Amor Prohibido (song)
Encyclopedia
"Amor Prohibido" is a song recorded by American Tejano pop
singer Selena
for her fifth studio album of the same name
(1994). The song was written by Selena, A.B. Quintanilla III and Pete Astudillo
and was produced by Abraham Quintanilla Jr., Jorge Alberto Pino, Bebu Silvetti
and Gregg Vickers. The song was created when Selena had began to hymn in her tour bus, where Quintanilla III and Astudillo began writing down melodic lines. Selena had wanted the song to be based on the true story of her grandparents who were forbidden to love because they came from different social class
.
"Amor prohibido" is a Spanish-language mid-tempo
corrido
that has influences of dance-pop
. The central theme and lyrical content of the song conveys a Romeo and Julet-based background about two lovers who are given negative comments from society because they come from two different aspects of the world, though they ignore everyone and continue on with their relationship, while overcoming parental disapproval and poverty differences. "Amor prohibido" served as the lead single in the United States, while it was released as the third single in international releases. As of 2005, the single has sold more than 500,000 copies in the United States. "Amor prohibido" had peaked at number-one on the US Hot Latin Tracks and number five on the Latin Regional Mexican Airplay
charts.
The song received positive feedback from music critics who claimed that "Amor prohibido" was Selena's "most famous song". "Amor prohibido" was nominated for a Grammy Awards at the 37th Grammy Awards. The song had won the "Pop Ballad of the Year" award at the 1994 Premio Lo Nuestro. The song had won one prestigious award from the 1995 BMI Music Awards. At the 1994 Tejano Music Awards
, the song had won "Single of the Year" for three consecutive years. The song was posthumously nominated for "Best 1990s songs" at the 2010 Tejano Music Awards
.
The single's accompanying music video
was directed by Cecilia Miniucchi and had premiered on Valentines Day on all Spanish-language music channels. There has been numerous cover versions of "Amor prohibido", some being non-Hispanic. The song has been used in the media several times, mostly for Mexican telenovela
s. The single was certified Gold by the Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas in 1995, while in 2005, the digital track was certified Platinum.
Pete Astudillo
wrote down a few melodies. Selena had then began to sing about a couple who were forbidden to love each other, which then became the central theme of the song. When Selena had sat down with Quintanilla III and Astudillo, she decided to help write the song and had wanted it to be a song based on the true story of her grandparents, who were forbidden to love each other because their parents (Selena's great-grandparents) didn't want them to be together because they had came from different social class
. The song was written in less then a day and became consequential to Selena.
Magos Herrera
had recorded the demo
of the song for Selena to record. Jorge Alberto Pino and Bebu Silvetti
had wrote the chord structure
and the guitar part. Gregg Vickers had became the assistant producer. The pre-production of the song began in Selena's father's recording studio Q-Productions
on January 20, 1994. Brian "Red" Moore, a family friend, was brought in to remix
the music of the song while lead keyboardist
Ricky Vela
was in charge with the music sequencer
during pre-production. The backing vocalist were Stephanie Lynn and Rick Alvarez, the backing vocals had a quarter note
delay at 675ms.
The recording of "Amor prohibido" began on January 26, 1994, it had became the first song to be recorded for Amor prohibido. During recording, Selena added the melodic chant
"ooooh baby". Quintanilla III stated during an interview with MTV Tr3s that "Amor prohibido" wouldn't be the same if Selena hadn't added the chants. Selena had took two takes before Quintanilla III had choose the take he felt would be best for the album. After the release of Amor prohibido
in March 1994, Selena and Jose Behar (head of EMI Latin
) were deciding on which song off of the album would be released as the lead single
. Quintanilla III had wanted "Bidi bidi bom bom
" to be the lead single, however, Selena and Behar had pushed for "Amor prohibido".
corrido
with dance-pop
influences. Written in the key
of E major
, the beat
is set in common time
and moves at a moderate 90 beats per minute. Selena's vocal range
in the song spans two octaves. "Amor prohibido" uses an uptempo keyboard synthesizer and a electronic keyboard
. The song uses percussion and the hi-hat
cymbal
as its musical foundation. The Daily Democrat wrote that the song was "... mixing the modern cumbia sounds of guitars, accordions, bass guitar, flutes, drums and other percussion's ..." Ellie D. Hernández wrote in her book Postnationalism in chicana/o literature and culture that "... By challenging the precept of social desire and self-production, Selena's music speaks of a social and cultural desire that transcends the boundaries of romantic love in one of her songs, appropriately titled "Amor prohibido" ..." Hernández stated that Selena sings in Spanish the central theme of "... social divisions, class and race, that divides [Selena] from her beloved ..." Hernández also stated that "... The ethos of the song suggests a hegemonic crisis informing Selena's lamentations. The "forbidden love" is built in a cultural prohibition where "the lovers" are formed. The figurative societal pressures to live in accordance with a class construct are implicated along racial and linguistic boundaries that code a new subject relation. Much of Selena's music forms similar tensions, [such as "Amor prohibido"], in which the dominant precepts are fashioned as a murmuring, a catty whispering that achieves a certain primacy as a hegemonic disclosure. The love Selena claims in the lyrics is paradigmatic because it also is capable of leading her to an emotional banishment from her family and culture. Risking everything for this love is not at all an innocent choice but a decision abundant with agency and consciousness that begins as a consequence of the forbidden ..."
The song's lyrics are constructed in the verse-pre-chorus-chorus form. It begins with keyboard synthesizer strumming, and Selena sings the intro
: Con unas ansias locas quiero verte hoy (With this crazy longing I want to see you today). She then sings the first verse telling her boyfriend that they shouldn't care what their parents tell them that their love is the sole important thing that should matter in their lives. The pre-chorus and chorus follow: Amor prohibido murmuran por las calles porque somos de distintas sociedades/ Amor prohibido nos dice todo el mundo el dinero no importa en ti y en mí/ ni en el corazón/ Oh, oh baby. (Forbidden love has died in the streets because we come from two different societies/ They tell us that our love is forbidden, but money does not matter in our hearts/ oh, oh baby). Selena sings the bridge
, where she tells her lover that she is poor and that she can only supply him with love, and that they shouldn't care what society has to think because the most important thing is that they love each other. Selena sings the chorus two times before the song concludes
.
