Si Una Vez
Encyclopedia
"Si Una Vez" is a song by Mexican-American Tejano pop
singer Selena
, released as the fifth single from her album Amor Prohibido
(1994). It was written and produced by Pete Astudillo
, A.B. Quintanilla III and Bebu Silvetti
. The song had first been intended for Astudillo's debut album, but was later given to Selena to record, and released in the United States for Tejano
and rhythmic contemporary
stations. With progressive cumbia
(Colombian music) and experimental music
that incorporates both Mariachi
and Ranchera
s, the single quickly climbed to number four on Billboard
's Latin Regional Mexican Airplay
chart.
According to Billboard, "Si Una Vez" is one of Selena's signature song
s. It won the BMI Pop Music Award
in 1994 for "Song of The Year", and became the second song, after "No Me Queda Más
", to be written out-of-emotions
from Selena's band Los Dinos
. Selena promoted "Si Una Vez" during her Amor Prohibido Tour
, performing it at every venue. It was given mostly positive reviews: Good Housekeeping
magazine said, "'Si Una Vez' is an admirable and convincing song you have to listen to when dealing with jerks!", while Texas Public Radio
said it "resonates best" with South Texas
. The song has been covered
by many artists, with the most notable example being by Manny Manuel
, whose version peaked at number-one on the U.S. Latin Tropical Airplay on Billboard. Within a year of its release, "Si Una Vez" was certified Gold by the CAPIF
, in Argentina.
, who was dumped by his girlfriend. Astudillo, out of emotions, began writing down his feelings towards the break-up. The following day, Astudillo began rearranging the letter he had written and instantly was inspired to re-write it into a song, with the help of A.B. Quintanilla
, Selena's brother and producer. While the song was written from a man's point-of-view and was initially written for Astudillo's debut album, Quintanilla convinced Astudillo to allow Selena to record the song for her album. Quintanilla III said in an interview that he really liked the song because of its message and different styles of music, which helped the song "fit in" for Selena's album. He also felt that the song would help Amor Prohibido
to become a well-known album, for its choice of progressive cumbia
s. The song was then produced by Bebu Silvetti
and remixed by Brain "Red" Moore at Q-Productions
in Corpus Christi, Texas
.
The song was the second "out of emotions" song from Selena's band Los Dinos
, after, "No Me Queda Más
" (There's Nothing Left For Me), which was written by Ricky Vela
. The song was based on how Vela fell in love with Selena's sister, Suzette Quintanilla, though found out she had a husband.
and helped boost "Amor Prohibido" as a progressive cumbia album, with its Mariachi Cumbia
rhythms. Ricky Vela
, who also was interviewed, revealed that the band wanted to performed with the Guitarrón guitar, instead of the traditional guitars
that they had used for the other songs in the album. Vela also confessed of using a Mariachi trumpet
, with a moderate Cumbia-beat, while stating that "Si Una Vez" was one of his favorite songs on the album.
The song starts off with the pitch of La Dièse, which is the eleventh semitone
of the solfege
, and progress to a B-flat, the eleventh semitone of the Western chromatic scale
, before changing back to the pitch of La Dièse. Music notations, Dm, which is a minor chord
on D, transfers to Gm. Selena's Mariachi-yells has a basic sequence of C♯-F
-B flat in its chord progression
. "Si Una Vez" ends with dominant seventh chord
simultaneously with minor chord, Dm. Selena's vocal spans two octaves. "Si Una Vez" was composed in a moderate beat tempo with 87 beats per minute.
(1994), it incorporates Mariachi
and Ranchera
music. Selena promoted the song during her Amor Prohibido Tour
, she included the song in every venue. The first performance of the song was during Selena's half-hour spot on the Johnny Canales Show
in mid-1994. Her final performance was on March 14, 1995 during the Calle Ocho Festival in Miami, Florida
, which attracted over 100,000 fans. During the February 26, 1995 Houston Astrodome concert, Selena danced with her hands to the solo melody notes of "Si Una Vez", which became one of her signature dance moves. The concert had became Selena's final televised concert
. In 1997, Jennifer Lopez
played the role as "Selena" in the biopic film
Selena
. Lopez mimic Selena's dance moves and hand gestures, during the near-end of the film. The single was released several days before the murder of Selena, which jeopardize any further development of a music video
.
