El Chico Del Apartamento 512
Encyclopedia
"El Chico del Apartamento 512" (The Boy in Apartment 512) is a song by American Tejano pop
singer Selena
. "El chico del apartamento 512" was the sixth single released from Amor Prohibido
(1994). The song was written and produced by Selena's brother and music producer, A.B. Quintanilla III, lead keyboardist
of the group
, Ricky Vela
, Joshua Munoz, Bebu Silvetti
, Steven Torres and James Moore. It was released in the United States for Tejano and Contemporary Latin radio stations and was released as a promotional single a day before Selena was murdered
on March 30, 1995. Selena promoted the song during her Amor Prohibido Tour
, the song was included in every venue. Her final performance was on March 14, 1995 during her concert Calle Ocho Festival in Miami, Florida
, which attracted over 100,000 fans.
While being interviewed with La Nación
, Selena told them that she recorded the song because she believed her fans would appreciate her choice in Latin-pop dance
and wanted to gain fans, who weren't acquainted with her music. "El chico del apartamento 512" was given mixed to positive reviews. Because the single was released a day prior to the murder of Selena, the event jeopardized any further developments for a music video
, to further promote the song. "El chico del apartamento 512" had never shared a position on Billboard
and failed to impact any music chart globally. Quintanilla III stated that "El chico del apartamento 512" was a "Colombian Cumbia
" song, while being interviewed for Selena's collection, 20 Years of Music (2002). The song has been covered by many artists since its release.
(1994), incorporates Cumbia pop, Latin pop
and Latin dance. Selena recorded the song at Q-Productions
in Corpus Christi
, Texas
, which is her father's Abraham Quintanilla Jr
's recording studio. Brian "Red" Moore helped audio mix
the song. Selena told La Nación
that she wanted to record the song because she believed her fans would appreciate her choice in Latin pop dance
. She also wanted to gain other Hispanics who enjoyed that genre into her music. The song was written by lead keyboardist
of the group
, Ricky Vela
with collaborative writing credits given to A.B. Quintanilla III, brother and music producer of Selena. While it was produced by Joshua Munoz, Bebu Silvetti
, Steven Torres and James Moore. The single was released the day before Selena was murdered
, which jeopardize any further development of a music video
.
Selena expressed why she wanted to record "El chico del apartamento 512":
" song, while being interviewed for Selena's collection: 20 Years of Music (2002). Vela, stated in his interview that the song was the "lead Tejano
song" because they had used more South American rhythms, in order to get a "different sound".
"El chico del apartamento 512" is an up-tempo
song, drawing influences from pop
and dance
music genres. With 102 beats per minute, the song is set in common time
and it is composed in C minor
. It incorporates music from several musical instruments, including the french horn, violin
and piano
. During the beginning of the song, hymn tune
s are accompanied by Selena's singing of being depressed.
The song's lyrics describes a girl who lives in an apartment complex, who always get hit on by random guys she is not interested in. All of a sudden, a whistle blows from a handsome young man in the elevator and she is stuck with curiosity on who he is, which makes her heart jump. she discovers its her new neighbor from the apartment number 512. This triggers her to think about him, write him love letters and when she bumps into him in the apartment corridor she gets shy and acts like she is not interested in him. One day she gets the courage to knock on his door to confess her love for him. Her heart is broken when she knocks on the door and a blond haired woman opens the door. She wants to run away, but as she is about to, the blond girl asks her: "Were you looking for my brother?", and the song ends.
, Colorado
concert on January 10, 1994. The next day, Selena gave fans in Stockton
, California
an extended version of "El chico del apartamento 512", which mainly had an extension in the ending, with Suzette Quintanilla's drum solo
s. In the San Juan
, Puerto Rico
concert, fans sang periodically with Selena, since the song had just been released several weeks ago on radios. On February 26, 1995, Selena was booked to perform at the Houston Astrodome in Houston
, Texas
. She wore a purple bodysuit, which she was buried in, she sang "El chico del apartamento 512" that night.
During the "Noche De Carnaval" concert in Miami
, Florida
, Selena wore a black see-through blouse with a bustier, black mini-skirt with black knee-high boots
. During Selena's half-hour spot on the Johnny Canales Show
in mid-1994, Selena wore one of her original deigns from Selena Etc.
Similar to the "Noche De Carnaval" concert, Selena didn't sing "Ya No", while also not including "Fotos y Recuerdos" in the set list
. Her final performance was on March 19, 1995 during her concert Calle Ocho Festival in Miami, which attracted over 100,000 fans.
, commented on Selena's loss and the song, stating that "... we [all] know if Selena had lived to further promote her fifth studio album
, that her singles "El chico del apartamento 512" and "Techno Cumbia
" would have, without a doubt, appear on Billboard
s Top Latin Songs at number-one ..." She also stated that "El chico del apartamento 512" has gained popularity since its release, but failed to impact any music charts unlike Selena's other number-one singles from Amor prohibido (1994).
Carlos Meléndez, of El Nuevo Día
commented on Quintanilla III's choice for selecting the song saying that "... Selena already had great songs on her Amor prohibido album, but if A.B. had picked another song similar to "Bidi bidi bom bom", the album would have been way better ..." Meléndez's comments towards the song were upsetting to some Puerto Rican fans, who wrote to the newspaper, many of them stated that Meléndez "does not know what music is". Meléndez also complained about the song, stating that "... "El chico del apartamento 512" is somewhat tiring after Selena had sung the chorus
some multiple times. I think A.B., was trying too hard to show off Selena's musical abilities when he and Vela wrote this song ..." Meléndez then stated that the song "[is] not right for Selena". Julio Ramírez of MTV Latin America
praised the song, while stating that he can spot crossover-potential. On La Jornada
, editor Gabriela Herrera wrote that "El chico del apartamento 512" had showed off Selena's talents as a musical performer.
U.S. Promo Single (1996)
Mexico Promo Single (1995)
Mexico Promo Single (1996)
Tejano music
Tejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...
singer Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...
. "El chico del apartamento 512" was the sixth single released from Amor Prohibido
Amor Prohibido
Amor Prohibido is the fifth studio album by American Tejano pop singer Selena. The album was released on March 13, 1994 by EMI Latin. It was re-released on September 24, 2002, as part of the Selena: 20 Years of Music collection, and included music videos and spoken liner notes by her family,...
(1994). The song was written and produced by Selena's brother and music producer, A.B. Quintanilla III, lead keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
of the group
Selena y Los Dinos
Selena y Los Dinos was the band in which Grammy-Award-winning Tejano music singer Selena performed, until her death on March 31, 1995. Selena fronted the band since 1980, started by her father Abraham Quintanilla, Jr....
, Ricky Vela
Ricky Vela
Ricardo "Ricky" Vela is an award-winning song-writer and keyboards for the band Selena y Los Dinos. Ricky Vela joined the band as the bands keyboard player...
, Joshua Munoz, