Lupita D'Alessio | The scorned women in Latin music
Inocente, Pobre Amiga (Innocent, Unfortunate Friend) covers the 1980 song Inocente Pobre Amigo by Mexican pop idol Juan Gabriel.
Lupita D’Alessio performing Inocente, Pobre Amiga.
I had originally planned to release one long article on 5 scorned women in Latin music. However, their stories are so rich, I decided to do a series instead. Opting to give each woman the time and care she deserves. The first in this series is Shakira. Head over to the introductory article to find out about the other women on the list.
The song was originally released on Juan Gabriel's 15th studio album in collaboration with Mariachi de America de Jesus Rodriguez de Hijar. It is a mariachi ballad. The recording's mixing is beautifully done, combining all instrumentation and vocals into a bright but sorrowful single.
However, I would argue that the studio recording of the song is not as popular amongst the Mexican public as the live version. The live version, performed during Juan Gabriel en el Palacio de Bellas Artes is one of my favorite performances. It has character, playfulness, and spice. Juan Gabriel revels in the delivery. While the recording was technically masterful, the live performance brings a rawness and sentiment that turns the song into the memorable song it is today.
That was one of the many charms El Divo de Juarez had. His stage presence was so grand and charismatic that he could turn an already good song into an experience that is worth seeing live again and again. He is cheeky with the audience while also expressing anger and disdain. He is playful and manages to be both bashful and flirtatious with the camera. He is simply magnificent.
It is difficult to perform a rendition as memorable as El Divo's. But Lupita D'Alessio places her personal color to the original queer-coded mariachi. Her rendition changes the song's arrangement to a pop ballad characteristic of the 80s. They stripped out some of the more traditional mariachi strings and brass instruments, leaving only the necessary instruments to carry the song. The melody is also changed to a more playful and almost mocking tune, setting the tone for Lupita D'Alessio's performance. What follows is a masterful technical vocal performance and chill-inducing interpretation.
She starts the song by smiling and dancing to the music. She carries a knowing smile. As soon as she starts singing, she directs her attention to the camera. And mockingly sings, "We are so similar, you cannot fool me." Like the majority of the women on this list, Lupita D'Alessio also sings directly to the camera. She traps you with her accusatory gaze.
Quickly changing to a more daring tone. She continues, "You won't achieve anything by lying; telling the truth is best. I know quite well that you will abandon me, and I know quite well who you are leaving me for." Her anger shows in her mannerisms. Like a father scolding a teenager, she is giving a stern warning. She is telling someone -the man she sings to- that she already knows he will dump her. She warns him not to lie to her.
A pause and a change of her menacing look back to her mocking tone, "You thought I was oblivious; in reality, I do not want any more troubles from your love." She's confessing she knew of his infidelity, and yet, she did not care that much. His love is more troublesome to her. She delivers her following lines, almost speaking the words rather than singing them, "So you are gonna leave to be with….. that one, that's fine, I don't oppose it." She continues, slowly increasing her whispering voice, "I wish you happiness, but let me warn you…" gradually injecting power into her voice, culminating in a beautiful vibrato while she sings, "...if you come back again, I won't be accountable". She's telling him to go, that's fine. But not to come back because she would not take him back.
There is another pause, almost as if she is containing her disdain. She repeats, "You thought I was oblivious; in reality, I do not want any more trouble from your love." There is a change in camera angles. The second shot is positioned to her lower right. The camera looks up at Lupita D'Alessio as she towers over the audience. She no longer challenges the viewer; now, she looks down upon the audience. The framing, her stance, the colors on the screen, and her facial expression all give us clues that she is disparaging the subject of her words.
What follows is a brilliant addition to the receiver of her message. "I know of a foolish woman who likes you and who fell in love with you. I know you are both in cahoots, and I know you both mock me." This song is not only sung to him but to the other woman as well. In this ménage à trois, she does not forget about the third person, the other woman. She is now speaking to her as well. After all, the song is titled after the other woman, an "innocent, unfortunate friend." This lower angle expresses her intent. They both are less than her. Unworthy of looking at them straight in the eyes.
She confesses to her own lie. Her confession is not only to her lover but also to the other woman. She knew she was being cheated on, and she did not do anything. She kept her anger in and continued as she was. Now, at her breaking point, when he is about to leave her, she tells him, not only are you not leaving me, I am leaving you, and let me show you who is the foolish one in this relationship. "And you thought I was oblivious." She directs her ire to the camera, hand signaling literal horns. "Well, now you know that is not true." Now you know how silly you were to think you were getting away with it and possibly hinting that she was cheating, too.
During the instrumental break, the camera angles transition again. She starts dancing while looking down. But then, a transition to a wide shot shows us her full body as she laughs and twirls around on stage, gloating with playfulness.
She revels in showing him and the other woman that she is the one who fooled them both, not the other way around. This is a performance for the audience, too, showing us that she is not that hurt by them. It's mocking.
Once she starts to sing again, the camera angle changes again. "I've known for a while and never told you anything." She then turns her mocking tone towards herself, sparing no punch, "In spite of your betrayal, I even allowed you to reconsider." Rolling her eyes and repeating to herself, "You thought I was oblivious; in reality, I did not want any more troubles with your love." She is trying to hurt him, too. Show him he is the foolish one and that he is troublesome.
She then turns her ire to her foolish friend. "To that foolish woman who likes you and who fell in love with you. She doesn't know what is awaiting her. She thinks she's going to be happy. Innocent, unfortunate friend. So unaware that she will suffer. Forewarned is forearmed." In a twisted sisterhood moment, she is forewarning her of a future with this man. While mocking her, she is letting her know she will be unhappy. She is unfortunate because her future is Lupita's present. Being cheated on.
Of course, Lupita's anger is not set aside. She tells her all this while insulting her as well; after all, she hurt her, too. "Tell that woman who loves you today that to love you truly and nothing more; she is lacking that which I have an abundance of." Honoring Juan Gabriel's performance, she alludes to his hand gesture while singing this line of the song. It means that he has more "cojones" than the other man. Therefore, Lupita D'Alessio has more than that other woman, too. She is more worthy. Better.
Then, the camera changes again. To the wide angle that shows her stance, she strikes a pose. She looks at the camera. Then the camera zooms in from the wide shot to a closeup while she sings, "You are so similar to me…" It is important to show her face at the end of the zoom-in. In this closeup, she gives us a cheeky smile again. For as much anger she has expressed, she is also enjoying herself.
Finally, she repeats the horns hand sign, extending the thumb and pinky out. The hand gesture insults the man, alluding to "poner el cuerno," giving the horn an expression equivalent to cheat on. With powerful vocals, she sings, "... that you cannot fool me anymore," switching her gaze from the camera to the audience in person.
She starts dancing and twirling again. The camera changes, to show her and the audience as they clap her performance. Another change: a closeup of her face again. As she smiles and says thank you to the audience, clearly proud of the performance she just delivered.
As I said before, it is difficult to give a performance of a song that has already been performed greatly by one of Mexico's best performers. But Lupita delivered. She gave the song her color. Honoring some of El Divo’s original gestures, delivering them in her own way. She shows playful yet spiteful vocals. I love how anger transitions to mockery and how she responds to being hurt. Lupita D'Alessio is marvelous on stage.
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