"Si Una Vez" is a mid-tempo
cumbia song mixed with ranchera and Mexican cumbia
. It drew influences from progressive rock
and experimental
. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by EMI Music Publishing, the song is composed in the key of D minor
with a time signature
in common time
, and with a moderate groove of 91 beats per minute. The music is largely based on instrumentations such as the violin and guitar.
The lyrics describes a women feeling regretful of loving a man who does not know what love is. She tells him that she regrets ever being with him and that she will never fall for him again. "Si Una Vez", became a dominate-female favorite song, which helped boost women empowerment
, self-pride, and dignity towards a recent break-up.
" and "Como La Flor
", are Selena's signature song
s. Nathan Cone, from the Texas Public Radio
, said "the song "resonates best" with South Texas
". Entertainment Weekly
editor David Browne
stated, "At least half of Amor Prohibido
showcases her conjunto
side: "Si Una Vez", which, with its mariachi horns and Selena's own full-throated warbling, recalls Lydia Mendoza
, conjunto's leading lady." Good Housekeeping
told subscribers that "Si Una Vez is an admirable and convincing song you have to listen to when dealing with jerks!". Terra named "Si Una Vez" as one of Selena's "most famous works" along with her other singles "El Chico Del Apartamento 512
", "Amor Prohibido
" and "Fotos y Recuerdos".
Peaking at number-four on Billboard
Regional Mexican Songs chart in 1994, the single stood in the music chart for nearly twenty-three weeks. After Selena's death, the song took in more extensive airplay throughout the United States, in Spanish-speaking radio stations.
U.S. Promo Single (1996)
Mexico Promo Single (1995)
Source:
, a Rock band
that covered "Si Una Vez" were interviewed by Brown Paper Tickets about their choice to cover Selena's "Si Una Vez" song. They stated "Si Una Vez is one of our favorite Selena songs, her music was on constantly in our household. She was doing something very important for our culture and something new. We felt the original version song already had a hidden punk quality." The band were later asked to perform their version of the song during the Tejano Music Awards
in July 2010, as being part of the Selena homage. They also performed the song during their tour in Texas. In early 2010, Selena's brother, A.B. Quintanilla III's band Kumbia All-Starz covered "Si Una Vez" during their live tour for La Vida De Un Genio
(2010) in Bolivia
. The song was sung by J.R. Gómez, the lead vocalist
of the group.
merengue
musician Manny Manuel
covered the song on his debut album, El Rey de Corazones. The cover was the second single released from the album in 1995. Manuel's version was his first song to reach number-one on the Latin Tropical Airplay charts. The song was later included as part of RMM Record's tribute to Selena, RMM Familia Recordando a Selena in 2008.
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...
, released as the fifth single from her album 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,...
(1994). It was written and produced by 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...
, A.B. Quintanilla III 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...
. The song had first been intended for Astudillo's debut album, but was later given to Selena to record, and released in the United States for Tejano
Tejano
Tejano or Texano is a term used to identify a Texan of Mexican heritage.Historically, the Spanish term Tejano has been used to identify different groups of people...
and rhythmic contemporary
Rhythmic Contemporary
Rhythmic contemporary, also known as rhythmic top 40, rhythmic contemporary hit radio or rhythmic crossover, is a music radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary rarely uses rock music or country music in its airplay, but it may...
stations. With progressive 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...
(Colombian music) and experimental music
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
that incorporates both Mariachi
Mariachi
Mariachi is a genre of music that originated in the State of Jalisco, in Mexico. It is an integration of stringed instruments highly influenced by the cultural impacts of the historical development of Western Mexico. Throughout the history of mariachi, musicians have experimented with brass, wind,...
and Ranchera
Ranchera
Ranchera is a genre of the traditional music of Mexico originally sung by only one performer with a guitar. It dates to the years of the Mexican Revolution in the early 20th century. It later became closely associated with the mariachi groups which evolved in Jalisco. Ranchera today is also played...
s, the single quickly climbed to number four on Billboard
Billboard (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...
's Latin Regional Mexican Airplay
Regional Mexican Albums
Regional Mexican Albums is a record chart published by Billboard magazine. Established in June 1985, the chart compiles information about the top-selling albums in genres like mariachi, norteño, banda and Duranguense, which are frequently considered regional Mexican. The chart features only...
chart.
According to Billboard, "Si Una Vez" is one of Selena's signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
s. It won the BMI Pop Music Award
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
in 1994 for "Song of The Year", and became the second song, after "No Me Queda Más
No Me Queda Mas
"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...