In Drum magazine, the editor had believed "Amor prohibido" is a "gently rocking" song. S.C Gwynne of Time
magazine, believed "Amor prihibido" was a form of dance pop that combines Top 40 melodies with the rhythms of Colombian cumbia
. Elizabeth Rodriguez Kessler and Anne Perrin wrote in their book Chican@s in the Conversations that "Amor prohibido" was a "soap-operaish" song. Greg Kot of Chicago Tribune
wrote that "Amor prohibido" had "... a bit more contemporary snap to it ..." In the Denver Post, the editor stated that "Amor prohibido" is a "cumbia" song. Mario Tarradell of The Dallas Morning News
wrote that "Amor prohibido" is a "... synthesizer-heavy cumbia piece that's so catchy it's sinful ..." Tarradell also noted the song to be "Tejano-like", and "pop-styled opus". Mary Talbot of The New York Daily News wrote that "... As if in requiem to Selena's career, the album's producers included two straight-up Tejano hits, "Amor prohibido," and "Como la flor ..." Ramiro Burr of San Antonio Express-News wrote that "... She balanced torchy ballads full of hurt and pain such as "Amor prohibido" with fun dance cumbias with a sense of humor ..."
, which featured the album version of "Amor prohibido", and "Bidi bidi bom bom" served as the b-side track, was released. A promotional single, which only included the radio edit of "Amor prohibido", was released. A 12" single was released in South American countries the same day. On August 25, 1995, a maxi single
to promote Dreaming of You (1995) was released in Spain and had included four tracks, one of which included "Amor prohibido". In Mexico, a maxi single of "God's Child (Baila Conmigo)" was released on December 20, 1995, it included "Amor prohibido". By the end of 1994, "Amor prohibido" had sold 200,000 copies and in late-1995 the single had sold 400,000 copies in the United States. As of 2005, "Amor prohibido" has sold more than 500,000 copies.
"Amor prohibido" entered various Latin charts, and became the most successful single released from Amor prohibido. While ineligible for the Hot 100, "Amor prohibido" debuted at number 13 on April 13, 1994, on the US Hot Latin Tracks shortly after the album's release in March 1994. After Selena was murdered
the latter peaked at number one seven weeks later for nine consecutive weeks. "Amor prohibido" debuted and peaked at number five on the Latin Regional Mexican Airplay
chart for 44 consecutive weeks.
's Ramiro Burr stated that "... The hits were obvious—the eloquent "Amor prohibido," on love conducted in secret ..." The Daily Vault stated that " ... Amor prohibido is a seamless track ..." which made them wonder about Abraham Quintanilla Jr., believing he was "... a professional, albeit over-influential to Selena ..." About.com
named "Dreaming of You
" among "The top 12 Spanish language songs that have been played on English language radio", while doing so, About.com stated that "... the album of the same name includes "Amor prohibido" and "Como la flor
," both of which enjoyed popularity in Latin America ..." during their scoring. Howard Blumenthal
wrote in his book The world music CD listener's guide that "Amor prohibido" is one of Selena's "best love songs". Guadalupe San Miguel wrote in his book Tejano proud: Tex-Mex music in the twentieth century that "Amor prohibido" is considered Selena's "most popular piece". María Herrera-Sobek wrote in her book Chicano folklore: a handbook that "Como la flor" and "Amor prohibido" achieved national and international success. Emma Pérez wrote in her book The decolonial imaginary: writing Chicanas into history that "Amor prohibido" was favored among the LGBT
community because of the lyrical content the song contained. Ed Morales wrote in his book The Latin beat: the rhythms and roots of Latin music that "Amor prohibido" is a " ... classic mass market hit that inhabits the memory, easily floating in the summer air of radios on the streets ..." Morales also stated that "... It is catchy but also parable about love and social class that reflects the strains of immigration on the barrio while resonating Romeo and Juliet
..."
Don McLeese of Austin American-Statesmen wrote that "Amor prohibido" is "compelling". Ramiro Burr of San Antonio Express-News
wrote that "... Songs such as "Baila esta cumbia
," "La carcacha
," "Como la flor" and "Amor prohibido" had that instant appeal, that memorable melodic hook ..." Burr also noted that "Amor prohibido" and "No me queda mas" were "... heartbreaking ballads ..." Burr believed "Amor prohibido" and among other chart-topping Selena songs, are her "fans favorite". Mario Tarradell of The Dallas Morning News wrote that "... The doors were wide open for the Amor prohibido singles - "Bidi bidi bom bom
", "Amor prohibido", "No me queda más" and a Spanish version of the Pretenders
' "Back on The Chain Gang" "Fotos y recuerdos
" ..." Jennifer Marie Rios an American-born singer said that "Amor prohibido" was one of her favorite Selena songs and stated " ... that was the first cumbia that caught my attention and was like, 'Wow.' I can really relate to it ..." Sally Jacobs of the Sun Sentinel that "Amor prohibido" is immensely popular in Spanish-speaking countries.
. During the entire month of March in 2010, "Amor prohibido" and a few other Selena music videos were selected for a Selena tribute for her fifteenth anniversary of her passing to 42 million homes nationwide on Music Choice On Demand
. "Amor prohibido" was nominated for a Grammy Award
at the 37th Grammy Awards. "Amor prohibido" and "No me queda más
", became the most successful singles of 1994 and 1995. In Orlando Sentinel
s "1994 Top 10 Hits", "Amor prohibido" was placed at number five.
