El Rey by George Strait

Album: Twang (2009)

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

George Strait sings this Mexican folk song completely in Spanish. The Mariachi standard is played frequently on radio stations across Mexico and in Border States. Strait said in publicity materials: "I've loved Mariachi music for years, and although I'm not fluent in Spanish, I've been trying to get better. 'El Rey' has been a favorite song of mine for years, and I request it every chance I get. So I decided to give it a shot. What a blast that was. I had a version by the great Vicente Fernandez. I played it for the guys, and we worked it out. I think it turned out great, and I hope the real Mariachis like it. That will be the real test."
Mexican singer-songwriter José Alfredo Jiménez wrote the song and originally recorded it. Jiménez was a constant presence on the music charts of Mexico from his 1950 breakthrough hit "Yo," until his death from hepatitis in 1973.

Comments: 6

Eralia from Leona TxI loved this song it came out shortly after I lost my father. To here George sing in Spanish which happens to by my heritage was heart felt. It seems like he sings directly to me in this particular song. I can hear my nick name lalee in it and also my middle name Isabel. I could be wrong but only God knows. George truly is the king of all time . I loved him since I was a lil girl. I have never seen him in concert been so busy with life as I know it. I been playing this song back to back since yesterday. Aug .15 2021 today's date . God bless
Gloria from Oklahoma I did not understand a single word he sang but loved every word of it. George Strait is America’s King in any language. His voice can melt an iceberg. Keep the Music flowing King George.
Araceli from San Francisco Rachel, that is that best translation of the song I’ve seen on the internet!! Thank you!!!
Rachel from UsaHere's a translation I made -- It's not a literal word-for-word version, but I wanted to keep as much of the spirit of the original as I could.

Yeah, I know that I’m a roamer,
And I’ll probably die a loner,
But I still know you will cry.

Chorus: And cry, and cry
And cry, and cry.

Well, you say that you don’t need me,
And that you’ll never grieve me,
But I’m still saying goodbye.

Might be rich or might need money,
But I do what I want, honey,
And my own word’s the one I obey.

Well, I don’t have a castle or queen,
And there’s no one who knows what I mean,
But that’s why I’ll always be king.

A simple stone upon the road
Taught me just to bear my load
And be who I’m supposed to be.

Chorus: A rolling stone,
A rolling stone.

I once met an aging trucker,
Who said being first is for suckers,
You just have to get there in style.
William from San Antonio, Tx"El Rey" is translated as "The King". A much fitted name.
Garrett from Phenix City, AlI have to say that when I first heard that George Strait had a song in Spanish, I was very shocked and a little skeptical about how it would sound, because he does not sound like someone you'd hear doing a song in Spanish. Then when I heard it, I was even more shocked that he could actually do it, and how successfully he pulled it off. I am a big fan of Strait's music. I am pretty fluent in Spanish, not as much as I would like to be, but I know it well enough that I can pick up on the pronunciation of the accent and tell if someone's pronouncing the words right. That is why I was skeptical at first about Strait's covering this song. Then I heard it and man it's great. Anybody who hasn't heard it should give it a listen. It is a whole different side of George you wouldn't expect.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Rock of AgesDef Leppard

The "Gunter Glieben Glauten Globen" intro in Def Leppard's "Rock Of Ages" is something their producer Mutt Lange came up with when he got tired of counting them "1, 2, 3, 4..."

Hey MamaDavid Guetta

The bedrock of David Guetta's Nicki Minaj-featuring single "Hey Mama" is a sample of "Rosie," a 1940s prison recording from folk archivist Alan Lomax that songwriter Esther Dean first showed the French DJ on YouTube.