", to be written out-of-emotions
Emotional expression
In psychology, emotional expression is observable verbal and nonverbal behaviour that communicates emotion. Emotional expression can occur with or without self-awareness...
from Selena's band Los Dinos
Selena 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....
. Selena promoted "Si Una Vez" during her Amor Prohibido Tour
Amor Prohibido Tour
The Amor Prohibido Tour was the final concert tour by popular Latin-American singer, Selena, before she was shot and killed on March 31, 1995. After her "Amor Prohibido" tour she would be getting ready for her "Crossover"-tour that would be from late April 1995- until June 1995 in Texas, then...
, performing it at every venue. It was given mostly positive reviews: Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping is a women's magazine owned by the Hearst Corporation, featuring articles about women's interests, product testing by The Good Housekeeping Institute, recipes, diet, health as well as literary articles. It is well known for the "Good Housekeeping Seal," popularly known as the...
magazine said, "'Si Una Vez' is an admirable and convincing song you have to listen to when dealing with jerks!", while Texas Public Radio
Texas Public Radio
Texas Public Radio, or TPR is the on-air name for a group of public radio stations serving the San Antonio, Texas area. All are affiliated with National Public Radio....
said it "resonates best" with South Texas
South Texas
South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of and including San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande River, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 3.7 million. The southern portion of this region is...
. The song has been covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by many artists, with the most notable example being by Manny Manuel
Manny Manuel
Cruz Manuel Hernández Santiago , known artistically as Manny Manuel, is a Puerto Rican singer of merengue, boleros, and tropical music. He became famous first as a member of the group Los Sabrosos del Merengue, before launching a successful solo career in 1994.-Early life:Manny Manuel was born in...
, whose version peaked at number-one on the U.S. Latin Tropical Airplay on Billboard. Within a year of its release, "Si Una Vez" was certified Gold by the CAPIF
Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers
The Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers is an Argentine organization member of the IFPI, which represents the music industry in the country. It is a nonprofit organization integrated by multinational and independent record labels....
, in Argentina.
Writing and inspiration
"Si Una Vez" was first written by Pete AstudilloPete 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...
, who was dumped by his girlfriend. Astudillo, out of emotions, began writing down his feelings towards the break-up. The following day, Astudillo began rearranging the letter he had written and instantly was inspired to re-write it into a song, with the help of A.B. Quintanilla
A.B. Quintanilla
Abraham Isaac Quintanilla III better known as A.B. Quintanilla III or simply A.B. Quintanilla, is an American songwriter, record producer and musician. He is the older brother of "The Queen of Tejano music" Selena...
, Selena's brother and producer. While the song was written from a man's point-of-view and was initially written for Astudillo's debut album, Quintanilla convinced Astudillo to allow Selena to record the song for her album. Quintanilla III said in an interview that he really liked the song because of its message and different styles of music, which helped the song "fit in" for Selena's album. He also felt that the song would help 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,...
to become a well-known album, for its choice of progressive 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...
s. The song was then produced by 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 remixed by Brain "Red" Moore at 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...
in Corpus Christi, Texas
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...
.
The song was the second "out of emotions" song from Selena's band Los Dinos
Selena 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....
, after, "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...
" (There's Nothing Left For Me), which was written by 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...
. The song was based on how Vela fell in love with Selena's sister, Suzette Quintanilla, though found out she had a husband.
Composition
A.B. Quintanilla III, while being interviewed for Selena's collection: 20 Years of Music, stated that "Si Una Vez" was an experimental musicExperimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
and helped boost "Amor Prohibido" as a progressive cumbia album, with its Mariachi Cumbia
Mexican cumbia
Mexican cumbia is a musical subgenre of cumbia which was re-invented from Mexico.- Origins of Mexican Cumbia :The history of Cumbia in Mexico is almost as old as Cumbia in Colombia. In the 1940s Colombian singer Luis Carlos Meyer Castandet emigrated to Mexico where he worked with the Mexican...
rhythms. 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...
, who also was interviewed, revealed that the band wanted to performed with the Guitarrón guitar, instead of the traditional guitars
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
that they had used for the other songs in the album. Vela also confessed of using a Mariachi trumpet
Mariachi tradicional
The mariachi traditional is a folk ensemble of string instruments from Jalisco, México and nearby zones. Unlike the popularized mariachi, this ensemble does not include trumpets. It consists of violins, guitarra de golpe, vihuelas, harp and guitarrón or double bass, and in some zones a bass drum...
