"Obsesión" is a 1935 Spanish-language

bolero Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has ...

song by Puerto Rican songwriter Pedro Flores. The song is one of Flores' best known has been recorded by many artists. Flores was resident in New York where his Cuarteto Flores, including Panchito Riset and Daniel Santos, made his boleros popular.

Lyrics

The lyrics of the song have been referenced many times in literature since the song's early success in the 1940s. The song opens with: Among the following verses a frequently cited phrase is "Amor es el pan de la vida, amor es la copa divina, (English: "Love is the bread of life, love is the divine cup") ''amor es un algo sin nombre que obsesiona a un hombre por una mujer''. These and other lyrics are referenced in a number of modern Spanish literary works. The lyrics of the bolero form the key to the obsession in the novel ''Las batallas en el desierto'', by

José Emilio Pacheco José Emilio Pacheco Berny (June 30, 1939 – January 26, 2014) was a Mexican poet, essayist, novelist and short story writer. He is regarded as one of the major Mexican poets of the second half of the 20th century. The Berlin International Lite ...

(1948) filmed as '' :es:Mariana, Mariana'' (1987) by Mexican director

Alberto Isaac Alberto Isaac (18 March 1923 – 9 January 1998) was a Mexican freestyle swimmer and later a film director and screenwriter. He competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics and the 1952 Summer Olympics. In 1969, he directed the documentary film '' ...

.Cinémas d'Amérique latine 1998 Page 1996 Otro ejemplo: el bolero "Obsesión" de Pedro Flores es la clave y esencia de Las batallas en el desierto, noveleta de José Emilio Pacheco llevada al cine en 1987 como Mariana Mariana."

Versions

The song has been covered by artists including: *

Pedro Vargas Pedro Vargas Mata (San Miguel de Allende, 29 April 1906 – Mexico City, 30 October 1989) was a Mexican tenor and actor, from the golden age of Mexican cinema, participating in more than 70 films. He was known as the "Nightingale of the Ameri ...

(sung as a duet with

Beny Moré Beny or Bény may refer to: Given name * Beny Alagem (born 1953), Israeli-American businessman * Beny Parnes (born 1959), Brazilian economist * Beny Primm (1928–2015), American physician and HIV/AIDS researcher * Beny Steinmetz (born 1956), Is ...

) *

Javier Solis Javier may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Javier, in video game '' Advance Wars: Dual Strike'' * Javier Rios, a character in the Monsters, Inc. franchise. * ''Javier'' (album), a 2003 album by the American singer Javier Colon, known ...

* :es:Ceferino Nieto single * Iran Eory single 1980 * :es:Jochy Hernández single 1987 *

Lucho Gatica Luis Enrique Gatica Silva (11 August 1928 – 13 November 2018),
''The New York Times''. Retriev ...

EP *Julio Iglesias, on

America (Julio Iglesias album) ''America'' is 1976 album by Julio Iglesias. It was released on the Alhambra label. In December 1976 it was No.2 on the Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising ...

1976 *

Isaac Delgado Isaac Delgado (1839–1912) was a businessman and sugar dealer who migrated from Jamaica to New Orleans in the late nineteenth century. His success in business made him sufficiently wealthy to become a significant benefactor with philanthropic i ...

on ''La Primera Noche'' 1994 *

Spanish Harlem Orchestra Spanish Harlem Orchestra is a Latin dance music orchestra based in the United States, founded by Aaron Levinson and Oscar Hernandez. Their debut album was released in October 2002. The orchestra often tours worldwide. Discography ''Un Gran D ...

on album ''Un Gran Dia en el Barrio'' 2002

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Obsesion (Pedro Flores song) Puerto Rican songs Boleros