Buenos Amigos

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Buenos Amigos"
Single by Alvaro Torres featuring Selena
from the album Nada Se Compara Contigo
Released November 22, 1991 (1991-11-22)
Format CD
Recorded August 1991
Genre Pop
Length 3:49
Label EMI Latin
Writer(s) Torres
Producer(s) Enrique Elizondo
Alvaro Torres chronology

"Nada Se Compara Contigo"
(1991)		 "Buenos Amigos"
(1991)		 "He Vivido Esperando Por Ti"
(1992)

Selena chronology
"La Tracalera"
(1990)		 "Buenos Amigos"
(1991)		 "La Carcacha"
(1992)

"Buenos Amigos" ("Good Friends") is a duet recorded by Salvadoran recording artist Alvaro Torres and American recording artist Selena from his sixth studio album Nada Se Compara Contigo (1991). It was released by EMI Latin on November 22, 1991, as the album's second single. Lyrically, the song explores a friendship built on stronger feelings by the male narrator, whilst the female narrator only wants to stay friends as her feelings are not the same. Thinking negativity about the outcome, they both come in terms that their friendship is worth more than a broken heart. Composed by Torres, "Buenos Amigos" is a pop ballad with other influences.

Critics praised the song for being Selena's first top charter, while others complimented its ballad feel. The recording helped Selena and Torres to be nominated at the 1992 Billboard Latin Music Awards and the 1992 Tejano Music Awards. "Buenos Amigos" peaked at number-one on the US Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, giving Torres's second and Selena's first number-one song in their career. The single's accompanying music video was shot with both Torres and Selena in dressed-clothing backed by an orchestra playing their respective instruments. Cover versions of the song include recordings by Mariana Seoane and Pablo Montero, Tairon and Anaís and by Lucero Terrazas.

Background and release

"Buenos Amigos" was written by Salvadoran recording artist Alvaro Torres.[1] It was produced by record producer Enrique Elizondo.[2][3] After attending a showcase that American Tejano pop singer Selena was performing, Torres instantly wanted to record a duet with her. Torres told Selena Remembered; a documentary about Selena's career: "... she had an attractive way about her that was always present. We got along very well and a friendship developed from that point on. Several months later I wrote a song which I thought would be good to record a duet with Selena."[4] "Buenos Amigos" was recorded for Torres' tenth studio album Nada Se Compara Contigo (1991).[5]

"Buenos Amigos" has been included on several compilation albums released by Torres and Selena. Following Selena's death in 1995, by her friend and ex-employer Yolanda Saldivar,[6] the track has been included on Ones (2002),[7] Momentos Intimos (2004),[8] and La Leyenda (2010).[9] Torres included the track on Mis Mejores Canciones: 12 Super Exitos (1993),[10] El Angel de la Ternura (1997),[11] Solo Para Enamorados: 16 Exitos (2000),[12] Solo Lo Mejor: 20 Exitos (2001),[13] 30 Exitos Insuperables (2003),[14] 15 de Coleccion (2004),[15] Romanticos Por Siempre (2005),[16] and Lo Esencial De Alvaro Torres (2006).[17] During an interview with La Prensa Torres stated: "Yo la invité a cantar conmigo cuando ella no era muy conocida, y escribí el tema "Buenos amigos"; esa canción me trae gratos recuerdos. La gente nunca olvidará a Selena y esa melodía es una de mis preferidas."[18]

Composition and reception

Buenos Amigos
"Buenos Amigos" is a duet with Selena and Alvaro Torres. A pop ballad, which makes use of orchestra-instrumentation, became Selena's first number one single. According to critics, it helped launch her career in the United States.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Buenos Amigos" is a Spanish-language down-tempo pop ballad.[19] It makes use of orchestra-instrumentation such as the strings, flute, horn, percussion, brass section, and the bass drum performed in a rhythmical beat. Torres sings the first verse, telling his friend that she is an unreachable dream and that he loves her. His friend, Selena, replies, telling him how she does not feel the same way. During the bridge, both narrators believe if they both shared the same feelings that their love would be an ecstasy, but because they are indifferent of their feelings, they believe being friends is better than losing each other. Torres sings the second verse, telling Selena that he will wait for her, reasoning that he likes having an illusion believing that she loves him. He then tells her that he does not care how long he has to wait. Selena replies, telling him how beautiful his responses are, which makes her feel like she is falling in love. She then states that she stops herself from making a mistake that could hurt her severally. Torres and Selena sings the chorus once more before the song concludes.[20]

"Buenos Amigos" received a positive response from music critics. Herón Márquez wrote in his book Latin Sensations that the commercial success of "Buenos Amigos" helped Selena to become a household name among Latinos in the United States.[21] Angie Chabram-Dernersesian believed "Buenos Amigos" was a "hit single", while writing about Selena's collaborations in her book The Chicana/o Cultural Studies Reader.[22] Suzanne Michele Bourgoin believed that the track was a "breakthrough hit" for Selena, in her book Encyclopedia of World Biography: Supplement A-Z.[23] Lorena Flores opined that "Buenos Amigos" is a "classic".[24] An editor from El Diario de Hoy expressed that "Buenos Amigos" is a "romantic track".[25] An editor from Onet.pl named "Buenos Amigos" as one of Selena's biggest hits.[26] Billboard magazine called it a "pop ballad", noting that it became her first big hit single.[27] Joe Nick Patoski called the recording "a pretty if somewhat insipid ballad".[28]

Music video and legacy

Dominican singer Anaís recorded the song with Tairon in 2005.