, with a moderate Cumbia-beat, while stating that "Si Una Vez" was one of his favorite songs on the album.
The song starts off with the pitch of La Dièse, which is the eleventh semitone
Semitone
A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone, is the smallest musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music, and it is considered the most dissonant when sounded harmonically....
of the solfege
Solfege
In music, solfège is a pedagogical solmization technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a solfège syllable...
, and progress to a B-flat, the eleventh semitone of the Western chromatic scale
Chromatic scale
The chromatic scale is a musical scale with twelve pitches, each a semitone apart. On a modern piano or other equal-tempered instrument, all the half steps are the same size...
, before changing back to the pitch of La Dièse. Music notations, Dm, which is a minor chord
Minor chord
In music theory, a minor chord is a chord having a root, a minor third, and a perfect fifth.When a chord has these three notes alone, it is called a minor triad....
on D, transfers to Gm. Selena's Mariachi-yells has a basic sequence of C♯-F
F (musical note)
F is a musical note, the fourth above C. It is also known as fa in fixed-do solfège.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of Middle F is approximately 349.228 Hz. See pitch for a discussion of historical variations in...
-B flat in its chord progression
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...
. "Si Una Vez" ends with dominant seventh chord
Dominant seventh chord
In music theory, a dominant seventh chord, or major minor seventh chord,is a chord composed of a root, major third, perfect fifth, and minor seventh. It can be also viewed as a major triad with an additional minor seventh...
simultaneously with minor chord, Dm. Selena's vocal spans two octaves. "Si Una Vez" was composed in a moderate beat tempo with 87 beats per minute.
Background and lyric content
"Si Una Vez", one of the first songs composed for Selena's fifth studio album Amor ProhibidoAmor 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), it incorporates Mariachi
Mariachi
Mariachi is a genre of music that originated in the State of Jalisco, in Mexico. It is an integration of stringed instruments highly influenced by the cultural impacts of the historical development of Western Mexico. Throughout the history of mariachi, musicians have experimented with brass, wind,...
and Ranchera
Ranchera
Ranchera is a genre of the traditional music of Mexico originally sung by only one performer with a guitar. It dates to the years of the Mexican Revolution in the early 20th century. It later became closely associated with the mariachi groups which evolved in Jalisco. Ranchera today is also played...
music. Selena promoted the song during her Amor Prohibido Tour
Amor Prohibido Tour
The Amor Prohibido Tour was the final concert tour by popular Latin-American singer, Selena, before she was shot and killed on March 31, 1995. After her "Amor Prohibido" tour she would be getting ready for her "Crossover"-tour that would be from late April 1995- until June 1995 in Texas, then...
, she included the song in every venue. The first performance of the song was during Selena's half-hour spot on the Johnny Canales Show
Johnny Canales
Johnny Canales is a former Tejano singer, and was host of the popular show titled "The Johnny Canales Show". Canales is credited with one of the first live performances of Selena by her thirteenth birthday. He took Selena y Los Dinos for their first concerts in Mexico...
in mid-1994. Her final performance was on March 14, 1995 during the Calle Ocho Festival in Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, which attracted over 100,000 fans. During the February 26, 1995 Houston Astrodome concert, Selena danced with her hands to the solo melody notes of "Si Una Vez", which became one of her signature dance moves. The concert had became Selena's final televised concert
Live! The Last Concert
-Miscellaneous:* This concert was featured in the film based upon the life of Selena.* The opening scene in Selena is a recreation of the actual "Disco Medley" performance. However, the version of the song used in the film is much shorter....
. In 1997, Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
played the role as "Selena" in the biopic film
Biographical film
A biographical film, or biopic , is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. They differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their...
Selena
Selena (film)
Selena is a 1997 American biographical drama film about the life and career of the late Tejano music star Selena, a recording artist who was well known in the Mexican-American and Hispanic communities in the United States and Mexico before she was shot to death at the age of twenty-three.The movie...
. Lopez mimic Selena's dance moves and hand gestures, during the near-end of the film. The single was released several days before the murder of Selena, which jeopardize any further development of a 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...
.
