Sabor a Mí
{{Infobox song
| name = Sabor a Mí
| type = song
| artist = Álvaro Carrillo
| language = Spanish
| English_title = "Taste of me"
| released = 1959
| genre = Bolero
}}
{{Short description|1959 song by Álvaro Carrillo}}
"Sabor a Mí" ("Taste of Me") is a 1959 bolero by Mexican musician and composer Álvaro Carrillo. Upon its release, it was recorded by many acts such as Los Tres Ases and Rolando Laserie, becoming the most successful song of 1960 in Mexico.{{cite book |last1=Mejía Barquera |first1=Fernando |title=El Sound Track de la vida cotidiana: Radio y música popular en México D.F. |date=June 2006 |publisher=Facultad de Ciencias Políticas y Sociales UNAM|page=205}} It was further popularized by Los Panchos, who collaborated on their rendition with Eydie Gormé in 1964.{{cite book|author1=Ignacio Corona|author2=Alejandro L. Madrid|author2-link=Alejandro L. Madrid|title=Postnational Musical Identities: Cultural Production, Distribution, and Consumption in a Globalized Scenario|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c2tu6oXxmkYC&pg=PA141|date=28 December 2007|publisher=Lexington Books|isbn=978-0-7391-5937-8|pages=141}} Among the over 300 songs that he wrote, the song was considered Carrillo's most successful and popular both in Mexico and worldwide.{{cite book|author=Elvia Duque Castillo|title=Aportes del Pueblo Afrodescendiente: La Historia Oculta de América Latina|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2kbjwvit0lYC&pg=PA203|date=3 April 2013|publisher=iUniverse|isbn=978-1-4759-6584-1|pages=203}} Since its creation, the song has been covered by various artists, including Luis Miguel and José José, Bebo Valdes, EXO, José Feliciano, and Los Lobos.
Lyrically, the song is a sentimental ballad in which a romantic partner declares their desire to have their lover experience the "taste of" them for centuries upon centuries, promising a deep commitment. It is reminiscent of the Latin ballad of later decades, which intermixed Spanish language traditions with international pop music.
The autobiographical movie of Álvaro Carrillo, starring José José, uses this song name as its title.{{cite book|title=Cinema Ameriq Latine 2000|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dRIe-ZLLaZUC&pg=PA65|year=2000|publisher=Presses Univ. du Mirail|isbn=978-2-85816-506-3|pages=65}}
Covers
=Luis Miguel version=
{{Infobox song
| name = Sabor a Mí
| cover =
| alt =
| type = song
| artist = Luis Miguel
| album = Romances
| released = 1998
| recorded = 1997
| studio =
| venue =
| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=06}}
| label = WEA Latina
| writer = Álvaro Carrillo
| producer = Luis Miguel
}}
In 1997, Mexican singer Luis Miguel covered "Sabor a Mí" on his album Romances. It peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs.{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=luis miguel|chart=Latin Songs}}|title=Luis Miguel — Chart history: Latin Songs|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|accessdate=5 May 2014}} Miguel's cover was recognized as one of the best-performing songs of the year at the 1999 BMI Latin Awards.{{cite magazine|last1=Lannert|first1=John|title=BMI Honors Latin Writers, Pub. Cos.|magazine=Billboard|date=3 July 1999|volume=111|issue=27|page=10|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jAgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA10|accessdate=8 December 2016|issn=0006-2510}}
Miguel's rendition received unfavorable reviews from music critics. Mario Tarradell of The Dallas Morning News noted that Miguel's cover of Sabor a Mí "retains some of its exotic, flamenco guitar-fueled flavor".{{cite news|last1=Tarradell|first1=Mario|title=Miguel's 'Romances' not memorable - Production, song choices worsen a tired formula|work=The Dallas Morning News|publisher=A. H. Belo Corporation|date=14 August 1997|page=37A}} Fernando Gonzalez of the Orange County Register was not impressed with Miguel's take as he felt that Miguel "sounds simply loud, rather than romantic".{{cite news|last1=Gonzalez|first1=Fernando|title=Oasis' Epic Effort ... Not-So-Silly Love Songs... Some Help For SWV|work=Miami Herald|publisher=The McClatchy Company|date=22 August 1997|page=24G}} Los Angeles Times editor Ernesto Lechnero also criticized Luis Miguel's version of "Sabor a Mí" and stated that is "spun out of control with the addition of drums, reducing the lilting melody to something reminiscent of a TV commercial jingle".{{cite web| last = Lechner| first = Ernesto|title= Luis Miguel "Romances", WEA Latina|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-aug-24-ca-25309-story.html|date=24 August 1997|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=3 January 2014}}
{{-}}
=Other covers=
Mexican singer Javier Solís covered "Sabor a Mí" in 1960. His rendition was inducted into the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001.{{cite web|title=Latin Grammy Hall of Fame – 2001|url=http://www.latingrammy.com/en/node/21337|publisher=Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences|accessdate=26 June 2016}}
José José covered the song when he played Álvaro Carrillo in the 1988 biopic.
As part of the Music Bank World Tour, the South Korean band EXO-K sang Sabor a Mí in Spanish at the "Music Bank in Mexico" show in Mexico City in 2014. The recording of the performance garnered millions of views online.{{cite web|last1=Mérida|first1=Janet|title=Les avientan el calzón a los coreanos y paran el concierto|url=http://archivo.eluniversal.com.mx/espectaculos/2014/k-pop-festival-music-bank--1050623.html|website=El Universal|accessdate=18 November 2016}}
In 2016, Kali Uchis covered El Chicano's version of Sabor a Mí after she asked her fans online to vote for the song they wanted her to sing.{{cite web|last1=Leight|first1=Elias|title=Kali Uchis Covered "Sabor A Mi"|url=http://www.thefader.com/2016/03/11/kali-uchis-sabor-a-mi|website=FADER|accessdate=18 November 2016}}
Other artists who have covered this song or made their own rendition include the following:
Armando Manzanero, Bebo Valdés, Pérez Prado, Isabel Pantoja, Leonardo Paniagua, Javier Solís, Charles Manson, Rolando Laserie, Los Lobos, Los Sabandeños, Lucho Gatica, Manoella Torres, Mari Trini, Mina, Peppino di Capri, Orietta Berti, Lila Downs, José Feliciano, Carlos Cuevas, El Pescaílla, Los Ángeles Negros, David Cavazos, Rey Gordinflón, Tinku, Freddy Castillo, Monsieur Periné, El Chicano, The Mavericks, Cyrille Aimée, Jonathan Richman and Tony Glausi, among others.
In 2011, Filipino traditional music duo HARANA PINOY made a cover of the song in the Filipino Harana (serenade) style a form of serenading from the Philippines.
In 2021, a version of the song was featured in "Cry Macho".
Eliane Elias included the song in her 2021 album Mirror Mirror.{{cite web |title=Mirror Mirror - Eliane Elias {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic |website=AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/mirror-mirror-mw0003558845 |access-date=16 November 2021 |language=en}}
The Mavericks included the song on their 2020 album, en Español.
See also
{{Portal|Music}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Latin Grammy Hall of Fame}}
Category:Columbia Records singles
Category:Warner Music Latina singles