La Llamada

Last updated

"La Llamada"
Lallamadasingle.jpg
Single by Selena
from the album Selena Live!
ReleasedOctober 18, 1993
Recorded1993
Genre
Length3:49
Label EMI Latin
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Selena singles chronology
"No Debes Jugar"
(1993)
"La Llamada"
(1993)
"Donde Quiera Que Estés"
(1994)
Music video
"La Llamada" on YouTube

"La Llamada" (English: "The Phone Call") is a song recorded by American recording artist Selena for her first live album Live! (1993). It was composed by Selena y Los Dinos backup singer Pete Astudillo and Selena's brother and principal record producer A.B. Quintanilla III and produced by Quintanilla III and Argentine music producer Bebu Silvetti. "La Llamada" was released as the second single from Live!. "La Llamada" is an uptempo Mexican cumbia song centering on female empowerment. Lyrically, the song sees Selena break up with her cheating boyfriend over the phone.

Contents

The song received generally positive reviews from music critics. It peaked at number 5 on the US Hot Latin Tracks on the week ending 23 October 1993. On the week ending 9 April 2011, "La Llamada" entered the Regional Mexican Digital Songs chart. A music video was released and features Selena dancing in a crowd at a beach house in Malibu, California. There have been many cover versions of "La Llamada" ranging from Mexican to Dominican artists.

Background and composition

"La Llamada" was one of three studio tracks recorded for Live! (1993). It was written by Selena y Los Dinos backup singer Pete Astudillo and Selena's brother, principal record producer and songwriter A. B. Quintanilla III. It was produced by Quintanilla III and Argentine music producer Bebu Silvetti. The song was intended to be one of three studio tracks for Selena's Live! album. Astudillo and Quintanilla III had spent an hour writing a song together. They wanted to write a song on a topic that many women face with their boyfriends. Quintanilla III had wanted to empower women, letting them know that they should hold their heads up and remember that life goes on. Selena favored the lyrical content and central theme, a common one in her songs. "La Llamada" was recorded in Corpus Christi, Texas, at Selena's father and manager Abraham Quintanilla, Jr.'s recording studio Q-Productions. Before Live! was released, the song was mixed by Brian "Red" Moore, a family friend. [1] Because Selena favored the song, the band released a music video. It was filmed in a beach house in Malibu, California. The video features Selena dancing with guys on one side and woman on the other. In other scenes, Selena is belting the lyrics behind blue curtains. [1] [2]

"La Llamada" is an uptempo Mexican cumbia song. [3] Written in the key of A minor, the beat is set in common time and moves at a moderate 90 beats per minute. [4] "La Llamada" describes a woman telling her boyfriend over the phone that she saw him kissing another girl, while her boyfriend tries to persuade to her that it was not him. [4] The central theme explored on "La Llamada" suggests female empowerment. [5]

Critical reception and covers

Howard Blumenthal wrote in his book The World Music CD Listener's Guide that "La Llamada" is an "energetic" song. [6] An editor from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram compared "La Llamada" and another Live! single "No Debes Jugar". The editor expressed the similarities the songs shared in both its lyrical content and the instruments used in the songs. [7] Sue Anne Pressley of the Chicago Sun-Times believed that "La Llamada" is a "fan favorite", calling it "a danceable pop number". [8] A Philadelphia Daily News editor called "La Llamada" a "catchy tune", though commented that it is the least memorable song on Live!. [9]

Mexican band Banda El Grullo recorded the song on their tribute album Lo Mejor De Selena Con Banda. [10] Mexican singer Dalila also recorded the song for her album Dalila en Vivo. [11] Dominican bachata singer Kiko Rodriguez recorded the song on his album Otra Vez Con Amor. [12]

Charts

Chart (1993)Peak
position
US Billboard Hot Latin Tracks [13] 5
Mexico Grupera Songs ( El Siglo de Torreón ) [14] 15
Chart (2011)Peak
position
US Billboard Regional Mexican Digital Songs [15] 10

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [16] Platinum (Latin)60,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Personnel

All credits were taken from the Live! album notes. [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>Ven Conmigo</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Selena

Ven Conmigo is the second studio album by American singer Selena, released on November 12, 1990, by EMI Latin. The singer's brother, A.B. Quintanilla III remained her principal record producer and songwriter after her debut album's moderate success. Selena's Los Dinos band composed and arranged seven of the album's ten tracks; local songwriter Johnny Herrera also provided songs for Selena to record. Ven Conmigo contains half cumbias and half rancheras, though the album includes other genres. Its musical compositions are varied and demonstrate an evolving maturity in Selena's basic Tejano sound. The album's structure and track organization were unconventional compared with other Tejano music albums. The songs on Ven Conmigo are mostly love songs or songs following a woman's struggles after many failed relationships.