"Si Una Vez" is a 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:...
cumbia song mixed with ranchera and Mexican cumbia
Mexican cumbia
Mexican cumbia is a musical subgenre of cumbia which was re-invented from Mexico.- Origins of Mexican Cumbia :The history of Cumbia in Mexico is almost as old as Cumbia in Colombia. In the 1940s Colombian singer Luis Carlos Meyer Castandet emigrated to Mexico where he worked with the Mexican...
. It drew influences from progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
and experimental
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by EMI Music Publishing, the song is composed in the key of D minor
D minor
D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. In the harmonic minor, the C is raised to C. Its key signature has one flat ....
with a time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
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 with a moderate groove of 91 beats per minute. The music is largely based on instrumentations such as the violin and guitar.
The lyrics describes a women feeling regretful of loving a man who does not know what love is. She tells him that she regrets ever being with him and that she will never fall for him again. "Si Una Vez", became a dominate-female favorite song, which helped boost women empowerment
Empowerment
Empowerment refers to increasing the spiritual, political, social, racial, educational, gender or economic strength of individuals and communities...
, self-pride, and dignity towards a recent break-up.
Critical reception and chart performance
According to Billboard, "Si Una Vez", "Amor ProhibidoAmor Prohibido (song)
"Amor Prohibido" is a song recorded by American Tejano pop singer Selena for her fifth studio album of the same name . 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...
" 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...
", are Selena's signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
s. Nathan Cone, from the Texas Public Radio
Texas Public Radio
Texas Public Radio, or TPR is the on-air name for a group of public radio stations serving the San Antonio, Texas area. All are affiliated with National Public Radio....
, said "the song "resonates best" with South Texas
South Texas
South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of and including San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande River, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 3.7 million. The southern portion of this region is...
". Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
editor David Browne
David Browne
David Browne is an American journalist and author. He was the resident music critic at Entertainment Weekly between 1990 and 2006. He was an editor at Music & Sound Output magazine and a music critic at the New York Daily News before EW...
stated, "At least half 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,...
showcases her conjunto
Conjunto
Conjunto literally translates as "group," and is regionally accepted in Texas as defining a genre of music that was born out of south Texas at the end of the 19th Century, after German settlers introduced the button accordion. The bajo sexto has come to accompany the button accordion and is...
side: "Si Una Vez", which, with its mariachi horns and Selena's own full-throated warbling, recalls Lydia Mendoza
Lydia Mendoza
Lydia Mendoza was an American guitarist and singer of Tejano music. She is known as La Alondra de la Frontera ....
, conjunto's leading lady." Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping is a women's magazine owned by the Hearst Corporation, featuring articles about women's interests, product testing by The Good Housekeeping Institute, recipes, diet, health as well as literary articles. It is well known for the "Good Housekeeping Seal," popularly known as the...
told subscribers that "Si Una Vez is an admirable and convincing song you have to listen to when dealing with jerks!". Terra named "Si Una Vez" as one of Selena's "most famous works" along with her other singles "El Chico Del Apartamento 512
El Chico Del Apartamento 512
"El Chico del Apartamento 512" is a song by American Tejano pop singer Selena. "El chico del apartamento 512" was the sixth single released from Amor Prohibido . The song was written and produced by Selena's brother and music producer, A.B. Quintanilla III, lead keyboardist of the group, Ricky...
", "Amor Prohibido
Amor Prohibido (song)
"Amor Prohibido" is a song recorded by American Tejano pop singer Selena for her fifth studio album of the same name . 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...
" and "Fotos y Recuerdos".
Peaking at number-four on Billboard
Billboard (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...
Regional Mexican Songs chart in 1994, the single stood in the music chart for nearly twenty-three weeks. After Selena's death, the song took in more extensive airplay throughout the United States, in Spanish-speaking radio stations.
Track listing
U.S. Promo Single (1995)- "Si Una Vez" - 2:50
U.S. Promo Single (1996)
- "Si Una Vez" - 2:50
- "El Chico Del Apartamento 512El Chico Del Apartamento 512"El Chico del Apartamento 512" is a song by American Tejano pop singer Selena. "El chico del apartamento 512" was the sixth single released from Amor Prohibido . The song was written and produced by Selena's brother and music producer, A.B. Quintanilla III, lead keyboardist of the group, Ricky...
" - 3:28
Mexico Promo Single (1995)
- "Si Una Vez" - 2:50
Credits and personnel
- Selena – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Joe Ojeda – keyboards
- Ricky VelaRicky VelaRicardo "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...
