Feature Photo: Ibrahim Arce (Narcy Studios photographer), most likely, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Our Top 10 Celia Cruz Songs list will look at the legendary Queen of Salsa. Celia Cruz was one of the most popular Latin artists of all time. Celia Cruz rose to fame in the 50s as a singer of guaracha. She became known as the Queen of Salsa because of her contributions to Latin music. Celia Cruz released several studio albums as well as live and collaborations throughout her career. Her best-selling album is Regalo del Alma. The album sold over 200,000 copies. She received numerous awards throughout her career. The legendary singer has sold over 500,000 albums worldwide. In addition to singing, she has appeared in movies and telenovelas. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1987. She was inducted into the Billboard Latin Hall of Fame in 1994. She was also inducted into the International Latin Hall of Fame in 1999. She was the first recipient to receive the ASCAP Latin Heritage Award.
Celia Cruz was born Ursula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso on October 21, 1925 and died on July 16, 2003. Celia Cruz began singing as a baby. She sang in school. While she was growing up in Cuba, she listened to different artists who helped shape her career. She listened to artists such as Abelardo Barroso, Antonio Arcano and Arsenio Rodriguez. Her father didn’t want her to listen to music because of her religion. She learned Santeria songs from her neighbor. She studied the words to Yoruba songs with Merceditas Valdes who was a Santeria singer.
Her aunt took her to Cabarets to sing even though her father wanted her to be a teacher. Celia Cruz agreed with her father and went to school to become a teacher. Being a singer wasn’t considered a good career move at the time. Her teacher told her she could earn more as an entertainer in one day than most teachers would make in a month. She studied music. She went to a radio station and participated in a contest on a radio program. She won first place. One thing led to another and her singing career began.
Isolina Carrillo was one of the first people to recognize her ability to sing Afro Cuban music. She asked Celia Cruz to join her band. She performed in different cabarets. Her big break came in 1950 when Myrta Silva returned to Puerto Rico. They needed a new singer, so Celia Cruz got her chance. Sonora Matancera had their first black frontwoman. She recorded 188 songs with the band and stayed with them for 15 years. While she was with the band, she appeared in Mexican films. She left the band when her husband Pedro Knight wanted to leave the band. He wanted to be her representative. In 1966, Tito Puente wanted her to sing with his orchestra. They went on to record collaborative albums.
Celia Cruz recorded several albums throughout her long career. Her studio albums range from Cuba’s Foremost Rhythm Singer in 1958 to Regalo del Alma in 2003. She also had albums released after she passed away. Celia Cruz has had a long-standing career. It would take a very long time to get through all her accomplishments. She is an influential singer who touched the hearts of many fans. Our Top 10 Celia Cruz Songs list will focus on her legendary songs.
# 10 – Toro Mata (The Bull Kills) ft. Johnny Pacheco
The 10th song on our Top 10 Celia Cruz Songs list is “Toro Mata” from the Celia & Johnny album. “Toro Mata” was released in 1974. This song is one of the most iconic songs in Latin music. The song is about a man who is killed by a bull in a bullfight and is being chased by the police. It tells the story of two friends during slavery time. They belonged to a man who raised bulls for fights. One of the friends was drinking and decided to take a chance at bullfighting.
There were other people around and they agreed to let him ride the bull. His friend warned him to be careful. The guy didn’t listen to his friend’s warning. He tried to fight the bull, but the bull went after his skin color instead of the cape. He tried to get away from the bull, but he couldn’t do it. His friend tried to stop him, but it didn’t do any good. It is not clear if the bull killed the man, but it is safe to assume what happened to the man.
This is not your typical song. It is a concept story about a man fighting a bull. The song is more than just bullfighting. It is also about the struggles between life and death. The song has a message about racism. It is easy to write this song off as a novelty song based on the title, but it is more than that. It tells an interesting story with a great rhythm. The music is loud and will hold your attention. The horn section and drums will also hold your attention. The music is energetic and full of life.
