Wikipedia

Con Los Años Que Me Quedan

"Con Los Años Que Me Quedan" (transl. "With the Years That I Have Left")[1] is a song by Cuban American singer Gloria Estefan from her third studio album, Mi Tierra (1993). The song was written by the artist and her husband Emilio Estefan, with Emilio, Jorge Casas, and Clay Ostwald handling its production. An English-language version titled "If We Were Lovers" was also recorded. It was released as the second single from the album in 1993 by Epic Records. A pop bolero ballad, it speaks of an melancholy lament. The song received positive reactions from music critics, who saw it as one of the best tracks from the album.

"Con Los Años Que Me Quedan"
Single by Gloria Estefan
from the album Mi Tierra
Released1993
StudioCrescent Moon, Miami, Florida
Genre
Length4:18
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)
Gloria Estefan singles chronology
"Mi Tierra"
(1993) 		"Con Los Años Que Me Quedan"
(1993) 		"Tradición"
(1993)
Music video
"Con Los Años Que Me Quedan" on YouTube

Commercially, the song topped the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart in the United States. The accompanying music video was directed by Alberto Tolot and features the artist reminiscing an old love. "Con Los Años Que Me Quedan" was nominated in the category of Pop Song of the Year at the 1994 Lo Nuestro Awards and was acknowledged as an award-winning song at the 1995 BMI Latin Awards. The song has been covered live by Puerto Rican singer José Feliciano as part of The Latin Recording Academy tribute to Estefan in 2008 and by Mexican artist Thalía for her album Habítame Siempre (2012).

Background and composition

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In January 1993, Gloria Estefan announced that she was working on a Spanish-language album titled Mi Tierra.[2] The artist had wanted to record a Spanish-language album reflecting her Cuban heritage since the beginning of her musical career.[3] Before recording in English Estefan and her band performed at Latin nightclubs;[4] she also remembered her grandmother teaching her old Cuban songs. Music had an important role in Estefan's family; her paternal grandmother was a poet, and an uncle played the flute in a salsa band.[3] The singer's desire to record an album in Spanish was also influenced by her son Nayib; she wanted him to recognize his Cuban heritage.[4]

Mi Tierra was produced by Gloria's husband Emilio Estefan, and fellow Miami Sound Machine members Clay Ostwald and Jorge Casas.[5] Recording took place at the Crescent Moon Studios in Miami, Florida.[1] Gloria penned six tracks in the album, including "Con Los Años Que Me Quedan", which she co-wrote with her husband.[5][6] A pop bolero ballad,[5][7] it speaks of a "melancholy lament".[8] The tune features Los Tres Caballeros on the background vocals with one of its members Chamín Correa performing the requinto, Cachao on the double bass, Luis Enrique playing percussion, and London Symphony Orchestra on the strings.[1] In the lyrics, Estefan chants: "Con los años que me quedan yo viviré para darte amor borrando cada dolor con besos llenos de pasión como te amé por vez primera."[9] The album booklet translates it as "With the years that I have left, I will live to give you love, I'll erase every hurt, with kisses filled with passion I'll love you like it was the first time."[1] An English-language version, "If We Were Lovers", was also recorded.[6]

Critical reception and accolades

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In a retrospective review, Quentin Harrison from Albumism described the song as a "lush, filmic number" and the "most memorable single" of the album.[10] AllMusic editor Jose F. Promis felt it is "among her most compelling" songs, with "beautiful lyrics and guitars augmenting the lovely melodies".[6] He also declared it as one of Estefan's "loveliest and classiest ballads".[11] Upon the release, Larry Flick from Billboard called the song "another sweet moment" from the album.[12] He noted, "Soft but percussive tune gains its depth from acoustic instrumentation and a delicate string arrangement. Estefan is at her loveliest and her most relaxed here".[12] Josef Woodard from Entertainment Weekly remarked that "heartfelt emotionality tinges" "If We Were Lovers".[13] Ron Fell from the Gavin Report commented, "Gloria finds new words to express fresh thoughts, not just a translation from Spanish to English. With her successes as a kinetic musician, it's always nice to have Gloria in such an unplugged and mellow state once in a while."[14]

In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton said that "If We Were Lovers" "tries to be slightly more commercial, its an English re-recording of the album track, paced at a ballroom waltz and is not what you would describe as a pop hit".[15] Alan Jones from Music Week gave the song three out of five, calling it "a lushly orchestrated, atmospheric, guitar-picked Latin delight in strictly ballroom tempo. No dance mixes this time around, but the beauty of the song should win thorugh."[16] Parry Gettelman from Orlando Sentinel felt that "such lovely ballads", as "Con Los Años Que Me Quedan", "find Estefan abandoning melodrama for real color and emotional shading".[17]

"Con Los Años Que Me Quedan" was nominated in the category of Pop Song of the Year at the 6th Annual Lo Nuestro Awards in 1994, but ultimately lost to "Nunca Voy a Olvidarte" by Cristian Castro.[18][19] It was acknowledged as an award-winning song at the 1995 BMI Latin Awards.[20]