The music video for "Buenos Amigos" was shot in San Antonio, Texas in August 1991. It contains both artists, walking around singing the song and with an orchestra playing in the background.[4] "Buenos Amigos" was Selena's first music video, when it was released in 1991.[29] The music video was included on the DVD set for Selena's 2005 compilation album Unforgettable.[30] Deborah Parédez believed the music video for "Buenos Amigos" was "sophisticated".[31]

"Buenos Amigos" earned Selena and Torres two nominations at the 1992 Billboard Latin Music Awards.[32] The track was nominated for "Duo of the Year" at the 1992 Tejano Music Awards.[33] Parédez believed the track enabled Selena to tour in the West and East coast of the United States.[31] John Lannert of Billboard magazine believed it was "Buenos Amigos" that began Selena's career as a dominating Latin chart artist. The song helped increased airplay from Regional Mexican and Tejano radios, who previously dismissed her recordings, as noted by Lannert.[34] As part of the Selena ¡VIVE! tribute concert in 2005, "Buenos Amigos" was covered by Mariana Seoane and Pablo Montero.[35] Tairon recorded the song with Dominican singer Anaís, for the compilation album Con Un Sueña...Objetivo Fama (2005).[36] Mexican singer Lucero Terrazas, recorded the track for her album Cada Vez Que Me Ves (2007).[37]

Track listing

  1. "Buenos Amigos" – 4:46

Chart performance

"Buenos Amigos" debuted at number 30 on the US Billboard Hot Latin Songs (formerly Hot Latin Tracks) on the issue dated, 11 April 1992 and entered the top ten three weeks.[39][40] It peaked at number-one nine weeks later on the issue dated, 6 June 1992 replacing "No Sé Tú" by Luis Miguel and was succeeded by José Luis Rodríguez and Julio Iglesias's song "Torero" a week later.[39][41] "Buenos Amigos" remained at number two for three consecutive weeks.[42] This gave Torres his second number-one single behind "Nada Se Compara Contigo" which peaked at number-one the same year.[43] "Buenos Amigos" gave Selena her first number-one song in their career. It remained on the charts for 17 consecutive weeks, until it slipped off on the issue dated, 1 August 1992.[44][45] "Buenos Amigos" received extensive airplay when it shot down to number two, more airplay spins than when it was at number one. According to Billboard magazine, this wasn't enough for the recording to remain at number one.[46]

Chart (1992) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot Latin Tracks 1

Personnel

Credits adapted from Nada Se Compara Contigo.[20]

  • Selena—vocals
  • Alvaro Torres—vocals, writer
  • Enrique Elizondo—producer
  • Brian "Red" Moore—mixer
  • A.B. Quintanilla III—arranger

