| "Esclavo y amo" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Javier Solís | |
| from the album El Peor De Los Caminos | |
| Released | 1962 |
| Genre | Bolero ranchero , Bolero moruno |
| Length | 2:57 |
| Label | CBS |
| Songwriter(s) | José Vaca Flores |
"Esclavo y amo" (English: "Slave and master") is a song written by Mexican songwriter José Vaca Flores and originally recorded by Ranchera singer Javier Solís for his 1962 album El Peor De Los Caminos and also released as a single in 1962 alongside El loco. The song, which was Vaca Flores' first hit as a songwriter and also became one of Solis' most emblematic songs, would eventually become a standard of the Mexican popular repertoire.
The lyrics are about a man who is deeply infatuated with a woman, who makes him feel both "slave and master of the universe".
Los Pasteles Verdes version
| "Esclavo y amo" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Los Pasteles Verdes | |
| from the album Vol. II | |
| Released | 1975 |
| Genre | Bolero, Balada grupera |
| Length | 3:25 |
| Label | Discos GAS |
| Songwriter(s) | José Vaca Flores |
In 1975, Peruvian group Los Pasteles Verdes covered "Esclavo y amo", which was released as a single from their second studio album Vol. II. Their version, which departs from the mariachi instrumentation of the original Javier Solis' version and instead has a more psychedelic style typical of 70s Latin romantic groups, re-popularized the song in Mexico, where it topped the airplay charts in 1976.
Chart performance
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Mexico | 1 |
Pepe Aguilar version
| "Esclavo y amo" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Pepe Aguilar | |
| from the album Lo Grande de los Grandes | |
| Released | 2000 |
| Genre | Bolero ranchero , Bolero moruno |
| Length | 3:17 |
| Label | Musart Records |
| Songwriter(s) | José Vaca Flores |
In 2000, Mexican singer Pepe Aguilar covered the song for his album "Lo Grande de los Grandes". His version, which was also released as a single and features a mariachi instrumentation more reminiscent of Javier Solís' original version, was one of the winners of the 2002 BMI Latin Awards.
Chart performance
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot Latin Tracks | 14 | |
| Billboard Latin Airplay | 14 | |
| Billboard Latin Pop Airplay | 13 | |
| Billboard Regional Mexican Airplay | 25 |
Other versions
The song has also been recorded by artists such as Vicente Fernández, Manoella Torres, Lupillo Rivera, Marco Antonio Muñiz, Leo Dan and Amanda Miguel, among others.
See also
References
- "Fallece José Vaca Flores, autor del tema "Esclavo y amo"". Excelsior. NOTIMEX. 1 November 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- "Javier Solís – El Peor De Los Caminos – Discogs". Discogs. 1974. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- "Javier Solís – Esclavo Y Amo / El Loco – Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- Lechner, Ernesto (29 March 2022). "Adrian Quesada's New Trip: Reviving the Magic of 'Boleros Psicodélicos'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- "Billboard "Hits of the World"" (PDF). 14 February 1976. p. 50. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
- "BMI Honors Top Latin Songwriters, Publishers at 9th Annual Awards Ceremony". BMI. 7 May 2002. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- "Pepe Aguilar Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- "Esclavo y amo – Javier Solís Cover Songs". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 December 2022.