We dare you to sit still as you listen to this. The music is so captivating you may not be able to focus on the lyrics. Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco’s voices are made for each other. Celia Cruz proves why she was the Queen of Salsa. Her voice is spectacular. You will be hooked to her voice. You will enjoy this song even if you aren’t a fan of salsa. If you don’t understand the lyrics, you can still enjoy the song. The music will grab you immediately.
# 9 – You Vivire (I Will Live/Survive)
The ninth song on our Top 10 Celia Cruz Songs list is “You Vivire” from the Regalo del Alma album. “You Vivire” was released in 2003. This song is about celebrating life and resilience. This is Celia Cruz’s take on Gloria Gaynor’s hit “I Will Survive.” The song is about a woman who is drawn on her strength in the face of adversity. She believes her voice will be heard through the noise. Her voice comes from her heart. Her voice will fly without any help from her. Her dreams will take her far. Her voice will reflect the love she has for her family. She will continue to sing no matter what comes her way. As the song progresses, she thinks about what happened long ago when she was searching for her freedom. She talks about the friends she left behind and how many tears she shed. She is determined to find her friends again. She will continue to survive and she will do it for her people.
This song has a powerful message about survival and celebrating life. This song gives you hope about overcoming challenges. The song has a bouncy beat. As soon as you hear the piano chords, it will remind you of the famous disco song. This is a version of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive.” Celia Cruz made this song her own. Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” is about surviving a relationship. Celia Cruz’s version is about overcoming obstacles and celebrating life. She turned the disco song into a Latin song. She still incorporated the music from the original version so there is no mistaken it is a cover of Gloria Gaynor’s hit song. Celia Cruz’s voice is richer than it was in our previous entry. Her voice sounds more mature in this song. Her voice sounds polished. This song may move you to tears since it appeared on her last studio album.
# 8 – Juancito Trucupey
The eighth song on our Top 10 Celia Cruz Songs list is “Juancito Trucupey” from the Canta Celia Cruz album. “Juancito Trucupey” was released in 1991. The song is about a man named Juancito Trucupey. He is popular in his community. He is known for his love of music and parties. He invites people to his party so he can play his tambora. He wanted to play it late at night. As the song progresses, his wife is looking for him, but she can’t find him. He is loved and respected by his community. He loves guaracha, having fun and going out for drinks. His wife is frustrated with him and wants to make him pay for his behavior. Even though she is upset with him, he is still popular in his community.
This track talks about the complexities of human relationships. Celia Cruz discusses the tension that builds between your personal desires and your social obligations. Juancito Trucupey’s love of music and partying makes him happy, but it causes his wife distress. This story would make a good movie. The man is torn between two loves. The story keeps you invested because you wonder which one he will choose. The song has an infectious rhythm. The music is energetic and is guaranteed to get you moving on the dance floor. It is excellent for a party and will get the party started. The horn section commands the beat. Celia Cruz’s vocals are phenomenal. She commands your attention whenever she sings. She has a lot of power in her voice. She will hold your attention until the song ends. The song isn’t very long. By the time you get in the song it is over.
# 7 – Rie y Llora (Laugh and Cry)
The seventh song on our list is “Rie y Llora” from the Regalo del Alma album. “Rie y Llora” was released in July 2003. This song is about embracing life. She wants listeners to make the most out of life. She wants everyone to laugh and cry as well as to sing and dance. It celebrates Latin American culture and their ability to be strong. You only have one life to live so you may as well live it to the fullest. Everyone’s time on earth will come to an end eventually so she wants everyone to enjoy it while they can. As the song goes on, she talks about the importance of forgiveness. She says that you shouldn’t forget what happened, but you should try to move on without pain. Forgiveness is for you and not the other person.
The song has a good message about embracing life. We all have one life to live so we may as well make the best of it. This song is a reminder not to take life too seriously. Life moves too fast not to do what you want to do. Celia Cruz wants everyone to cherish life and not take anything for granted. She knows that life has obstacles, but you can overcome them. The music is upbeat and vibrant. The music is what you would expect in a song like this. The music isn’t overpowering. It is soft enough so you can hear Celia Cruz’s vocals. Her voice sounds amazing. This song was recorded near the end of her life, but she sounds as great as ever. It is impossible to listen to her and not be impressed with her vocals. The background singers do an excellent job supporting her.