See also

References

  1. ↑ "BMI Repertoire Search > Buenos Amigos". Broadcast Music, Inc.. Retrieved 5 July 2012. 
  2. ↑ Soto, Manuel (30 December 2004). "Alvaro Torres: el antigalán de la canción". Hoy. Retrieved 7 May 2012. 
  3. ↑ "Nada Se Compara Contigo — Credits". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 8 May 2013. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Miniucchi, Cecilia (director) (1997). Selena Remembered (VHS/DVD) (Documentary) (in English). Corpus Christi, Texas; Lake Jackson, Texas: EMI Latin. Event occurs at 60. ISBN 9786138555032. 724354452895. 
  5. ↑ "Nada Se Compara Contigo". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 11 July 2012. 
  6. ↑ Villafranca, Armando and Reinert, Patty. "Singer Selena shot to death". Houston Chronicle, (Hearst Corporation) 1 April 1995. Retrieved on 1 February 2008.
  7. ↑ "Ones". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 11 July 2012. 
  8. ↑ "Momentos Intimos". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 11 July 2012. 
  9. ↑ "La Leyenda". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 11 July 2012. 
  10. ↑ "Mis Mejores Canciones: 12 Super Exitos". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 11 July 2012. 
  11. ↑ "El Angel de la Ternura". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 11 July 2012. 
  12. ↑ "Solo Para Enamorados: 16 Exitos". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 11 July 2012. 
  13. ↑ "Solo Lo Mejor: 20 Exitos". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 11 July 2012. 
  14. ↑ "30 Exitos Insuperables". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 11 July 2012. 
  15. ↑ "15 de Coleccion". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 11 July 2012. 
  16. ↑ "Romanticos Por Siempre". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 11 July 2012. 
  17. ↑ "Lo Esencial De". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 11 July 2012. 
  18. ↑ Velásquez, Holber (22 January 2009). "Mientras haya amor, existirán las baladas". La Prensa (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 July 2012. 
  19. ↑ Young, Bob (27 March 1997). 's+dream+of+mainstream+acceptance+is+alive+and+well&pqatl=google "Music Star crossed Selena's dream of mainstream acceptance is alive and well". Boston Herald. Retrieved 7 May 2012.  (subscription required)
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Nada Se Compara Contigo (Compact disc). Alvaro Torres. EMI Latin. 1991. 077774253727.
  21. ↑ Márquez 2001, p. 20.
  22. ↑ Dernersesian 2006, p. 322.
  23. ↑ Bourgoin 1998, p. 366.
  24. ↑ Lorena, Flores (31 March 2004). "9 years after death, Selena's legacy lives Tejano music queen's following continues to grow with release of new song, merchandise". The Dallas Morning News. 
  25. ↑ "15 años sin Selena". El Diario de Hoy (in Spanish). 30 March 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2012. 
  26. ↑ "16. rocznica śmierci Seleny". Onet.pl (in Polish). Grupa Onet.pl. Retrieved 12 July 2012. 
  27. ↑ Lannert, John (10 June 1995). "A Retrospective". Billboard (Prometheus Global Media) 107 (23). Retrieved 5 May 2013. 
  28. ↑ Patoski, Joe Nick (1997). Selena: Como La Flor. Boulevard Books. p. 356. ISBN 1572972467. 
  29. ↑ Flores, Lorena (31 March 2004). "9 years after death, Selena's legacy lives Tejano music queen's following continues to grow with release of new song, merchandise". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 3 May 2013. 
  30. ↑ "Unforgettable: Ultimate Edition (CD & DVD)". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 5 May 2013. 
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Parédez, Deborah (2009). Selenidad: Selena, Latinos, and the performance of memory. Duke University Press. p. 259. ISBN 0822345021. 
  32. ↑ "Peniston Leads Music Video Nominees". Billboard (Prometheus Global Media) 104 (42). 17 October 1992. Retrieved 5 May 2013. 
  33. ↑ "Past Tejano Music Awards Winners". TejanoMusicAwards.com. Texas Talent Association. Retrieved 5 May 2013. 
  34. ↑ Lannert, John (10 June 1995). "Beloved Selena Enters Latin Music Hall of Fame". Billboard 107 (23). Retrieved 2 May 2013. 
  35. ↑ "‘Selena ¡Vive!’, de Univision, bate récords de audiencia". Hispanic PR Wire (in Spanish). PR Newswire. 11 April 2005. Retrieved 5 May 2013. 
  36. ↑ "Buenos Amigos by Tairon Y Anais". Amazon.com. Retrieved 5 May 2013. 
  37. ↑ "Buenos Amigos by Lucero Terrazas". Amazon.com. Retrieved 5 May 2013. 
  38. ↑ (CD single). Torres, Alvaro; Quintanilla-Perez, Selena. EMI Latin. 1992. DPRO-12518.
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 "Buenos Amigos — Week of April 11, 1992". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 11 April 1992. 
  40. ↑ "Buenos Amigos — Week of May 2, 1992". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2 May 1992. 
  41. ↑ "Torero — Week of June 13, 1992". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 13 June 1992. 
  42. ↑ "Hot Latin Songs > Week of 13 June 1992". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 12 July 2012. 
  43. ↑ "Nada Se Compara Contigo — Week of March 7, 1992". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 7 March 1992. Retrieved 14 May 2012. 
  44. ↑ "Singles Chart Archives > Selena > No Debes Jugar". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 20 June 2012.  (subscription required) Note: User must manually input the correct search information to obtain the sourced information.
  45. ↑ Vargas, Deborah (2012). Dissonant Divas in Chicana Music: The Limits of la Onda. University of Minnesota Press. p. 288. ISBN 0816673160. 
  46. ↑ "Latin Notas Charts". Billboard (Prometheus Global Media) 104 (24). 13 June 1992. Retrieved 5 May 2013. 

Books

  • Bourgoin, Suzanne Michele (1998), Encyclopedia of World Biography: Supplement A-Z, Gale Group, ISBN 141445905X 
  • Dernersesian, Angie Chabram (2006), The Chicana/o Cultural Studies Reader, Routledge, ISBN 0415235154 
  • Márquez, Herón (2001), Latin Sensations, Sagebrush Education Resources, ISBN 0613818628 
Selena singles
Selena
Ven Conmigo
Entre a Mi Mundo
Selena Live!
Amor Prohibido
Dreaming of You
Promotional singles
Featured singles
Other songs
  • Book
  • Category
  • Portal
  • Template
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.