<i>Entre a Mi Mundo</i> 1992 studio album by Selena

Entre a Mi Mundo is the third studio album by American singer Selena, released on May 6, 1992, by EMI Latin. The label endeavored to bolster Selena's popularity within the Latin music market in the United States with this release. A. B. Quintanilla sustained his role as the singer's producer and, in collaboration with Selena y Los Dinos members Pete Astudillo and Ricky Vela, composed tracks for the album. The ensuing recording encompassed an eclectic array of songs, attributable to the members' diverse backgrounds, which facilitated the modernization of the sundry genres they explored. Entre a Mi Mundo is a Tejano cumbia album that encapsulated Selena's quintessential sound, characterized by engaging tunes harmonized with her distinctive, plaintive vocals and a relaxed, danceable cumbia beat. The album incorporates musical inspirations from power pop, R&B, disco, rock, funk, and synthesized Tejano music.

<i>Selena</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Selena

Selena is the debut studio album by American Tejano singer Selena, released on October 17, 1989, by EMI Latin. Its music incorporates a range of contemporary genres with a mix of cumbia and regional styles of Mexican music. The album was released following company president Jose Behar's failed crossover request for the singer. The project was denied by the heads of EMI Records' pop division, believing the singer should first strengthen her fanbase. Selena's brother and principal record producer and songwriter, A.B. Quintanilla III fought to remain the singer's producer. The band introduced Pete Astudillo and Joe Ojeda, who contributed to the album's experimental production and songwriting. Aside from A.B., Selena worked with two Mexican songwriters, Alejandro Montealegre and Reinaldo Ornelas.

<i>Selena Live!</i> 1993 live album by Selena

Live! or Selena Live! is a live album by American Tejano pop singer Selena, which was released on May 4, 1993, by EMI Latin. The album was re-released on September 22, 2002, as being part of the Selena: 20 Years of Music collection; which included spoken liner notes by her family, friends and her former band members Selena y Los Dinos. Live! includes three cumbia-influenced studio tracks, while the rest of the album consists of live versions of previously released songs. The album was recorded during a free concert at the Memorial Coliseum in Corpus Christi, Texas, on February 7, 1993. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in its first year, double platinum in 1995, and 8× platinum in 2017.

<i>Mis Mejores Canciones – 17 Super Éxitos</i> 1993 greatest hits album by Selena

Mis Mejores Canciones – 17 Super Éxitos is a greatest hits album by American singer Selena released on September 17, 1993, through EMI Latin. Beginning in January 1993, the label released a comprehensive collection that spotlighted its Latin music artists as part of its Latin Classics series. Mis Mejores Canciones - 17 Super Exitos encompasses 17 tracks, ranging from songs recorded on her debut album with EMI Latin, to songs present in Entre a Mi Mundo (1992). The album received a positive response from music critics who enjoyed the label's catalog releases and praised the tracks on the album for showcasing Selena's early popular recordings. Following the shooting death of Selena on March 31, 1995, Mis Mejores Canciones - 17 Super Exitos debuted at number one on the US Billboard Top Catalog Albums chart, the first Spanish-language recording to do so. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the album diamond (Latin), denoting 600,000 units shipped in the United States.

Selena ¡Vive! was a benefit concert which was held on the tenth anniversary of the death of Tejano superstar Selena Quintanilla-Pérez. The concert was held on April 7, 2005 at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas with over 70,000 attendees. The special was produced and filmed by the Spanish language network, Univision, and was the most-watched special in the Spanish language in the history of American television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Techno Cumbia</span> 1995 single by Selena

"Techno Cumbia" is a song recorded by American singer Selena for her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido (1994). It was posthumously released as the b-side track to "Dreaming of You" through EMI Latin on August 14, 1995. Techno Cumbia would be put on her fifth and final studio album Dreaming of You (1995) and would be the fourth single for Dreaming Of You. "Techno Cumbia" was written by Pete Astudillo and co-written and produced by Selena's brother-producer A.B. Quintanilla. The song is a dance-pop and tecnocumbia recording with influences of dancehall, rap, Latin dance, and club music. Lyrically, Selena calls on people to dance her new style the "techno cumbia" and calls out those who cannot dance.