# 6 – Bemba Colora (Big Red Lips)
“Bemba Colora” is from the Son con Guaguanco album. “Bemba Colora” was released in 1966. The song is about a woman who is not afraid to speak her mind. It is about the resilience of Afro-Caribbean women and their contributions to the culture and music of Latin America. The song highlights the beauty of a woman’s mouth. They want everyone to go after the beautiful woman who has the colorful lips. It is not just about a woman’s life. The song also talks about freedom as well as loss. The narrator misses her native home and wants to be free like a bird. Throughout the song she goes down memory lane about the things that happened in her homeland. It makes her emotional to think about the people she left behind. She also talks about a man named Juan who had to bury his daughter. He said a prayer for her and put the dirt on her grave.
The lyrics are celebratory. She embraces her looks. She is not ashamed of how she looks. She considers herself a sexy woman with distinct features. It is good that she embraced her beauty even if she didn’t look like a supermodel. The lyrics cover different things so there is something in it for everyone to enjoy. The music is horn and percussion heavy. The horn section will blow your mind. The musicians are geniuses and make the music come alive. The music will put you in a celebratory mood. Celia Cruz sings this song with confidence. Her vocals are pure dynamite. She doesn’t hold back in this song. She puts everything out there. She has incredible pacing and takes her time with each lyric. Her vocals are strong enough to be heard over the loud music.
# 5 – Le Negra Tiene Tumbao (The Black Woman’s Got Style)
The next song on our Top 10 Celia Cruz Songs list is “La Negra Tiene Tumbao” from the album of the same name. “La Negra Tiene Tumbao” was released in 2001. The song celebrates the strength and beauty of Afro-Caribbean women. The song is about a woman who walks around with confidence. She gets attention from everyone around her. She can walk by herself because she has enough confidence that she doesn’t need anyone by her side. If you want to talk to her, you must go about it the right way.
The woman walks with a swag that shows off her confident style. If you want to be successful, you must believe in yourself. You must be confident that you can get the job done. The narrator wants you to enjoy your life while staying on the right path. On her dying day, people will say that she is a great woman. She loved life. She doesn’t want anyone to lie to her when they approach her. She wants people to tell her the truth. She advises everyone to enjoy their lives while they can.
This is another song with a good message about embracing your style. Celia Cruz wanted listeners to know that she was a confident woman. She wasn’t ashamed of her skin tone. She wants others to feel the same way about themselves. She wants you to strive to be your best self. This is a song we didn’t know we needed to hear until we heard it. It is a timely message about self-acceptance and enjoying your life. She teaches you that you don’t have to worry about haters. If you love yourself, that is all you need.
If you have been put down because of the way you look, this is the song for you. The music is fantastic. It has an infectious rhythm that never gets old. The blazing horn section is just what the song needs to give it that Latin flair. The chorus is catchy and you won’t want to stop singing it. It’s time to talk about her vocals. Celia Cruz is amazing in this song. You can feel her passion as she sings the lyrics. You can tell this song is personal for her.
# 4 – Guantanamera (The Woman)
“Guantanamera” is from the Bravo album. “Guantanamera” was released in 1967. This is a classic song that has been recorded by several artists. This song is about a woman from Guantanamo. The song celebrates Cuban culture and identity. She talks about her life in Cuba. She remembers it fondly. She goes into detail about the things she did when she was in Cuba. She talks about the struggle Cuba went through to gain independence from Spain. Cuba gained their freedom when the people fought for their independence. The song also talks about friendship and solidarity. It is about pride and joy as well as resilience.
The song will teach you about pride and having pride in your hometown. This will resonate with listeners if you are from Cuba. You can also appreciate the story even if you aren’t from Cuba. Celia Cruz sounds as if she has pride in her heritage. She sounds convincing as she recites the lyrics. As we mentioned earlier, this song has been recorded multiple times. Celia Cruz managed to make her version stand out.