"Amor prohibido" won the "Pop Ballad of the Year" at the 1994 Premio Lo Nuestro Awards. While at the 1994 Tejano Music Awards
, "Amor prohibido" won "Single of the Year" for three consecutive years. The 1995 BMI Music Awards awarded "Amor prohibido" the prestigious "BMI Pop Music Award". During the decade-ballots at the 2010 Tejano Music Awards
, "Amor prohibido" was nominated for "Best 1990s songs", though "Bidi bidi bom bom" had won the award.
, California
, premiered on February 14, 1994, on all major Spanish language television channels in America. Produced by Tango Productions, it was directed
by Cecilia Miniucchi who directed most of Selena's music videos and Selena Remembered
. The production of the video began on February 6, 1994, with Philip Holahan as the director of photography and editing by Clayton Halsey. A licensing problem abruptly halted the taping of the video, causing Selena and Abraham Quintanilla III to drive back to their home town in Corpus Christi
to retrieve it so they could resume production. Experimenting outside of the Tejano genre, the video is shot and edited in a very surreal fashion, with Selena choosing different styles of clothing (including her husband's shirts) and various colors, frequently changing them throughout the video.
The video opens with Selena running towards an open door (signifying a new relationship
) and dancing with joy. Walking outward from a blocked wall, Selena sings about how much she wants to just hear the words coming from her crush's mouth. While singing, Selena is seen with an open door and more "relationship" scenes are played out on the background/wall behind her of a women and a man who are in love. She decides that because of their parents disagreements about their love and since they are poor, they should only worry about their love for one another. As the music continues to play, Selena sings "Amor Prohibido" (Forbidden Love). The scene changes to Selena and her crush smiling and flirting
at the open door, then transitions to her looking down at a puddle in the sand of her reflection
. As Selena cuddles with her crush, she points to an abandoned window in the desert
. As Selena stares out of a window, she tells her crush that she is poor and all she has to give to him is her heart and love. The scene transitions again, and Selena is dancing to her reflections saying "Amor Prohibido". The video ends with Selena and her crush leaving through the open door, running away from their lives to have a new one containing the two of them.
and in Marisol
. The song has been used in several Mexican telenovela
s such as Mariana de la Noche
, La Intrusa and in El amor no tiene precio
. "Amor prohibido" also has been used in Argentine telenovelas such as Locas de amor
. The song was featured in the third season of Hospital Central
. The song has been covered by many artists. Lyrically, Spanish-language covers are usually recorded exactly as the same meaning as Selena's version unlike Meiju Suvas who recorded the song in a different meaning in Finnish. Shakira
sung some parts of the song during a trivia interview in 2002 for Univision
s, Otro Rollo
. Thalía
sang the song for the Selena ¡VIVE!
concert and also included a studio version of the song on her album El Sexto Sentido
. Yolanda Duke recorded the song in salsa as part RMM
's tribute to Selena on the album, Familia RMM Recordando a Selena. Ritmo Kaliente, Exitos Sonideros, Banda El Grullo, Jorge Rodriguez Lopez, Blanca Star Olivera, Jessica Vargas, Dalila and Shoshana have covered the song.
Tejano music
Tejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...
singer Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...
for her fifth studio album of the same name
Amor Prohibido
Amor Prohibido is the fifth studio album by American Tejano pop singer Selena. The album was released on March 13, 1994 by EMI Latin. It was re-released on September 24, 2002, as part of the Selena: 20 Years of Music collection, and included music videos and spoken liner notes by her family,...
(1994). The song was written by Selena, A.B. Quintanilla III and Pete Astudillo
Pete Astudillo
Pedro "Pete" Astudillo is a Mexican American songwriter.-Life:Astudillo was one of the leaders of the Tejano music scene, and from an early age followed mariachi and conjunto music. He began his musical career as a backup vocalist for the queen of Tejano, Selena, as a member of Selena y Los Dinos...
and was produced by Abraham Quintanilla Jr., Jorge Alberto Pino, Bebu Silvetti
Bebu Silvetti
Juan Fernando Silvetti Adorno , professionally known as Bebu Silvetti or simply Silvetti, was an Argentine pianist, composer, conductor, arranger and record producer...
and Gregg Vickers. The song was created when Selena had began to hymn in her tour bus, where Quintanilla III and Astudillo began writing down melodic lines. Selena had wanted the song to be based on the true story of her grandparents who were forbidden to love because they came from different social class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
.
"Amor prohibido" is a Spanish-language mid-tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
corrido
Corrido
The corrido is a popular narrative song and poetry form, a ballad, of Mexico. The songs are often about oppression, history, daily life for peasants, and other socially important information. It is still a popular form today, and was widely popular during the Mexican Revolution and Nicaraguan...
that has influences of dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
. The central theme and lyrical content of the song conveys a Romeo and Julet-based background about two lovers who are given negative comments from society because they come from two different aspects of the world, though they ignore everyone and continue on with their relationship, while overcoming parental disapproval and poverty differences. "Amor prohibido" served as the lead single in the United States, while it was released as the third single in international releases. As of 2005, the single has sold more than 500,000 copies in the United States. "Amor prohibido" had peaked at number-one on the US Hot Latin Tracks and number five on the Latin Regional Mexican Airplay
Latin Regional Mexican Airplay
Regional Mexican Songs is a record chart published on Billboard magazine. It was established by the magazine on October 8, 1994 with La Niña Fresa by Banda Z being the first song to reach number-one. It features Latin music information from different genres like Mariachi, Norteño, Banda and...
charts.
