Photo edited by Marco Rens
Legendary Spanish singer and record producer Alfredo Garrido, born on February 20th, 1933, in Bilbao, Spain, passed away on September 7th at the age of 91. He became a beloved figure in Spain for his Spanish adaptations of iconic children's animated series theme songs, including "Vicky the Viking", "Maya the Honey Bee", and "Mazinger Z". His work shaped the childhoods of generations of Spaniards, leaving an indelible mark on the nation's cultural landscape.
May this great artist rest in peace.
Beyond his contributions to children's television, Alfredo Garrido was a prolific music producer and lyricist, collaborating with an impressive roster of renowned Spanish artists such as Greta y los Garbo, Los Chichos, Nino Bravo, Camarón and Paco de Lucía. Notably, he contributed to the "Canción del Mundial 82", the theme song for the 1982 FIFA World Cup performed by Plácido Domingo.
Garrido's distinguished career saw him under contract with Phonogram-Philips Records' Spanish subsidiary from 1964 to 1988. During this period, he became label mates with Luv's creator Hans van Hemert and was entrusted with translating the lyrics of four Luv' hits into Spanish: "Tu Eres Mi Mejor Amante" ("You're the Greatest Lover"), "Casanova", "Si, Que Si" ("Ooh, Yes I Do"), and "Ann-Maria".
Phonogram-Philips developed the plan to conquer the lucrative Spanish-speaking market (Spain and South America) during the MIDEM (Marché International du Disque et de l'Édition Musicale), the world's largest music fair, held in January 1979 in Cannes, France.
Photo edited by Marco Rens
Front cover of "Tu Eres Mi Mejor Amante" (1978)
Alfredo Garrido, mentioned in the credits for "Tu Eres Mi Mejor Amante"
The April 29th, 1979 edition of ABC newspaper introduced Luv' to the Spanish public.
Tu Eres Mi Mejor Amante on Fantástico (TVE) - March 4th, 1979
Luv's decision to sing in Spanish, inspired by ABBA's multilingual approach, proved fruitful. "Tu Eres Mi Mejor Amante" climbed to the Top 10 of the Clasificación Nacional del Disco, a weekly record chart published by ABC, on March 18th, 1979. The single remained on the hit parade for 14 weeks, reaching the #1 spot on June 5th, 1979.
ABC announced the release of the Spanish version of "Casanova" in its August, 19th 1979 edition:
Front cover of "Casanova" (Spanish version) - 1979
Back cover of "Casanova" (Spanish version), including Alfredo Garrido in the credits
"Tu Eres Mi Mejor Amante" (intro) and "Casanova" on "Aplauso" (TVE-1) on September 15th, 1979,
"Casanova" entered the Spanish Single Top 50 (published in the section entitled "Los Domingos de ABC - Musica Joven" of ABC) at #39 on October 7th, 1979. It reached #18 on October 21st, 2019:
"Casanova" spent 6 weeks on ABC's Single Top 50.
Luv' later became briefly popular in Mexico, where "Si, Que Si" (Ooh, Yes I Do) turned gold in May 1980.
Luv' in front of the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan, Mexico (May 1980)
From left to right: Patty Brard, Manager Pim ter Linde, Record executive Bart van de Laar, Mexican director of Discos Musart, which released "Si, Que Si", José Hoebee and Marga Scheide on May 5th, 1980, in Mexico City
Mexican record for "Si, Que Si" (1980)
Si, Que Si by Luv' (1980)
The Spanish version of "Ann-Maria" followed later that year.
Ann-Maria (Spanish version) by Luv' (1980)
In 2003, Luv's Spanish-language singles, including Garrido's contributions, were featured as bonus tracks on the double CD compilation "25 Jaar Na Waldolala".
25 Jaar Na Waldolala (Universal Music, 2003)
Luv's Spanish songs mentioned in the "25 jaar Na Waldolala" CD booklet, including Alfredo Garrido in the credits
Honouring Alfredo Garrido
In 2015, a square was named after Alfredo Garrido in Cabra de Camp, Tarragona, where a 10-meter-tall statue of the iconic "Mazinger Z" robot, erected in 1979, still stands proudly. The square, known as Plaça d'Alfredo Garrido García, features a plaque in his honor,
Mazinger Z statue at Plaça d'Alfredo Garrido García, Tarragona, Catalonia
Interview with Alfredo Garrido during the presentation of "El Fabuloso Mundo de la Cancion Infantil", a book written by Jorge Lérida in 2017
Source: Luv' weblog archives, YouTube, Facebook, El Mundo, ABC, El Correo, Discogs...
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