Lopez made his name on the club circuit of the Southwestern United States before being 'discovered' in 1962 playing at the club PJ's in Hollywood, California, by record producer Don Costa. Costa was taken with Lopez's latinized versions of contemporary hits and signed him up to Frank Sinatra's record label, Reprise Records. His debut album, Trini Lopez Live at PJ's, was released in 1963. The album included a version of If I Had a Hammer, which reached number one in 36 countries (No. 3 in the United States) and was a radio favorite for many years. He also performed his own version of the traditional Mexican song La Bamba on the album; his recording of the tune was later re-issued as a single in 1966.
His popularity led the Gibson Guitar Corporation to ask him in 1964 to design a guitar for them. He ended up designing two: The Trini Lopez Standard, a rock and roll model based on the Gibson ES-335 semi-hollow body, and the Lopez Deluxe, a variation of a Gibson jazz guitar designed by Barney Kessel. Both of these guitars were in production from 1964 until 1971 and are now highly sought after amongst collectors. Some owners of the guitar include Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters and Noel Gallagher of Oasis.
He scored 13 chart singles through 1968, including "Lemon Tree" (1965), "I'm Comin' Home, Cindy" (1966) and "Sally Was a Good Old Girl" (1968). On the adult contemporary chart, he ranked up 15 hits, including the Top 10 singles "Michael" (1964), "Gonna Get Along Without Ya' Now" (1967) and "The Bramble Bush" (1967). Beyond his success on record, he became one of the country's top nightclub performers of that era, regularly headlining in Las Vegas, Nevada.
During the 1960s and 1970s Lopez moved into acting, though his film career was not as successful as his music. His first film role was in Marriage on the Rocks (1965), in which he made a cameo appearance in a nightclub scene; Lopez's soundtrack song, "Sinner Man", became a hit single (No. 54 pop/No. 12 adult contemporary). He was one of The Dirty Dozen (1967) and starred in Antonio (1973). He made two appearances (playing different characters) on the television program, Adam 12. He continued his musical career with extensive tours of Europe and Latin America during this period; an attempt to break out by releasing a disco album in 1978 proved a flop.
Since then, Lopez has done charitable work and received honors such as being inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2003. He was still recording and appearing live in the early 2000s. Recently he took part in a benefit concert to raise money for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.
La Malagueña
Trini Lopez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Debajo de esas dos cejas
Debajo de esas dos cejas
Qué Bonitos Ojos Tienes.
Ellos Me Quieren Mirar
Pero Si Tú No Los Dejas
Pero Si Tú No Los Dejas
Malagueña Salerosa
Besar Tus Labios Quisiera
Besar Tus Labios Quisiera
Malagueña Salerosa.
Y Decirte, Niña Hermo... sa.
Que Eres Li... nda y Hechizera
Que Eres Linda y Hechizera
Como El Cándor De Una Rosa.
Si Por Pobre Me Desprecias
Yo Te Concedo Razón
Yo Te Concedo Razón
Si Por Pobre Me Desprecias
Yo No Te Ofrezco Riquezas
Te Ofrezco Mi Corazón
Te Ofrezco Mi Corazón
A Cambio De Mi Pobreza.
Malagueña Salerosa
Besar Tus Labios Quisiera
Besar Tus Labios Quisiera
Malagueña Salerosa.
Y Decirte, Niña Hermo... sa.
Que Eres Li... nda y Hechizera
Que Eres Linda y Hechizera
Como El Cándor De Una Rosa.
Como El Cándor De Una Rosa.
The song "La Malagueña" is a traditional Mexican folk song known for its passionate lyrics and beautiful melody. Trini Lopez's rendition of the song adds a modern twist with his powerful vocals and guitar playing.
The song opens with the singer admiring the beauty of the woman he is addressing, specifically commenting on her "beautiful eyes" beneath her eyebrows. He notes that her eyes want to look at him, but if she doesn't allow it, he won't even be able to blink. The second verse is where the song title comes into play, as the singer calls the woman a "Malagueña Salerosa" (a term of endearment meaning "charming woman from Malaga") and expresses his desire to kiss her lips and tell her how beautiful and enchanting she is, like the purity of a rose.
The third verse takes a more somber turn as the singer admits that he may be looked down upon because of his poverty, but he offers his heart in return for the woman's love. He acknowledges that she may have reason to despise him for his lack of wealth, but he hopes that she will accept his love and devotion instead.
Overall, "La Malagueña" is a passionate ode to love and desire, with traditional Mexican elements woven throughout.
Line by Line Meaning
Qué Bonitos Ojos Tienes Debajo de esas dos cejas
Your eyes are incredibly beautiful, hidden beneath those two eyebrows.
Ellos Me Quieren Mirar Pero Si Tú No Los Dejas Ni Siquiera Parpadear.
Your eyes want to look at mine, but you won't let them even blink.
Malagueña Salerosa Besar Tus Labios Quisiera
My heart longs to feel your lips, Malagueña Salerosa.
Y Decirte, Niña Hermo... sa. Que Eres Li... nda y Hechizera
You are a lovely and enchanting girl, with the beauty and magic of a rose.
Si Por Pobre Me Desprecias Yo Te Concedo Razón
If you despise me for being poor, I understand.
Yo No Te Ofrezco Riquezas Te Ofrezco Mi Corazón A Cambio De Mi Pobreza.
I have nothing to offer but my heart, and I offer it in exchange for my poverty.
Como El Cándor De Una Rosa.
Like the radiance of a rose.
Writer(s): CELEDONIO ROMERO
Contributed by Chloe V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.