The song received positive feedback from music critics who claimed that "Amor prohibido" was Selena's "most famous song". "Amor prohibido" was nominated for a Grammy Awards at the 37th Grammy Awards. The song had won the "Pop Ballad of the Year" award at the 1994 Premio Lo Nuestro. The song had won one prestigious award from the 1995 BMI Music Awards. At the 1994 Tejano Music Awards
1994 Tejano Music Awards
The 14th Tejano Music Awards were held in 1993. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. The Tejano Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony recognizing Tejano music musicians.- Vocalists of The Year :*Male Vocalist of The Year...
, the song had won "Single of the Year" for three consecutive years. The song was posthumously nominated for "Best 1990s songs" at the 2010 Tejano Music Awards
Tejano Music Awards
The Tejano Music Awards had been launched in 1980 by former art teacher and music veteran Rudy Trevino and the leader of the Latin Breed Band, Gilbert Escobedo. Only 1,500 fans turned out for the first Tejano Music Awards. Over the years, San Antonio evolved into the Nashville of Tejano music...
.
The single's accompanying music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was directed by Cecilia Miniucchi and had premiered on Valentines Day on all Spanish-language music channels. There has been numerous cover versions of "Amor prohibido", some being non-Hispanic. The song has been used in the media several times, mostly for Mexican telenovela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
s. The single was certified Gold by the Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas in 1995, while in 2005, the digital track was certified Platinum.
Background and production
One day Selena had began humming in her tour bus, while Selena's brother and the producer of her music, A.B. Quintanilla III, had an admiration to the hymn and had decided to play his guitar along with Selena's hymn's. Quintanilla III and former backup dancer for the bandSelena y Los Dinos
Selena y Los Dinos was the band in which Grammy-Award-winning Tejano music singer Selena performed, until her death on March 31, 1995. Selena fronted the band since 1980, started by her father Abraham Quintanilla, Jr....
Pete Astudillo
Pete Astudillo
Pedro "Pete" Astudillo is a Mexican American songwriter.-Life:Astudillo was one of the leaders of the Tejano music scene, and from an early age followed mariachi and conjunto music. He began his musical career as a backup vocalist for the queen of Tejano, Selena, as a member of Selena y Los Dinos...
wrote down a few melodies. Selena had then began to sing about a couple who were forbidden to love each other, which then became the central theme of the song. When Selena had sat down with Quintanilla III and Astudillo, she decided to help write the song and had wanted it to be a song based on the true story of her grandparents, who were forbidden to love each other because their parents (Selena's great-grandparents) didn't want them to be together because they had came from different social class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
. The song was written in less then a day and became consequential to Selena.
Magos Herrera
Magos Herrera
Magos Herrera is a Mexican jazz singer who sings in English, Spanish, and Portuguese and has an international following, especially in Latin America, the USA, Japan, and beyond. She has recorded with saxophonist Tim Ries for “The Rolling Stones Jazz Project II” and for contemporary composer Paola...
had recorded the demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
of the song for Selena to record. Jorge Alberto Pino and Bebu Silvetti
Bebu Silvetti
Juan Fernando Silvetti Adorno , professionally known as Bebu Silvetti or simply Silvetti, was an Argentine pianist, composer, conductor, arranger and record producer...
had wrote the chord structure
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
and the guitar part. Gregg Vickers had became the assistant producer. The pre-production of the song began in Selena's father's recording studio Q-Productions
Q-Productions
Q-Productions is a record company owned and operated by Abraham Quintanilla Jr. Founded in 1993, Q Productions or also known as Q, or Q-Zone specializes within the Latin music industry, and it is located in Texas. The company's most recognized contributing artists are Selena , Los Tres Reyes, and...
on January 20, 1994. Brian "Red" Moore, a family friend, was brought in to remix
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
the music of the song while lead keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
Ricky Vela
Ricky Vela
Ricardo "Ricky" Vela is an award-winning song-writer and keyboards for the band Selena y Los Dinos. Ricky Vela joined the band as the bands keyboard player...
was in charge with the music sequencer
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
during pre-production. The backing vocalist were Stephanie Lynn and Rick Alvarez, the backing vocals had a quarter note
Quarter note
A quarter note or crotchet is a note played for one quarter of the duration of a whole note . Often people will say that a crotchet is one beat, however, this is not always correct, as the beat is indicated by the time signature of the music; a quarter note may or may not be the beat...
delay at 675ms.
The recording of "Amor prohibido" began on January 26, 1994, it had became the first song to be recorded for Amor prohibido. During recording, Selena added the melodic chant
Chant
Chant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes to highly complex musical structures Chant (from French chanter) is the rhythmic speaking or singing...
"ooooh baby". Quintanilla III stated during an interview with MTV Tr3s that "Amor prohibido" wouldn't be the same if Selena hadn't added the chants. Selena had took two takes before Quintanilla III had choose the take he felt would be best for the album. After the release of Amor prohibido
Amor Prohibido
Amor Prohibido is the fifth studio album by American Tejano pop singer Selena. The album was released on March 13, 1994 by EMI Latin. It was re-released on September 24, 2002, as part of the Selena: 20 Years of Music collection, and included music videos and spoken liner notes by her family,...
in March 1994, Selena and Jose Behar (head of EMI Latin
EMI Latin
EMI Televisa Music, also known as EMI Latin and EMI International, is a subsidiary of EMI which focuses on Latin American music....
) were deciding on which song off of the album would be released as the lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
. Quintanilla III had wanted "Bidi bidi bom bom
Bidi Bidi Bom Bom
"Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" is a song by Mexican-American Tejano pop singer Selena from her album Amor Prohibido . The album's second single, "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" was written by Selena and Pete Astudillo. It was produced by A.B. Quintanilla III – Selena's brother – and Bebu Silvetti. The song was...
" to be the lead single, however, Selena and Behar had pushed for "Amor prohibido".