<i>Las Reinas del Pueblo</i> 1995 compilation album by Selena / Graciela Beltrán

Las Reinas del Pueblo is a compilation album by American Tejano music singer Selena and Mexican banda singer Graciela Beltrán. Posthumously released on April 4, 1995, by EMI Latin in the wake of Selena's death on March 31, 1995, the decision to produce a compilation album featuring Beltrán emerged after her tribute to the singer at a Houston memorial. The title was inspired by Mexican newspapers that referred to Selena as "an artist of the people" during a 1992 press tour in the nation and subsequently dubbed her "La Reina del Pueblo" in the aftermath of her death. Las Reinas del Pueblo encompasses six tracks by Selena and six by Beltrán, encapsulating their respective tenures with EMI Latin. Las Reinas del Pueblo peaked at number four on the US Billboard Top Latin Albums and Regional Mexican Albums chart, both behind other Selena releases. The recording peaked at number 147 on the American Billboard 200 chart. The album peaked at number ten on the Spanish albums chart in 2010. Beltrán's participation in the album yielded substantial promotional and sales enhancements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Debes Jugar</span> 1993 single by Selena

"No Debes Jugar" is a song recorded by American recording artist Selena and released as the lead single from her first live album Live! (1993). It was composed by Selena y Los Dinos keyboardist Ricky Vela and Selena's brother and principal record producer A.B. Quintanilla III and produced by Quintanilla III and Argentine music producer Bebu Silvetti. It is an uptempo Mexican cumbia song with influences of Rock en Español which is centered on female empowerment. Lyrically, the song describes a woman who threatens to leave her unappreciative boyfriend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">¿Qué Creías?</span> 1992 single by Selena

"¿Qué Creías?" is a song by American singer Selena, taken from her third studio album, Entre a Mi Mundo (1992). It was written by Pete Astudillo and A. B. Quintanilla; the composition was a result of a challenge issued by A. B. to Astudillo to create a song before they arrived in Las Vegas from California. Astudillo drew inspiration from the works of Mexican singer Juan Gabriel, culminating in a mariachi ballad. Selena, in describing the song, avers that it embodies women on a collective scale. It is the singer's torch song and the lyrics elucidate Selena's inflexible stance on refusing to absolve an unfaithful partner. She directly addresses her former lover who had taken her for granted, informing him of her capability to exist without him. Critics acclaimed Selena's emotional vocal range and her poetic expression with a distinctly feminine cadence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Como la Flor</span> 1992 single by Selena

"Como la Flor" is a song recorded by American singer Selena. Written by A. B. Quintanilla and Pete Astudillo, it was released as the second single from her third studio album Entre a Mi Mundo (1992). The song was written by Quintanilla, who was inspired by a family selling illuminated plastic flowers at a concert in Sacramento, California, in 1982. A decade later, Quintanilla. was seized with an infectious melody and abruptly dashed out of the shower in a hotel room in Bryan, Texas, to recreate it on a keyboard with Astudillo. He completed the music in just 20 minutes, while Astudillo took another hour to complete the lyrics. "Como la Flor" is an up-tempo, Tejano cumbia torch song that blends tropical cumbia rhythms with hints of reggae and pop music. Its lyrics describe the feelings of a female protagonist addressing her former lover, who abandoned her for another partner. The narrator is uncertain of her ability to love again, while at the same time, wishing her former partner and his new lover the best.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Carcacha</span> 1992 single by Selena

"La Carcacha" is a song recorded by American singer Selena for her third studio album, Entre a Mi Mundo (1992). The song was written by A.B. Quintanilla and Pete Astudillo. It was inspired by a dilapidated car and an experience in which A.B. observed a woman's willingness to court the owner of a luxury car. The song, characterized by its rhythmic melodies and satirical portrayal of life in the barrio, highlights the importance of love and genuine connection over material wealth. It is a Tejano cumbia song that is emblematic of Selena's typical style, while music critics found it to be musically similar to "Baila Esta Cumbia".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Si Una Vez</span> 1995 single by Selena

"Si Una Vez" is a song recorded by American recording artist Selena for her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido (1994). It was written by Pete Astudillo and produced by Selena's brother-producer A.B. Quintanilla. "Si Una Vez" is a mariachi fusion song and draws influence from cumbia and Latin dance music. Lyrically, Selena questions why she ever fell in love with an abusive partner, saying she will never repeat her mistakes. The lyrics suggest unrequited love and female empowerment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Chico del Apartamento 512</span> 1995 promotional single by Selena

"El Chico del Apartamento 512" is a song recorded by American recording artist Selena for her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido (1994). It was released along with "Fotos y Recuerdos" in January 1995, serving as its B-side track. Written by Ricky Vela, "El Chico del Apartamento 512" is a cumbia song with influences of Colombian and South American music. Lyrically, the song describes a female protagonist who knocks on her love interest's apartment door and is heartbroken when his sister answers it. Justino Aguilar of Billboard magazine, called "El Chico del Apartamento 512" as one of Selena's "most memorable songs". The track posthumously peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Regional Mexican Digital Songs chart in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Quiero Saber</span> 1996 single by Selena