Promotion and commercial performance

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"Con los Años Que Me Quedan" was released as the album's second single in 1993 by Epic Records.[21] An accompanying music video was directed by Alberto Tolot and features the artist reminiscing with her old lover.[22][23] The video won Latin Clip of the Year at the 1994 Billboard Music Video Awards.[24] A re-recording of the song was included on Estefan's 14th studio album Brazil305 (2020), and incorporates Brazilian music.[25] As part of The Latin Recording Academy tribute to Estefan, who was presented with the Person of the Year accolade in 2008, Puerto Rican singer José Feliciano sung a live cover version of "Con los Años Que Me Quedan".[26] In 2012, Mexican singer Thalía recorded a cover version of the track for the album Habítame Siempre.[27] Commercially, it topped the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart in the United States, becoming her third number one single on the chart.[28] In the UK, the English version peaked at number 40.[29]

Formats and track listing

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Promotional single[21]

  1. Con Los Años Que Me Quedan – 4:38
  2. If We Were Lovers – 4:38

Personnel

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Adapted from the Mi Tierra liner notes:[1]

Performance credits

Charts

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Mi Tierra (CD liner). Gloria Estefan. United States: Epic. 1993. EK 53807.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ Spelling, Ian (January 16, 1993). "To Gloria Estefan, 'music is part of my soul'". Waterloo Region Record. p. D8. ProQuest 275405664. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Lopetegui, Ernesto (June 22, 1993). "Q&A With Gloria Estefan : 'Mi Tierra': Paying Tribute to Her Roots". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  4. ^ a b Herrmann, Brenda (June 24, 1993). "'Mi Tierra' Gloria Estefan Draws Inspiration From The Heritage Of Her Cuban Roots". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  5. ^ a b c Lannert, John (June 20, 1993). "Disc Satisfying, Convincing". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
  6. ^ a b c Promis, Jose F. "Gloria Estefan - Mí Tierra". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 24, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  7. ^ Hamlin, Jesse (July 11, 1993). "Gloria Estefan Shows Latin Flair in All-Spanish Album". San Francisco Chronicle. p. 41. ProQuest 303232865. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023. ...including the pretty pop ballad 'Con los Anos que Me Quedan'...
  8. ^ Burr, Ramiro (December 30, 1993). "Latino Hits Range From Tropical to Tejano Series: '93 A Look Back". Austin American Statesman. p. 12. ProQuest 256329794. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  9. ^ Ampuero, Roberto (September 1, 2013). Boleros en La Habana (in Spanish). Penguin Random House. ISBN 978-956-325-126-5. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  10. ^ Harrison, Quentin (June 22, 2018). "Gloria Estefan's 'Mi Tierra' Turns 25: An Anniversary Retrospective". Albumism. Archived from the original on November 3, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  11. ^ Promis, Jose F. "Gloria Estefan - Greatest Hits, Vol. 2". AllMusic. Archived from the original on February 24, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Flick, Larry (August 28, 1993). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 63. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  13. ^ Woodard, Josef (February 23, 2001). "Album Review: Gloria Estefan's 'Greatest Hits, Vol. II'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 24, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  14. ^ Fell, Ron (September 10, 1993). "A/C: New Releases" (PDF). Gavin Report. p. 24. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 17, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  15. ^ Masterton, James (August 8, 1993). "Week Ending August 14th 1993". Chart Watch UK. Archived from the original on September 12, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  16. ^ Jones, Alan (August 7, 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 5, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  17. ^ Gettelman, Parry (July 9, 1993). "Gloria Estefan". Orlando Sentinel.
  18. ^ Burr, Ramiro (May 1, 1994). "Miguel, Guerra top awards nominees". San Antonio Express-News.
  19. ^ "Lo Nuestro – Historia" (in Spanish). Univision. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  20. ^ "Los Premios Latinos de BMI Latin Awards". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 51. December 23, 1995. p. 29. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  21. ^ a b Con Los Años Que Me Quedan (Media notes). Gloria Estefan. United States: Epic. 1993. ESK 5430.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ^ Estefan, Gloria (1993). Mi Tierra (online video) (in Spanish). YouTube. Archived from the original on September 6, 2022. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
  23. ^ "Production Notes". Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 33. August 14, 1993. p. 35. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  24. ^ Russell, Deborah (November 19, 1994). "Warner/Reprise's Green Day Shows 'Maximum Vision'". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 47. p. 48. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  25. ^ Ellwood-Hughes, Pip (August 12, 2020). "Gloria Estefan – Brazil305 Album Review". Entertainment Focus. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  26. ^ "Estrellas honran a Gloria Estefan en Houston" (in Spanish). Telemetro. November 13, 2008. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  27. ^ Jurek, Thom. "Thalía - Habítame Siempre". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 4, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  28. ^ a b "Gloria Estefan Chart History (Hot Latin Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  29. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  30. ^ "1993: The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 52. December 25, 1993. p. YE-58. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
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