José Carreras sings Granada [Verona, 1988]

Spanish tenor José Carreras sings “Granada”, the famous song written in 1932 by the Mexican singer, actor, and songwriter Agustín Lara. With this song, Carreras concluded the evening in Verona, a concert benefiting the José Carreras Leukemia Foundation in 1988.

In 1987, at the peak of his career, Jose Carreras collapsed in Paris while a recording performance opposite Kiri Te Kanawa in Manon Lescaut by Giacomo Puccini. He was diagnosed with leukemia and was given a low chance of survival.

He immediately underwent a year-long treatment of radiation, chemotherapy, and an autologous bone marrow transplant in Seattle. In 1988, Carreras returned to singing and was greeted by a crowd of 150,000 at an open-air performance in Barcelona.

At the time of the video above, Carreras was still recovering from leukemia.

The song is about the Spanish city of Granada, the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain.

Granada Lyrics

The lyrics of “Granada” describe the beauty of the city of Granada in Andalusia, Spain, and the emotions that it evokes in the singer. The song is a love letter to the city and to Spain itself, with the singer expressing their admiration for the city’s architecture, gardens, and people.

The song is often performed in a dramatic and emotional style, with powerful vocals and sweeping orchestral accompaniment. The melody features a distinctive Spanish rhythm and incorporates elements of flamenco music.

Over the years, “Granada” has been covered by many artists in many different languages, including English, French, Italian, and German. The song remains popular to this day and is often considered a symbol of Spanish culture and heritage.

Spanish

Granada tierra soñada por mí
Mi cantar se vuelve gitano
Cuando es para ti.

Mi cantar hecho de fantasía
Mi cantar flor de melancolía
Que yo te vengo a dar.

Granada tierra ensangrentada
En tardes de toros,
Mujer que conserva el embrujo
De los ojos moros.

Te sueño rebelde y gitana
Cubierta de flores
Y beso tu boca de grana
Jugosa manzana
Que me habla de amores.

Granada manola cantada
En coplas preciosas,
No tengo otra cosa que darte
Que un ramo de rosas.

De rosas de suave fragancia
Que le dieron marco a la virgen morena.

Granada tu tierra esta llena
De lindas mujeres
De sangre y de sol.

English translation

Granada, the land of dreams for me
My song becomes gypsy-like
When it is for you.

My song made of fantasy
My song a melancholy flower
That I come to give to you.

Granada, blood-stained soil
In bullfight afternoons
Woman who preserves the enchantment
Of Moorish eyes.

I dream of you rebellious, a gypsy
Covered with flowers
And I kiss your scarlet mouth
Juicy apple
That speaks to me of love affairs

Granada my beautiful sung
In precious verses
I have nothing else to give you
Than a bouquet of roses

Of roses of sweet fragrance
That framed the dark virgin.

Granada your land is full
Of lovely women
Of blood and sun

Sources

• The City of Granada on Wikipedia
• Agustín Lara on Wikipedia