"No Quiero Saber" is a song recorded by American recording artist Selena. It was originally a track on her second studio album Ven Conmigo (1990). It was composed and produced by her brother, A.B. Quintanilla III. Pete Astudillo, a backup singer with Selena y Los Dinos, produced the song with Quintanilla. The recording was later remixed by Quintanilla III for Selena's 1996 first remix album, Siempre Selena. It was released posthumously by EMI Latin in June 1996, as the album's second single, behind "Siempre Hace Frio".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baila Esta Cumbia</span> 1990 single by Selena

"Baila Esta Cumbia" is a song recorded by American Tejano singer Selena for her second studio album, Ven Conmigo (1990). It was released as the second single by EMI Latin on August 28, 1990, behind "Ya Ves". It was composed by her brother–producer A.B. Quintanilla, and Selena y Los Dinos backup dancer, Pete Astudillo. The recording is an up-tempo Mexican cumbia song. It was well received by music critics who enjoyed its cumbia-feel and rhythm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donde Quiera Que Estés</span> 1994 single by Selena and the Barrio Boyzz

"Donde Quiera Que Estés" is a duet recorded by American Latin pop quintet the Barrio Boyzz and American Tejano singer Selena. Released on the Barrio Boyzz' album of the same name, "Donde Quiera Que Estés" was written by K. C. Porter, Miguel Flores, Desmond Child, and produced by A.B. Quintanilla III, Domingo Padilla and Bebu Silvetti. The lyrics explore feelings felt after a breakup between first-time lovers who hope that their love will one day return. "Donde Quiera Que Estés" is a dance pop song with influences from hip-hop music.

<i>Enamorada de Ti</i> 2012 remix album by Selena

Enamorada de Ti is the second remix album by American Tejano singer Selena. It was released posthumously on 3 April 2012 through Capitol Latin and Q-Productions. Enamorada de Ti was produced by Sergio Lopes, Leslie Ahrens, Andres Castro, Moggie Canazio, Cesar Lemons and Chilean record producer Humberto Gatica. Gatica had the idea of modernizing songs recorded by Selena into today's popular music genres. Selena's family had already been working on a similar idea, but they set it aside in favor of Enamorada de Ti, which had gained the approval of Capitol Latin. The selection of artists to sing duets with Selena began in late summer 2011. Gatica and Selena's family chose American singer and actress Selena Gomez, Puerto Rican singer Don Omar, Samuel "Samo" Parra from the Mexican rock band Camila, Mexican singer Cristian Castro, Spanish DJ mixer Juan Magan, and the Carlos Santana band, while the remaining songs selected were remixed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A.B. Quintanilla</span> American producer, songwriter and musician

Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III, known professionally as A.B. Quintanilla III or A.B. Quintanilla, is an American record producer, songwriter and musician. he is the older brother of singer Selena, known as the "Queen of Tejano Music", having produced and written many of her hit songs throughout her career, is the creator and founder of the bands Kumbia Kings and Kumbia All Starz, also having produced and written their hit songs as well as performing as a member of both, and has contributed, produced and written many songs for other artists.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Live! (CD). Selena. EMI Latin. 2002. 724354084027.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. Perez, Chris (2012). To Selena, With Love. Penguin Books. p. 304. ISBN   978-1101580264.
  3. La época. Epoca de México: University of Texas. 1994.
  4. 1 2 Quintanilla-Perez, Selena; Quintanilla III, A.B. (1993). "Live!: Selena Digital Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Alfred Music Publishing. MN090674 (Product Number).
  5. "Tejano music celebrates its best". Fort Worth Star Telegram. 13 March 1993. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  6. Blumenthal, Howard J. (1997). The World Music CD Listener's Guide (1st print. ed.). New York: Billboard Books. ISBN   0-8230-7663-6.
  7. "With Tejano music, Selena joins pioneers". Fort Worth Star-Telegram . 4 April 1995. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  8. Pressley, Sue Anne (2 April 1995). "Suspect Charged In Selena's Death Warnings Cited". Chicago Sun-Times . Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  9. "Selena's Story Going on Film". Philadelphia Daily News . 29 August 1995. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  10. "iTunes > Music > Lo Mejor de Selena Con Banda". iTunes Store . Apple Inc. 11 October 2005. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  11. "iTunes > Music > Dailia en Vivo". iTunes Store . Apple Inc . Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  12. "iTunes > Music > Otra Vez Con Amor". iTunes Store . Apple Inc. January 2007. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  13. "Allmusic > Selena Awards". Allmusic . Rovi Corporation . Retrieved 21 June 2012.
  14. "Posiciones de las Canciones Con Mayor Exito en America Latina". El Siglo de Torreón . December 7, 1993. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  15. "Latin Regional Digital Songs: 9 April 2011 | Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on 3 August 2012. Retrieved 3 August 2012.
  16. "American single certifications – Selena – Baila Esta Cumbia". Recording Industry Association of America.