Music, theme and lyrics
"Amor prohibido" is a mid-tempoTempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
corrido
Corrido
The corrido is a popular narrative song and poetry form, a ballad, of Mexico. The songs are often about oppression, history, daily life for peasants, and other socially important information. It is still a popular form today, and was widely popular during the Mexican Revolution and Nicaraguan...
with dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
influences. Written in the key
Key (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
of E major
E major
E major is a major scale based on E, with the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature has four sharps .Its relative minor is C-sharp minor, and its parallel minor is E minor....
, the beat
Beat (music)
The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...
is set in common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
and moves at a moderate 90 beats per minute. Selena's vocal range
Vocal range
Vocal range is the measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can phonate. Although the study of vocal range has little practical application in terms of speech, it is a topic of study within linguistics, phonetics, and speech and language pathology, particularly in relation to the study...
in the song spans two octaves. "Amor prohibido" uses an uptempo keyboard synthesizer and a electronic keyboard
Electronic keyboard
An electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
. The song uses percussion and the hi-hat
Hi-hat
A hi-hat, or hihat, is a type of cymbal and stand used as a typical part of a drum kit by percussionists in R&B, hip-hop, disco, jazz, rock and roll, house, reggae and other forms of contemporary popular music.- Operation :...
cymbal
Cymbal
Cymbals are a common percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys; see cymbal making for a discussion of their manufacture. The greater majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a...
as its musical foundation. The Daily Democrat wrote that the song was "... mixing the modern cumbia sounds of guitars, accordions, bass guitar, flutes, drums and other percussion's ..." Ellie D. Hernández wrote in her book Postnationalism in chicana/o literature and culture that "... By challenging the precept of social desire and self-production, Selena's music speaks of a social and cultural desire that transcends the boundaries of romantic love in one of her songs, appropriately titled "Amor prohibido" ..." Hernández stated that Selena sings in Spanish the central theme of "... social divisions, class and race, that divides [Selena] from her beloved ..." Hernández also stated that "... The ethos of the song suggests a hegemonic crisis informing Selena's lamentations. The "forbidden love" is built in a cultural prohibition where "the lovers" are formed. The figurative societal pressures to live in accordance with a class construct are implicated along racial and linguistic boundaries that code a new subject relation. Much of Selena's music forms similar tensions, [such as "Amor prohibido"], in which the dominant precepts are fashioned as a murmuring, a catty whispering that achieves a certain primacy as a hegemonic disclosure. The love Selena claims in the lyrics is paradigmatic because it also is capable of leading her to an emotional banishment from her family and culture. Risking everything for this love is not at all an innocent choice but a decision abundant with agency and consciousness that begins as a consequence of the forbidden ..."
The song's lyrics are constructed in the verse-pre-chorus-chorus form. It begins with keyboard synthesizer strumming, and Selena sings the intro
Introduction (music)
In music, the introduction is a passage or section which opens a movement or a separate piece. In popular music this is often abbreviated as intro...
: Con unas ansias locas quiero verte hoy (With this crazy longing I want to see you today). She then sings the first verse telling her boyfriend that they shouldn't care what their parents tell them that their love is the sole important thing that should matter in their lives. The pre-chorus and chorus follow: Amor prohibido murmuran por las calles porque somos de distintas sociedades/ Amor prohibido nos dice todo el mundo el dinero no importa en ti y en mí/ ni en el corazón/ Oh, oh baby. (Forbidden love has died in the streets because we come from two different societies/ They tell us that our love is forbidden, but money does not matter in our hearts/ oh, oh baby). Selena sings the bridge
Bridge (music)
In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section...
, where she tells her lover that she is poor and that she can only supply him with love, and that they shouldn't care what society has to think because the most important thing is that they love each other. Selena sings the chorus two times before the song concludes
Conclusion (music)
In music, the conclusion is the ending of a composition and may take the form of a coda or outro.Pieces using sonata form typically use the recapitulation to conclude a piece, providing closure through the repetition of thematic material from the exposition in the tonic key...
.
In Drum magazine, the editor had believed "Amor prohibido" is a "gently rocking" song. S.C Gwynne of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine, believed "Amor prihibido" was a form of dance pop that combines Top 40 melodies with the rhythms of Colombian cumbia
Music of Colombia
The music of Colombia is an expression of the Colombian culture, which contains diverse music genres, traditional and moderns according with the features of each geographic region; although it is frequent to find different musical styles in the same region...
. Elizabeth Rodriguez Kessler and Anne Perrin wrote in their book Chican@s in the Conversations that "Amor prohibido" was a "soap-operaish" song. Greg Kot of Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
wrote that "Amor prohibido" had "... a bit more contemporary snap to it ..." In the Denver Post, the editor stated that "Amor prohibido" is a "cumbia" song. Mario Tarradell of The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
wrote that "Amor prohibido" is a "... synthesizer-heavy cumbia piece that's so catchy it's sinful ..." Tarradell also noted the song to be "Tejano-like", and "pop-styled opus". Mary Talbot of The New York Daily News wrote that "... As if in requiem to Selena's career, the album's producers included two straight-up Tejano hits, "Amor prohibido," and "Como la flor ..." Ramiro Burr of San Antonio Express-News wrote that "... She balanced torchy ballads full of hurt and pain such as "Amor prohibido" with fun dance cumbias with a sense of humor ..."
Release and chart performance
In the US, "Amor prohibido" was the lead single from Amor prohibido, and followed "Bidi bidi bom bom". The single was released on April 13, 1994, and featured the album and instrumental versions of the track. "Amor prohibido" was the third single released from Amor prohibido in international markets on EMI International. Two versions of the single were released in Mexico on April 20, 1994. A CD singleCD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
, which featured the album version of "Amor prohibido", and "Bidi bidi bom bom" served as the b-side track, was released. A promotional single, which only included the radio edit of "Amor prohibido", was released. A 12" single was released in South American countries the same day. On August 25, 1995, a maxi single
Maxi single
A maxi single or maxi-single is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an a-side song and a b-side song.-The first maxi singles:...
to promote Dreaming of You (1995) was released in Spain and had included four tracks, one of which included "Amor prohibido". In Mexico, a maxi single of "God's Child (Baila Conmigo)" was released on December 20, 1995, it included "Amor prohibido". By the end of 1994, "Amor prohibido" had sold 200,000 copies and in late-1995 the single had sold 400,000 copies in the United States. As of 2005, "Amor prohibido" has sold more than 500,000 copies.
