Where in the world can one find the best five star hotels? Spain might have some answers, and if they’re not definitive, at least the search will be a true pleasure. Spain is one of the most romantic places in the world, from classical times to now. It may be the languages that are so enchanting, the island lifestyle that seems to dominate the country, or the intense conversations. There are also the heady pleasures that permeate the humidity like a welcome friend. Bullfights, red wine, rich and delicate foods, the land is made of myth and history.
Sometimes myth and history intertwine, like they do in the life of Spain’s celebrated singer-songwriter Joaquin Sabina. He is celebrated all over Spain, where most every local can sing at least one of his deeply poetic songs by heart, and he is also considered to be a treasure of the world all over Latin America, where he has toured extensively. Born in 1949, Sabina has become a true living legend. By the early seventies, he was already positioning himself as a political artist, with his intense opposition to Franco’s fascist policies. His father, a policeman, would ironically receive the orders to arrest his son, who was already becoming famous.
And very famous as a man who loves women, with several broken relationships already following in his wake. The formative years of his songwriting would see some 14 albums, and a very lucky break from CBS records. Some of his best-known albums are “Dimelo en la calle,” “19 dias y 500 noches,” “Yo, Mi, Me, Contigo,” and “Este boca es mia.” In 2001 Joaquin Sabina suffered a stroke following years of hard living, and he took a hiatus from performing, to follow three years later with “Alivo de luto,” a beautiful album that is deeply melancholy, terribly romantic, and lyrically complex, funny, and sad. In short, he’d come back from near death to live with gusto, and his recent tours are remarkable for the energy, gracefulness, and self-deprecating humor that guides his songwriting.
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