Cecilia (songwriter)

Evangelina Sobredo Galanes also known as Cecilia (born 11 October, 1948, Madrid, Spain - d. 2 August, 1976, Castile and León, Spain) was a Spanish singer-songwriter. Galanes took her stage name "Cecilia" from the Simon and Garfunkel song of the same name. She was known for her singles: Un ramito de violetas, Mi querida España and Dama, dama. All of them were hit records during the 1970s.

Biography

Childhood

Cecilia was born in El Pardo (Madrid's district and municipality) in 1948. Her father, José Ramón Sobredo, was a military officer and diplomat. During her childhood she lived in other countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Portugal, Algeria and Jordan. She learned to speak English in addition to her native Spanish language. Her first few works were in English, but the rest were in Spanish. She studied music at a convent school in the United States. A nun taught her to play the guitar. When she returned to Spain she attended law school, but left her studies in order to work in the music industry.

Career

In 1966 she began her career, but did not release her first album until 1970. It was titled Expresión. The album included songs in English such as Try Catch the Sun and Have You Ever Had a Blue Day. She released the albums Cecilia (1972), Cecilia 2 (1973),Un ramito de violetas (1975) and Amor de medianoche (1975).

Censorship

Like many other artists in Spain, Cecilia had to deal with the censorship of General Franco´s government. Some lyrics and photographs from the albums had to be changed or even removed before they were approved. Any mention of feminism or to the Spanish Civil War were controversial. The song "Un millón de muertos" ("A million dead") even after being changed to "Un millón de sueños" ("A million dreams") was not approved to be played on the radio in Spain. Cecilia 2 was the name that replaced "Me quedaré soltera" ("I will remain single") as the album name due to the feminism behind that statement. The front cover of the record, originally showing a pregnant Cecilia, was promptly removed by the record company. The super-hit "Mi querida España" had some words deleted on the final version to minimize references to the Civil War and the end of the dictatorship. However, the original lyrics made it into print and came out in the inner side of the gatefold cover of the album.

Death

On 2 August 1976, Cecilia was returning from a concert in Vigo, Galicia. She was in a car accident on the C-620 highway (currently N-525) near Colinas de Trasmonte. The accident happened at 05:40 (local time). She died at the scene after being hit by a cattle truck.

Cecilia was buried in La Almudena's cemetery in Madrid.

Discography

LP

• (1972) Cecilia
• (1973) Cecilia 2
• (1975) Un ramito de violetas
• (1975) Amor de medianoche (compilation album)

Further reading

• La Vanguardia, 3-8-1976, pág. 27 (in Spanish)
• La Vanguardia, 3-8-1976, pág. 29 (in Spanish)
• La Vanguardia, 3-8-1976, pág. 33 (in Spanish)
• ABC, 3-8-1976, pág. 42 (in Spanish)
• ABC, 4-8-1976, pág. 45 (in Spanish)
• EL PAIS, Martes, 3 de agosto de 1976 (in Spanish)

Other websites

• Página web oficial de Cecilia (in Spanish)
• "Cecilia". Find a Grave. Retrieved August 10, 2010.