"Amor prohibido" entered various Latin charts, and became the most successful single released from Amor prohibido. While ineligible for the Hot 100, "Amor prohibido" debuted at number 13 on April 13, 1994, on the US Hot Latin Tracks shortly after the album's release in March 1994. After Selena was murdered
Murder of Selena
Selena, a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter who gained worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of her family-oriented band Selena y Los Dinos and for her community involvement, was murdered by Yolanda Saldívar. Saldívar, Selena's former fan club president and clothing boutique manager,...
the latter peaked at number one seven weeks later for nine consecutive weeks. "Amor prohibido" debuted and peaked at number five on the Latin Regional Mexican Airplay
Latin Regional Mexican Airplay
Regional Mexican Songs is a record chart published on Billboard magazine. It was established by the magazine on October 8, 1994 with La Niña Fresa by Banda Z being the first song to reach number-one. It features Latin music information from different genres like Mariachi, Norteño, Banda and...
chart for 44 consecutive weeks.
Critical reception
"Amor prohibido" was critically praised for Selena's choice in "stepping out" of the Tejano music genre, which had Latin American sounds and rhythms. Quintanilla III had written songs out of the boundaries of Tejano music, which led Selena to become "The Queen of Tejano music" due to her being the first and only Tejano artist to have achieved this feat. Music critics believed "Amor prohibido" is Selena's most "popular song". Amazon.comAmazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
's Ramiro Burr stated that "... The hits were obvious—the eloquent "Amor prohibido," on love conducted in secret ..." The Daily Vault stated that " ... Amor prohibido is a seamless track ..." which made them wonder about Abraham Quintanilla Jr., believing he was "... a professional, albeit over-influential to Selena ..." About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
named "Dreaming of You
Dreaming of You (Selena song)
"Dreaming of You" is the name of a Selena love song written by Franne Golde and Tom Snow. It was Selena's biggest single, peaking at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100.The song was released at the end of the first quarter of 1995, after Selena's murder...
" among "The top 12 Spanish language songs that have been played on English language radio", while doing so, About.com stated that "... the album of the same name includes "Amor prohibido" and "Como la flor
Como La Flor (song)
"Como La Flor" is a song by Mexican-American singer Selena, from her third studio album, Entre a Mi Mundo . Written and produced by Selena, Abraham Quintanilla III, and Ricky Vela, the song was also produced by Abraham Quintanilla Jr, the track was released as the album's second single. It was...
," both of which enjoyed popularity in Latin America ..." during their scoring. Howard Blumenthal
Howard Blumenthal
Howard Blumenthal is an American producer, author, educator, and media executive.Blumenthal is the CEO of Independence Media and MiND: Media Independence, a new TV + internet service emphasizing community engagement and learning...
wrote in his book The world music CD listener's guide that "Amor prohibido" is one of Selena's "best love songs". Guadalupe San Miguel wrote in his book Tejano proud: Tex-Mex music in the twentieth century that "Amor prohibido" is considered Selena's "most popular piece". María Herrera-Sobek wrote in her book Chicano folklore: a handbook that "Como la flor" and "Amor prohibido" achieved national and international success. Emma Pérez wrote in her book The decolonial imaginary: writing Chicanas into history that "Amor prohibido" was favored among the LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
community because of the lyrical content the song contained. Ed Morales wrote in his book The Latin beat: the rhythms and roots of Latin music that "Amor prohibido" is a " ... classic mass market hit that inhabits the memory, easily floating in the summer air of radios on the streets ..." Morales also stated that "... It is catchy but also parable about love and social class that reflects the strains of immigration on the barrio while resonating Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
..."
Don McLeese of Austin American-Statesmen wrote that "Amor prohibido" is "compelling". Ramiro Burr of San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio Express-News
The San Antonio Express-News is the daily newspaper of San Antonio, Texas. It is ranked as the third-largest daily newspaper in the state of Texas in terms of circulation, and is one of the leading news sources of South Texas, with offices in Austin, Brownsville, Laredo, and Mexico City...
wrote that "... Songs such as "Baila esta cumbia
Baila Esta Cumbia (song)
"Baila Esta Cumbia" is a single released by Selena in 1990 from the album Ven Conmigo. The song is what brought Selena y Los Dinos more fame then they ever imagined. It was the first number-one song in Mexico for Selena. In 2005, Kumbia Kings remixed the song from the album Duetos under the title...
," "La carcacha
La Carcacha
-Song information:The song was a huge success in the U.S. and Mexico, reaching out to more fans of Tejano music. This song is also featured in the 1997 film.-Music video:...
," "Como la flor" and "Amor prohibido" had that instant appeal, that memorable melodic hook ..." Burr also noted that "Amor prohibido" and "No me queda mas" were "... heartbreaking ballads ..." Burr believed "Amor prohibido" and among other chart-topping Selena songs, are her "fans favorite". Mario Tarradell of The Dallas Morning News wrote that "... The doors were wide open for the Amor prohibido singles - "Bidi bidi bom bom
Bidi Bidi Bom Bom
"Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" is a song by Mexican-American Tejano pop singer Selena from her album Amor Prohibido . The album's second single, "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" was written by Selena and Pete Astudillo. It was produced by A.B. Quintanilla III – Selena's brother – and Bebu Silvetti. The song was...