– keyboards - Chris PérezChris PerezChristopher Gilbert "Chris" Pérez is a American guitarist and the widower of "The Queen of Tejano music" Selena. He is currently a guitarist for A.B. Quintanilla III y Los Kumbia All Starz since he joined in 2006. Prior to that, Pérez was the lead guitarist for his wife's band Selena y Los Dinos...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Suzette Quintanilla – drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s - Los DinosSelena y Los DinosSelena 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....
– bajo sextoBajo sextoA bajo sexto is a musical instrument with 12 strings in 6 double courses, used in Mexican music. It is used primarily in norteño music of northern Mexico and across the border in the music of south Texas known as "Tex-Mex", "conjunto, or "música mexicana-tejana".A similar instrument with five... - A.B. Quintanilla III – writerWriterA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
- Pete AstudilloPete AstudilloPedro "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...
– writer - Lisette Lorenzo – art direction
Source:
Charts
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Latin Regional Mexican Airplay (Billboard Billboard (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... ) |
4 |
Awards
| Year | Awards ceremony | Award | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | BMI Pop Music Awards Broadcast Music Incorporated Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed... |
Song of The Year |
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | CAPIF Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers The Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers is an Argentine organization member of the IFPI, which represents the music industry in the country. It is a nonprofit organization integrated by multinational and independent record labels.... |
Gold | 50,000+ |
Release history
| Country | Date | Format |
|---|---|---|
| United States | March 21, 1994 | Latin Pop Contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts... , Tejano 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... and rhythmic Rhythmic Contemporary Rhythmic contemporary, also known as rhythmic top 40, rhythmic contemporary hit radio or rhythmic crossover, is a music radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary rarely uses rock music or country music in its airplay, but it may... radios |
| Mexico | CD single CD 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... |
|
| September 24, 2002 | Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
|
| France | ||
| Japan | March 14, 1994 | |
| Germany | ||
| United Kingdom |
Covers
In 2010, Girl in a ComaGirl in a Coma
Girl In a Coma is a rock band from San Antonio, Texas on Joan Jett's Blackheart Records' label. The band is made up of Mexican-American sisters Nina and Phanie Diaz and long-time friend, Jenn Alva . The name is a reference to The Smiths' song Girlfriend in a Coma...
, a Rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
that covered "Si Una Vez" were interviewed by Brown Paper Tickets about their choice to cover Selena's "Si Una Vez" song. They stated "Si Una Vez is one of our favorite Selena songs, her music was on constantly in our household. She was doing something very important for our culture and something new. We felt the original version song already had a hidden punk quality." The band were later asked to perform their version of the song during the 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...
in July 2010, as being part of the Selena homage. They also performed the song during their tour in Texas. In early 2010, Selena's brother, A.B. Quintanilla III's band Kumbia All-Starz covered "Si Una Vez" during their live tour for La Vida De Un Genio
La Vida De Un Genio
La Vida De Un Genio is the third studio album by A.B. Quintanilla Y Los Kumbia All Starz. It was released on July 27, 2010. A deluxe edition was also released on the same day on online music stores. A bonus song called "I'll Be There For You" is only included on the iTunes deluxe...
(2010) in Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
. The song was sung by J.R. Gómez, the lead vocalist
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
of the group.