Her voice is lovely to listen to and is easy on the ear. This song showcases her incredible vocal range. You can tell by listening to her that she embraces her hometown. She sings the song with passion in her voice. She knows how to tell a story by the way she recites the lyrics. She keeps you interested until the last word is uttered. Her voice is so good that you may not want the song to end so you can keep hearing her voice.
# 3 – Quimbara ft. Johnny Pacheco
Coming in at number three on our list is “Quimbara” from the Celia & Johnny album. “Quimbara” was released in 1974. The song is about unity. The lyrics pay tribute to people who can dance the beat of the Quimbara. It doesn’t matter what your background is. You are being celebrated for your ability to dance to Quimbara. The song stresses that music is for everyone and it celebrates the harmony that music can bring to people. The narrator goes into detail about how much she enjoys the dance. The music will live in her heart. She feels her life is about partying and listening to good music. She encourages everyone to dance whether they know about music or not.
This song is highly energetic. It is a celebration of Cuban culture. It talks about the power of music and how it can bring people together. With everything going on in the world today, we can use a song about unity. This song was recorded decades ago but it can still be useful today. Unity is a subject that never gets old. This song will have you on your feet. The piano and bass are excellent. Your mind will be blown listening to Celia Cruz’s beautiful voice. She sounds as if she is enjoying herself in this track. She can sing over the loud music. Johnny Pacheco does a great job supporting her in the chorus. He brings the chorus to life. The dynamic duo sounds great together. This is the kind of song that will put you in a great mood.
# 2 – Usted Abuso (You Abused) ft. Willie Colon
“Usted Abuso” is from the album Only They Could Have Made This Album. “Usted Abuso” was released in 1977. The song tells the story about a woman being abused by her man. The song talks about a woman suffering while she comes to grips with the fact that her husband betrayed her. She loves him and he broke her heart. He abused her trust and love. He took advantage of her in different ways. She wanted to get away from him even though she kept thinking about when she fell in love with him. She knows that her story couldn’t be written without talking about what happened with her husband. She is not sure whether she should be happy or upset about her past. She wonders if she will ever be able to love again. She learned that love is a lie and encourages anyone else who has suffered abuse to learn from her.
This song gives Celia Cruz a chance to talk about something different. She talks about abuse in a relationship. This is a serious issue. It is a subject that needs to be talked about more than it is. This song brings awareness to abuse in relationships. The music isn’t as fast as the other songs on our list, but you can still move around to it. The music has a dynamic rhythm as well as a powerful brass section. They create a stirring performance that holds up today. There is an instrumental pause that gives you a chance to embrace the rhythm. Celia Cruz and Willie Colon’s voices blend well together so well that they almost sound like one person. The music caters to both of their voices which allows them both to vocally shine. This song is another reason why Celia Cruz was named the Queen of Salsa.
# 1 – La Vida Es un Carnival (Life Is a Carnival)
The number one song on our Top 10 Celia Cruz Songs list “La Vida Es un Carnival (Life Is a Carnival)” from the Mi Vida Es Cantar album. “La Vida Es un Carnival” was released in 1998. The song is about her attitude towards life. She talks about life being beautiful even when it is bad. You must know how to live it. There is no such thing as a lonely person. There is always someone out there for you. She lets us know the grass is greener on the other side. She feels there is no point wasting our lives worrying about negative things. There is never a need to cry because life is a carnival. It is better to live singing than crying. The pain will go away if you choose to sing instead of cry.
This is an excellent song to listen to if you are feeling down about life. If you are feeling depressed, this song will give you hope that things will get better. For those going through a difficult time, you can listen to this song and feel alive again. The song is like the cure for your troubles. It is hard to listen to this song and not smile. The music is upbeat so it will pick up your mood. It will have you dancing your troubles away. The musicians are magnificent. The horn section deserves a standing ovation for what they did in this song. Celia Cruz sounds right at home with her vocals. She has excellent vocal timing throughout the track. She knows when to pull back and when to let go. The background singers sound amazing. Their harmonies are smoking hot. They sound just as good as she does. Everything about this song is flawless.
Top 10 Celia Cruz Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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