", "Amor prohibido", "No me queda más" and a Spanish version of the Pretenders
The Pretenders
The Pretenders are an English rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde , James Honeyman-Scott , Pete Farndon , and Martin Chambers...
' "Back on The Chain Gang" "Fotos y recuerdos
Back on the Chain Gang
"Back on the Chain Gang" is a song by the English-American band The Pretenders, released as single by Sire Records in November 1982. The song was also released on The King of Comedy soundtrack album in March 1983 and later included on The Pretenders' next album Learning to Crawl in January 1984...
" ..." Jennifer Marie Rios an American-born singer said that "Amor prohibido" was one of her favorite Selena songs and stated " ... that was the first cumbia that caught my attention and was like, 'Wow.' I can really relate to it ..." Sally Jacobs of the Sun Sentinel that "Amor prohibido" is immensely popular in Spanish-speaking countries.
Recognition and accolades
With "Amor prohibido" and thirteen other of Selena's top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, she was named "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
. During the entire month of March in 2010, "Amor prohibido" and a few other Selena music videos were selected for a Selena tribute for her fifteenth anniversary of her passing to 42 million homes nationwide on Music Choice On Demand
Music Choice
Music Choice is a United States company that programs music and produces music-related content for digital cable, cell phones, and cable modem subscribers in the US. Music Choice programs dozens of audio music channels for digital cable subscribers, as well as programs and produces music-related...
. "Amor prohibido" was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
at the 37th Grammy Awards. "Amor prohibido" and "No me queda más
No Me Queda Más
"No Me Queda Más" is a song by Mexican-American Tejano pop singer Selena. "No Me Queda Mas" was the third lead single released from her album Amor Prohibido . The song was written and produced by Ricky Vela, A.B. Quintanilla III and Bebu Silvetti...
", became the most successful singles of 1994 and 1995. In Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
s "1994 Top 10 Hits", "Amor prohibido" was placed at number five.
"Amor prohibido" won the "Pop Ballad of the Year" at the 1994 Premio Lo Nuestro Awards. While at the 1994 Tejano Music Awards
1994 Tejano Music Awards
The 14th Tejano Music Awards were held in 1993. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. The Tejano Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony recognizing Tejano music musicians.- Vocalists of The Year :*Male Vocalist of The Year...
, "Amor prohibido" won "Single of the Year" for three consecutive years. The 1995 BMI Music Awards awarded "Amor prohibido" the prestigious "BMI Pop Music Award". During the decade-ballots at the 2010 Tejano Music Awards
Tejano Music Awards
The Tejano Music Awards had been launched in 1980 by former art teacher and music veteran Rudy Trevino and the leader of the Latin Breed Band, Gilbert Escobedo. Only 1,500 fans turned out for the first Tejano Music Awards. Over the years, San Antonio evolved into the Nashville of Tejano music...
, "Amor prohibido" was nominated for "Best 1990s songs", though "Bidi bidi bom bom" had won the award.
Music video
The video, shot in Joshua TreeJoshua Tree, California
Joshua Tree is a census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 7,414 at the 2010 census, up from 4,207 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Joshua Tree is located in the Mojave Desert at ....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, premiered on February 14, 1994, on all major Spanish language television channels in America. Produced by Tango Productions, it was directed
Music video director
A music video director is driven by a given music track. These are called music videos and are then used as promotional tools for popular music singles...
by Cecilia Miniucchi who directed most of Selena's music videos and Selena Remembered
Selena Remembered
Selena Remembered is a DVD/CD by Mexican-American Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla-Perez, released on April 1, 1997 on VHS and on January 25, 2005 on DVD. The DVD features Edward James Olmos narrating special moments and triumphs that helped Selena, and her band Selena Y Los Dinos, into...
. The production of the video began on February 6, 1994, with Philip Holahan as the director of photography and editing by Clayton Halsey. A licensing problem abruptly halted the taping of the video, causing Selena and Abraham Quintanilla III to drive back to their home town in Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
to retrieve it so they could resume production. Experimenting outside of the Tejano genre, the video is shot and edited in a very surreal fashion, with Selena choosing different styles of clothing (including her husband's shirts) and various colors, frequently changing them throughout the video.
The video opens with Selena running towards an open door (signifying a new relationship
Interpersonal relationship
An interpersonal relationship is an association between two or more people that may range from fleeting to enduring. This association may be based on limerence, love, solidarity, regular business interactions, or some other type of social commitment. Interpersonal relationships are formed in the...
) and dancing with joy. Walking outward from a blocked wall, Selena sings about how much she wants to just hear the words coming from her crush's mouth. While singing, Selena is seen with an open door and more "relationship" scenes are played out on the background/wall behind her of a women and a man who are in love. She decides that because of their parents disagreements about their love and since they are poor, they should only worry about their love for one another. As the music continues to play, Selena sings "Amor Prohibido" (Forbidden Love). The scene changes to Selena and her crush smiling and flirting
Flirting
Flirting is a playful, romantic, or sexual overture by one person to another subtly indicating an interest in a deeper relationship with the other person, and can involve verbal communication as well as body language...
at the open door, then transitions to her looking down at a puddle in the sand of her reflection
Reflection (physics)
Reflection is the change in direction of a wavefront at an interface between two differentmedia so that the wavefront returns into the medium from which it originated. Common examples include the reflection of light, sound and water waves...
. As Selena cuddles with her crush, she points to an abandoned window in the desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
. As Selena stares out of a window, she tells her crush that she is poor and all she has to give to him is her heart and love. The scene transitions again, and Selena is dancing to her reflections saying "Amor Prohibido". The video ends with Selena and her crush leaving through the open door, running away from their lives to have a new one containing the two of them.