| Artist | Album | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Leila Lissette | Para Nosotros Dos | 1995 |
| Angelica Y La Tribu Music of Guatemala The music of Guatemala is diverse. Music is played all over the country, even in the remotest corners. Towns also have wind and percussion bands -week processions, as well as on other occasions. The Garifuna people of Afro-Caribbean descent, who are spread thinly on the northeastern Caribbean... |
Selena vs. Bukis | 1995 |
| Richard Clay | Balada Para Selena | 1995 |
| Grupo Tijuana | Canta Como: Selena | 2002 |
| Emerson Ensemble | Latin Dancing | 2002 |
| Angel Meléndez | Angel Meléndez & the 911 Mambo Grammy Award for Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album The Grammy Award for Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album has been awarded since 1984. The award has had several minor name changes:*From 1984 to 1991 the award was known as Best Tropical Latin Performance... |
2004 |
| Alicia Villarreal Alicia Villarreal Alicia Villarreal is a Mexican Latin Grammy award-winning singer.-Biography:... |
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... |
2005 |
| Zurisaddai Juarbe | Nuevas Voces De América | 2005 |
| Myriam Myriam Montemayor Cruz Myriam Montemayor Cruz , better known as Myriam, is a Mexican recording artist, known for winning the first generation of La Academia.-Biography:... |
Una Mujer Una Mujer Una Mujer it is the first studio album with new unreleased songs of Myriam. Before the success her debut album was a lot of composer got interested in sending songs for Myriam. Soraya, Mr. Manzanero, Claudia Brant are some of the writers that participated in this album... |
2005 |
| Banda El Grullo | Lo Mejor De Selena Con Banda | 2005 |
| Rocío Banquells Rocío Banquells María del Rocío Banquells Nuñez , is a Mexican pop singer and actress, best known for her work on television, the stage and cinema of Mexico and Latin America. Her mezzo voice is one of the most versatile voices from Mexico... |
2006 | |
| Ivy Queen Ivy Queen Ivy Queen is a Puerto Rican Latin Grammy nominated reggaeton composer and singer. She is most commonly known as "La Reina del Reggaeton" . She is also known as the Queen of Rivalries.-Early years:... |
Flashback Flashback (Ivy Queen album) The album was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award in the Best Urban Album category. The album was certified gold in the USA for sales of more than 100,000 copies.-Track listing:#Cuéntale#Marronero#Si Una Vez#Libertad#La Mala#Te He Querido Te He Llorado... |
2006 |
| Jorge Rodriguez Lopez | La Camisa Negra | 2006 |
| Karina | Perfume de Mujer | 2006 |
| Lopez | Latino Latin Fiesta | 2006 |
| Celeste | Dibujarte Una Sonrisa | 2006 |
| Jacqueline Grace | Jacqueline Grace | 2007 |
| Dareyes De La Sierra | En La Mira | 2007 |
| Mld | Latino Mega Hits Vol. 2 | 2007 |
| Mauricio Morais | Inspiracoes | 2008 |
| Nuevas Voces | Latinas Exitos | 2008 |
| The Latin Music All Stars | Latin Moods | 2008 |
| Johnny Quintina y Grupo Superbailongo | 12 Best of Latin Hits | 2008 |
| Manny Manuel Manny Manuel Cruz Manuel Hernández Santiago , known artistically as Manny Manuel, is a Puerto Rican singer of merengue, boleros, and tropical music. He became famous first as a member of the group Los Sabrosos del Merengue, before launching a successful solo career in 1994.-Early life:Manny Manuel was born in... |
RMM 20th Anniversary Collection | 2008 |
| Carolina Molina | La Princesa Mexicana | 2009 |
| Los Pakines | Si Una Vez | 2009 |
| Marcel Rinde | 2009 | |
| Reynaldo | Me Falta Todo | 2010 |
| Talina | Eres Todo Para Mi | 2010 |
| Girl In A Coma Girl in a Coma Girl In a Coma is a rock band from San Antonio, Texas on Joan Jett's Blackheart Records' label. The band is made up of Mexican-American sisters Nina and Phanie Diaz and long-time friend, Jenn Alva . The name is a reference to The Smiths' song Girlfriend in a Coma... |
Adventures In Coverland | 2010 |
| Reyes De Cancion | Remembering Selena: Un Homenaje | 2011 |
| The Latin Salsa Boys | Latinos Con Sabor Vol.7 | 2011 |
| Kumbia All-Starz | 2011 |
Manny Manuel version
In 1994, Puerto RicanPuerto Rican people
A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico...
merengue
Merengue music
Merengue is a type of music and dance from the Dominican Republic. It is popular in the Dominican Republic and all over Latin America. Its name is Spanish, taken from the name of the meringue, a dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar...
musician Manny Manuel
Manny Manuel
Cruz Manuel Hernández Santiago , known artistically as Manny Manuel, is a Puerto Rican singer of merengue, boleros, and tropical music. He became famous first as a member of the group Los Sabrosos del Merengue, before launching a successful solo career in 1994.-Early life:Manny Manuel was born in...
covered the song on his debut album, El Rey de Corazones. The cover was the second single released from the album in 1995. Manuel's version was his first song to reach number-one on the Latin Tropical Airplay charts. The song was later included as part of RMM Record's tribute to Selena, RMM Familia Recordando a Selena in 2008.
Chart performance
The track peaked at #18 on Hot Latin Tracks and #1 on the Latin Tropical Airplay.| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Hot Latin Tracks (Billboard Billboard (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... ) |
18 |
| U.S. Latin Tropical Airplay (Billboard Billboard (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... ) |
1 |