Yanni is a self-taught pianist who began his musical interest by giving recitals for family members, though he had no formal training and could not read a note. At the age of 18, he attended the University of Minnesota, having moved out of his native Greek to immerse himself into American culture. While a student there, Yanni joined an up-and-coming local group called Chameleon where he met drummer Charlie Adams. Chameleon earned some modest commercial success touring throughout the Midwest. After receiving a B.A. in psychology, Yanni determined that sought a life in music, making it his life's work.
He moved to California in pursuit of opportunities to work on movie soundtrack works. His first solo album, titled 'Optimystique', was recorded in 1980, and it showed his debt to instrumental electronic music of the past as well as other styles such as jazz, smooth pop, and the like. The album saw a general release in 1984. In 1987, he put together a small band which included John Tesh and Charlie Adams, and began touring to promote his earliest works. Other examples of his albums in his early days include 1986's 'Keys to Imagination' and 1987's 'Out of Silence', both of which have recieved retrospective critical acclaim.
The tail end of the 80s saw Yanni's career start to kick into high gear, a result of his determination in promoting his iconic sound. In 1992, Dare to Dream was released. It was Yanni’s first Grammy-nominated album and featured "Aria", a song based on The Flower Duet and popularized by an award-winning British Airways commercial. A second Grammy-nominated album, In My Time, was released in 1993. His music has been used extensively in television and televised sporting events, including the Super Bowl, Wide World of Sports, Tour de France, World Figure Skating Championships, The Olympics, and ABC News.
Yanni's breakthrough commercial success came with the release of his album and video, Yanni Live at the Acropolis, filmed on September 23, 1993 at the 2,000-year-old Herod Atticus Theater in Athens and released in 1994. This was Yanni’s first live album and utilized a full orchestra under the supervision of the Iranian conductor, Shahrdad Rohani, in addition to his core band. Subsequently, the concert was broadcast in 65 countries and seen by half a billion people. It has almost continuously remained on the charts since its release and is the second best-selling music video of all time, selling more than 7 million copies worldwide. A composition from this album, "Acroyali/Standing in Motion", was determined to have the "Mozart Effect," by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine because it is similar to Mozart's K 448 in tempo, structure, melodic and harmonic consonance and predictability.
In March 1997, Yanni became one of the few Western artists permitted to perform and record at the Taj Mahal in India. Later that year he performed at the Forbidden City in China. From these two events he created his next live album and video, Tribute, which was released in 1997. Armen Anassian, Conductor, concedes that he had some doubts about the artist's plans to perform at India's Taj Mahal and China's Forbidden City for Tribute: "To be honest, a few years ago when he was talking about it, the idea was so amazing. I myself was very skeptical, understandably so. But the truth is, it happened. We did it." Anassian describes Yanni as "very optimistic" and has observed that "nothing really fazes him." That outlook carries over naturally to his music. "I don't think it's a goal, per se. He's very honest with his own feelings. His music really comes from the heart. He writes music with ease, the music comes out with relative ease. The feel-good portion of the music is a by-product. It coincides with what the people love to hear." Lighting Designers Lee Rose and David "Gurn" Kaniski received an Emmy nomination for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries or a Special" for both Live at the Acropolis and Tribute .
In 2000, after a two-year sabbatical, Yanni released his first studio album in seven years: If I Could Tell You.
Yanni also toured in 2003–2004 with the debut of the Ethnicity album extending his "One World, One People" philosophy. This album sparked what would become the 4th largest concert tour of the year ranked by Billboard Magazine.
He kicked off his 2004–2005 "Yanni Live!" tour at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada, and his next live album and video, Yanni Live! The Concert Event was released in 2006.
In 2008, in collaboration with producer Ric Wake, Yanni showcased vocal artists singing his songs on Yanni Voices. On March 24, 2009, Disney Pearl Imprint released Yanni Voices, the artist's first studio album in six years, and its Buena Vista Concerts division produces the tour that began in April 2009.
Website: http://www.yanni.com/
Cielito Lindo
Yanni Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
cielito lindo vienen bajando
un par de ojitos negros
cielito lindo de contrabando
ese lunar que tienes cielito lindo
junto a la boca no se lo des a nadie
cielito lindo que a mi me toca
ay, ay, ay, ay canta y no llores
por que cantando se alegran
cielito lindo los corazones
ay, ay, ay, ay, canta y no llores
por que cantando se alegran
cielito lindo los corazones
yo a las morenas quiero
desde que supe, que morena
es la virgen cielito lindo
de guadalupe
ay, ay, ay, ay, ay es bien sabido
que el amor de morenas
cielito lindo
nunca es fingido,
ay, ay, ay, ayay, ay, ay,
canta y no llores
por que cantando se alegran
cielito lindo los corazones
ay, ay, ay, ay canta y no llores
por que cantando se alegran
cielito lindolos corazones
The opening lines of the song "Cielito lindo" by Yanni pays homage to the Sierra Morena mountains. The next line introduces a couple of black eyes, which are being smuggled via the mountains. The lyrics suggest that the person with the black eyes is not supposed to be there or may be hiding. The fourth line talks about the beauty mark close to the person's mouth, and the lyrics advise the person not to show it to anyone else. The singer then claims the right to the black-eyed person, saying "cielito lindo que a mi me toca." This line signifies that the singer has an attachment or liking towards the person with the black eyes, and they feel the person belongs to them.