Usage in media and cover versions
"Amor prohibido" was used in the season finale of Amor sin maquillajeAmor sin Maquillaje
Amor sin Maquillaje ' is a mini novela that was shown in 2007. It is a production of Rosy Ocampo, who also produced La Fea Mas Bella. The stars are Sergio Goyri and Marlene Favela; and the novela marks the return of the famous actress Lucía Méndez to Televisa after a 17 year absence...
and in Marisol
Marisol (telenovela)
Marisol was a 1996 Mexican telenovela, starring Erika Buenfil and Eduardo Santamarina with the antagonic role of the star actress Claudia Islas. It was produced by Televisa. This telenovela contained 145 episodes.- Synopsis :...
. The song has been used in several Mexican telenovela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
s such as Mariana de la Noche
Mariana de la noche
Mariana de la Noche is a Mexican telenovela from 2003. Written by Delia Fiallo and produced by Salvador Mejia, it starred Angélica Rivera, Jorge Salinas, Alejandra Barros and César Évora.- Plot :...
, La Intrusa and in El amor no tiene precio
El Amor No Tiene Precio
El amor no tiene precio is a Mexican telenovela. It aired in 2005 until the series finale in 2006.-Plot:Maria Liz lives in a poor neighborhood in Mexico City with her maternal grandmother, Mrs. Gonzalez and her English grandfather, Henry Alexander. Maria Liz was 12 years old when her mother fell...
. "Amor prohibido" also has been used in Argentine telenovelas such as Locas de amor
Locas de amor
Locas de Amor was an Argentine series, produced by Pol-ka Producciones and transmitted originally from April to December 2004. It was written and adapted for television by Suzana Cardozo. It was directed by Luis Barone and Daniel Barone. It starred Leticia Brédice, Julieta Díaz and Soledad Villamil...
. The song was featured in the third season of Hospital Central
Hospital Central
Hospital Central is a Spanish television series that follows the professional and personal lives of the staff of the fictitious Hospital Central in Madrid. New episodes are shown by Telecinco network in Spain, and cable/satellite channel Factoría de Ficción reruns them a couple of weeks later...
. The song has been covered by many artists. Lyrically, Spanish-language covers are usually recorded exactly as the same meaning as Selena's version unlike Meiju Suvas who recorded the song in a different meaning in Finnish. Shakira
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
sung some parts of the song during a trivia interview in 2002 for Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
s, Otro Rollo
Otro Rollo
Otro Rollo is a Mexican comedy and variety show, broadcast live on Televisa on Tuesday nights...
. Thalía
Thalía
Ariadna Thalía Sodi Miranda , known simply by the mononym Thalía , is a Mexican singer and actress. She has sold over 40 million albums worldwide...
sang the song for the Selena ¡VIVE!
Selena ¡VIVE!
The tribute concert was followed up with the release of the album of the performance, released on May 10, 2005. Though it did not include many of the songs performed, it does include many of the highlights.-Track listing:# "Tú Sólo Tú" - Ana Gabriel...
concert and also included a studio version of the song on her album El Sexto Sentido
El Sexto Sentido
El Sexto Sentido is the ninth studio album by Mexican latin pop singer Thalía. It was released by EMI Music on July 19, 2005. The most successful singles of the album were Amar sin ser amada, Un alma sentenciada and Seducción. A reloaded version was later released...
. Yolanda Duke recorded the song in salsa as part RMM
RMM Records & Video
RMM Records, also known as RMM Records & Video Corp, was an independent Latin music record label based in New York City, The record label was formed originally as RMM Management by one of Fania Records promoter Ralph Mercado, but in 1987 it started operating as a record label, with Angelito...
's tribute to Selena on the album, Familia RMM Recordando a Selena. Ritmo Kaliente, Exitos Sonideros, Banda El Grullo, Jorge Rodriguez Lopez, Blanca Star Olivera, Jessica Vargas, Dalila and Shoshana have covered the song.
Track listings and formats
- US Promo Single
- "Amor prohibido" (Album version) – 2:50
- "Amor prohibido" (Instrumental) – 2:50
- Mexico Promo Single
- "Amor prohibido" – 2:50
- "Bidi bidi bom bom" – 4:14
- 12-inch Promo Single
- "Amor prohibido" – 2:50
- Spain Maxi Single
- "Techno Cumbia" – 4:45
- "Dreaming of You] – 5:15
- "I Could Fall in Love" – 4:41
- "Amor prohibido" – 2:50
- Mexico Maxi Single
- "God's Child (Baila Conmigo)" – 4:16
- "God's Child (Baila Conmigo)" (Radio Edit) – 3:46
- "Como la flor" – 3:49
- "Amor prohibido" – 2:50
Credits and personnel
Credits are taken from Amor prohibido liner notes.- Vocals by Selena
- Written and composed by Selena, A.B. Quintanilla III, Pete Astudillo
- Produced by Quintanilla III, Bebu Silvetti
- Co-Produced by Gregg Vickers
- A&R: Jorge Alberto Pino
- Mixing by Brian "Red" Moore
- Guitars: Chris Perez, Henry Gomez
- Percussion: Arturo Meza, Jesse "O'Jay" Martinez
- Drums: Suzette Quintanilla
Charts
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
Certifications
See also
- Music of MexicoMusic of MexicoThe music of Mexico is very diverse and features a wide range of different musical styles. It has been influenced by a variety of cultures, most notably indigenous Mexican and European, since the Late Middle Ages...
- Number-one hits of 1994 (U.S. Hot Latin Tracks)Number-one hits of 1994 (U.S. Hot Latin Tracks)This is a list containing the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks number-ones of 1994.-Top-Ten Hits in 1994:*Luis Miguel: Suave *Jerry Rivera: Que Hay de Malo...
- Billboard Top Latin Songs Year-End ChartBillboard Top Latin Songs Year-End ChartThe Year-End charts for the Top Latin Songs chart are published in the last issue of Billboard magazine every year. The chart is based on information provided by Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems, which collects radio airplay information...