love interest.
I want to be all that you want me to be
The singer is willing to change and adapt to meet their love interest's expectations and desires.
Why can't you see just how much you mean to me?
The singer is questioning their love interest's lack of understanding or acknowledgement of their love and devotion.
Don't throw away, don't throw away my love
The singer is repeating their plea to not reject their love.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: A.B. Quintanilla, III
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind