Inolvidable (song)#Performers
{{Short description|Song written and composed by Julio Gutiérrez}}
{{For|other songs of the same name|Inolvidable (disambiguation){{!}}Inolvidable}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Inolvidable
| cover =
| alt =
| border = yes
| type =
| artist =
| album =
| EP =
| language = Spanish
| written =
| published = {{Start date|1944}}
| released =
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Bolero
| length =
| label =
| writer = Julio Gutiérrez
| composer =
| lyricist =
| producer =
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| title =
| next_title =
| next_year =
}}
"Inolvidable" ("Unforgettable") is a song written by Julio Gutiérrez in 1944. It is considered one of the most popular boleros released during the Cuban musical movement led by pianists. The song has been recorded by several performers, including Roberto Carlos, Diego El Cigala, Fania All-Stars, Eydie Gormé, Danny Rivera, Tito Rodríguez and Bebo Valdés, among others.
In the song, the protagonist kisses different lips looking for new sensations, haunted by the memory of a past love. The song has experienced popular acclaim, especially with the version recorded by Mexican singer Luis Miguel on his album Romance released in 1991. This version peaked at the top of the Billboard Top Latin Songs chart in the United States, and the album was deemed responsible for reviving the bolero genre.
Background and composition
"Inolvidable" was written by Cuban pianist Julio Gutiérrez. Gutiérrez was born in Manzanillo, Cuba, and at age six he played piano and at 14 he directed his own orchestra.{{harvnb|Bigott|1993|p=180}} In 1940, the Orchestra Casino de la Playa toured eastern Cuba, and on that tour Miguelito Valdés met Gutiérrez and suggested he should go to the capital (Havana), where better opportunities would arise. Months later, Gutiérrez moved to the capital, and was hired as a pianist in the orchestra Casino de la Playa. "Inolvidable", written in 1944,Luis Miguel Romance (Liner Notes) Warner (1991) was released during the Cuban musical movement led by pianists, in which Gutiérrez participated.{{harvnb|Bigott|1993|p=57}} Two songs composed by Gutiérrez, "Inolvidable" and "Llanto de Luna" ("Crying Moon"), were highly successful boleros in Latin America. In 1992, a compilation album including an instrumental version of the song performed by Gutiérrez was released.{{cite web |title=Instrumental – Julio Gutiérrez |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r289851|pure_url=yes}}|work=Allmusic |publisher=Rovi Corporation|access-date=May 3, 2012}}
Musically "Inolvidable" is a bolero.{{harvnb|Bazán|2001|p=44}} According to Rodrigo Bazán, in his book Y Si Vivo Cien Años... Antología del Bolero en México, the song was not different from others that were released at the time about unhappy love, but differed from other popular genres that based their lyrics on the lack of love such as tango.{{harvnb|Bazán|2001|p=43}} With the song, Julio Gutiérrez joined the list of prominent boleristas in Cuba.{{harvnb|Ledón|2003|p=31}} Lyrically, the song presents the protagonist kissing different lips and looking for new sensations ("He besado otras bocas buscando nuevas ansiedades").{{harvnb|Linero|2008|p=27}}
Performers
In 1963, Tito Rodríguez recorded "Inolvidable" on his album From Tito Rodríguez with Love. The song became very successful, selling one-and-a-half million units.{{cite encyclopedia|title=Tito Rodriguez Biography |url=http://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/Tito-Rodriguez.html |first=Colin |last=Larkin |access-date=May 3, 2012 |encyclopedia=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |publisher=Rovi Corporation }} Musical ensemble Fania All-Stars released their first studio album Tribute to Tito Rodríguez in 1976 and included a cover version of "Inolvidable".{{cite web |title=Tribute to Tito Rodriguez – Fania All-Stars |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r1945777|pure_url=yes}}|work=Allmusic |publisher=Rovi Corporation|access-date=May 3, 2012}} The album was originally intended to feature the group in a supporting role for Rodríguez, but resulted in a tribute album after the singer died from leukemia in early 1973. Brazilian singer-songwriter Roberto Carlos included his version of the song on the album Quero Que Vá Tudo Pro Inferno in 1975.{{cite web |title=Roberto Carlos (Quero Que Vá Tudo Pro Inferno) – Roberto Carlos |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r283093|pure_url=yes}}|work=Allmusic |publisher=Rovi Corporation|access-date=May 3, 2012}} Puerto-Rican Danny Rivera recorded a tribute album titled Inolvidable Tito: A Mi Me Pasa lo Mismo Que a Usted, including a version of "Inolvidable".Danny Rivera Inolvidable Tito: A Mi Me Pasa lo Mismo Que a Usted (Liner Notes) DNA (1986) The album received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Latin Pop Performance.{{cite web|title=Grammy Nominations: Highs and Lows: Winwood, Gabriel and Simon Garner Most Nominations|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-01-09-ca-2676-story.html |page=3|first=Dennis |last=Hunt |date=January 9, 1987|access-date=November 26, 2012 |work=Los Angeles Times }} In 1988, American singer Eydie Gormé had her version of the track on the album De Corazón a Corazón.{{cite web |title=De Corazón a Corazón – Eydie Gormé |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r25258|pure_url=yes}}|work=Allmusic |publisher=Rovi Corporation|access-date=May 3, 2012}} Cuban pianist Bebo Valdés and Spanish flamenco performer Diego El Cigala recorded the track for their collaborative album Lágrimas Negras.{{cite web |title=Lágrimas Negras – Bebo Valdés |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r706581|pure_url=yes}}|work=Allmusic |publisher=Rovi Corporation|access-date=May 3, 2012}} The album was produced in 2003 by Academy Award winner Fernando Trueba, sold 200,000 units in Spain and won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Traditional Tropical Album.
{{cite magazine
| last = Llewellyn
| first = Howell
| date = February 7, 2004
| title = Unlikely Duo Bebo & Cigala Sweep Awards
| magazine = Billboard
| publisher = Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
| volume = 116
| issue = 6
| page = 30
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=XREEAAAAMBAJ&q=lagrimas+negras+bebo+y+cigala&pg=PA30
| access-date = May 3, 2012}}{{cite web|title=5th Latin Grammy Awards |url=http://www.terra.com/musica//especiales/latingrammy/ganadores_lista.html |access-date=May 3, 2012 |language=es |publisher=Terra Networks }} Paloma San Basilio recorded "Inolvidable" on her album Invierno Sur released in January 2007.
=Luis Miguel version=
{{Infobox song
| name = Inolvidable
| cover = Luis Miguel - Inolvidable.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Luis Miguel
| album = Romance
| released = November 1991{{cite news|title=Comentarios de...|last=Calzada|first=Gloria|trans-title=Comments From...|language=es|newspaper=El Informador|date=November 12, 1991|page=12-D}}
| recorded = 1991, Ocean Way Recording (Hollywood, California)
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Bolero
| length = {{duration|m=4|s=19}}
| label = WEA Latina
| writer = Julio Gutiérrez
| producer =
- Armando Manzanero
- Luis Miguel
| prev_title = Amante del Amor
| prev_year = 1991
| next_title = No Sé Tú
| next_year = 1992
| misc = {{Audio sample
| type = single
| file = Luis Miguel - Inolvidable.ogg
| description = A 24-second sample of Luis Miguel's cover of "Inolvidable".
}}
}}
Mexican singer Luis Miguel released the 1991 album Romance, which was produced by Luis Miguel and Mexican singer-songwriter Armando Manzanero, and included a selection of classic boleros.{{harvnb|Morales|2003|p=155}} The success of the album revived the interest for bolero, even though the new musical arrangements of the songs make them unrecognizable.{{harvnb|Bazán|2001|p=70}} Romance received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Latin Pop Album (which it lost to Jon Secada's Otro Día Más Sin Verte),{{cite web|title=Latin Beat to Accent Grammy Awards|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-02-11-ti-1256-story.html |first=Elena |last=Kellner |date=February 11, 1993 |access-date=May 4, 2012 |work=Los Angeles Times }} was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America and sold seven million copies worldwide.{{cite news|url=http://www.puertorico-herald.org/issues/2002/vol6n08/LoveLimelight-en.html|title=Luis Miguel: Love And The Limelight|last=Levin|first=Jordan|work=The Miami Herald|publisher=Puerto Rico Herald|date=February 15, 2002|access-date=May 8, 2014}} The first single taken from the album was "Inolvidable", a version that according to Carlos Monsiváis in his book Los Rituales del Caos, guarantees "the adoption of the past, and that the romantic sensibility is not dead."{{harvnb|Monsiváis|1995|p=196}}
The track debuted in the Billboard Top Latin Songs chart (formerly Hot Latin Tracks) at number 30 in the week of November 23, 1991, climbing to the top ten three weeks later.{{cite magazine |title=Inolvidable — Week of November 23, 1991 |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Rovi Corporation |date=November 23, 1991|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/1991-11-23/latin-songs?order=gainer |access-date=May 2, 2012}}{{cite magazine |title=Inolvidable — Week of December 14, 1991 |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Rovi Corporation |date=December 14, 1991|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/1991-12-14/latin-songs |access-date=May 2, 2012}} "Inolvidable" peaked at number one on January 25, 1992,{{cite magazine |title=Inolvidable — Week of January 25, 1992 |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Rovi Corporation |date=January 25, 1992|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/1992-01-25/latin-songs |access-date=May 2, 2012}} spending five weeks at the top of the chart.{{cite magazine |title=Si Piensas, Si Quieres — Week of February 29, 1992 |publisher=Rovi Corporation |magazine=Billboard |date=February 29, 1992 |url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/1992-02-29/latin-songs |access-date=May 2, 2012}} The song was number three on the Billboard Top Latin Songs Year-End Chart of 1992.
{{cite magazine
| date = November 28, 1998
| title = Topping The Charts Year By Year
| magazine = Billboard
| publisher = Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
| volume = 110
| issue = 48
| page = LMQ3
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=MAoEAAAAMBAJ&q=rudy+la+scala&pg=RA1-PA38
| access-date = May 2, 2012}} In Mexico, the song and the following single ("No Sé Tú") remained in the top of the charts for six months altogether. Luis Miguel's cover was recognized as one of the award-winning songs at the 1994 BMI Latin awards.{{cite magazine|title=Los Premios Latinos de BMI|magazine=Billboard|date=March 19, 1994|volume=106|issue=12|page=5|publisher=Nielsen Media}} Elsewhere in Latin America, "Inolvidable" topped the charts in Colombia; and reached the top-ten in Chile, El Salvador, Panama, Peru and Puerto Rico.
A live version of "Inolvidable" was included on the EP América & En Vivo in 1992 and as a part of a medley with the rest of the singles taken from Romance on the live album Vivo (2000).{{cite web |title=América & En Vivo – Luis Miguel |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r183263|pure_url=yes}}|work=Allmusic |publisher=Rovi Corporation|access-date=May 3, 2012}}{{cite web |title=Vivo – Luis Miguel |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r501620|pure_url=yes}}|work=Allmusic |publisher=Rovi Corporation|access-date=May 3, 2012}} The track was also added to the compilation album Grandes Éxitos in 2005.{{cite web |title=Grandes Exitos – Luis Miguel |url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r806463|pure_url=yes}}|work=Allmusic |publisher=Rovi Corporation|access-date=May 4, 2012}}
==Format and track listing==
==Credits and personnel==
Credits adapted from the "Inolvidable" liner notes.
- Luis Miguel – co-production, vocals
- Julio Gutiérrez – songwriting
- Armando Manzanero – production
- Bebu Silvetti – co-production, arranging
==Weekly charts==
{{Clear}}
See also
Notes
{{reflist|2}}
References
{{refbegin}}
- {{Cite book
|last=Bazán
|first=Rodrigo
|title=Y Si Vivo Cien Años... Antología del Bolero en México
|year=2001
|publisher=Fondo de Cultura Económica
|isbn=968-16-6307-1
}}
- {{Cite book
|last=Ledón
|first=Armando
|title=La Música Popular en Cuba
|year=2003
|publisher=Armando Ledón Sánchez
|isbn=0-932367-15-1
}}
- {{Cite book
|last=Linero
|first=Fernando
|title=El Bolero en sus Propias Palabras
|year=2008
|publisher=Icono Editorial Ltda.
|isbn=978-958-97842-8-0
}}
- {{Cite book
|last=Bigott
|first=Luis Antonio
|title=Historia del Bolero Cubano, 1883-1950
|year=1993
|publisher=Los Heraldos Negros
}}
- {{Cite book
|last=Morales
|first=Ed
|title=The Latin Beat: The Rhythms and Roots of Latin Music from Bossa Nova to Salsa and Beyond
|year=2003
|publisher=Da Capo Press
|isbn=978-0-306-81018-3
|url-access=registration
|url=https://archive.org/details/latinbeatrhythms00mora_0
}}
- {{Cite book
|last=Monsiváis
|first=Carlos
|title=Los Rituales del Caos
|year=1995
|publisher=Ediciones Era
|isbn=968-411-529-6
}}
{{refend}}
{{Luis Miguel singles}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Roberto Carlos (singer) songs