In the subsequent lines, the chorus, "ay, ay, ay, ay, canta y no llores," emphasizes the importance of singing and not crying. The lyrics suggest that singing is one way to cheer up someone's heart, even when things may not be going as planned. The last few lines focus on the singer's love for dark-skinned women and their virgin, the Virgen de Guadalupe. The singer asserts that their love for dark-skinned women is genuine and never feigned.
Line by Line Meaning
de la sierra morena
From the dark mountains
cielito lindo vienen bajando
Sweet one, they are coming down
un par de ojitos negros
A pair of black little eyes
cielito lindo de contrabando
Sweet one, smuggled
ese lunar que tienes cielito lindo
That beauty mark you have sweet one
junto a la boca no se lo des a nadie
Don't show it to anyone near your lips
cielito lindo que a mi me toca
Sweet one that belongs to me
ay, ay, ay, ay canta y no llores
Sing and don't cry
por que cantando se alegran cielito lindo los corazones
Because singing makes our hearts happy, my sweet one
yo a las morenas quiero
I love the dark skinned women
desde que supe, que morena es la virgen cielito lindo de guadalupe
Ever since I learned the Virgin of Guadalupe is dark skinned, my sweet one
ay, ay, ay, ay, ay es bien sabido que el amor de morenas cielito lindo nunca es fingido
It is well known, sweet one, that the love of dark skinned women is never fake
ay, ay, ay, ayay, ay, ay, canta y no llores
Sing and don't cry
por que cantando se alegran cielito lindo los corazones
Because singing makes our hearts happy, my sweet one
ay, ay, ay, ay canta y no llores
Sing and don't cry
por que cantando se alegran cielito lindo los corazones
Because singing makes our hearts happy, my sweet one
Writer(s): Quirino Fidel Mendoza Cortes
Contributed by Noah C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mis locuras dice:
Me gusta, me agrada que personas se interesen en mi país y que toquen música mexicana que es única en el mundo y yanni le da un toque mágico con el piano
catalina ibarra
YANNI GRACIAS POR ESTE MARAVILLOSO DISCO Y MEXICO TE LO AGRADECE ERES UN GRANDE DE LA MUSICA QUE ESTE BELLO MOMENTO DEL BICENTEANRIO NO TE LO PODIAS PERDER VIVA LA INDEPENDENCIA Y VIVA YANNI <3
Kridkorn Tangthanasirikul
I know this song for the first time since Pavarotti & Enrique sing together.
Luis Alfonso Valdés
Yanni quiso homenajear a la música mexicana. ¿Qué de malo hay que se haya salido de su estilo? Muchos cantantes de ópera hacen un paréntesis en casi todas sus presentaciones para interpretar música popular. Pavarotti, Pácido Domingo José Carreras, Monserrat Cavalle, lo hacen. Entonces porqué de admirarse y reprochar a Yanni éste disco? Julio Iglesias, Raphael, Paul Muriat, Ray Coniff, Herp Alpert, James Last, Percy Faith, Luis Cobos, André Rieu, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra de Londres, etc., han dedicado al menos un disco a México. Gracias Yanni, muy POCOS países tienen el privilegio de ser interpretados en su música por tí y por otros grandes de la musica mundial.
Moises De Anda
Luis Alfonso Valdés y quien dijo que tiene algo de malo? nadie dijo un comentario asi
Luis Alfonso Valdés
Yanni paid homage to Mexican music. What's wrong there that has left your style? Many opera singers make a break in almost all presentations to play popular music. Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, José Carreras, Montserrat Cavalle, do. Then why to admire and criticize this album Yanni? Julio Iglesias, Raphael, Paul Muriat, Ray Coniff, Herp Alpert, James Last, Percy Faith, Luis Cobos, André Rieu, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of London, etc., have spent at least one disk to Mexico. Thanks Yanni, very few countries have the privilege of being interpreted in their music for you and other greats of the music world.
Beautu Девочки
Что это значит не обычная музыка
Tippy H
Si grande/ fun / happy song .now i must get up & dance! O la amingos
Joseluis Di Carlo
Miren -> goo.gl\wiVZv
Joseluis Di Carlo
Miren -> goo.gl\R8JSj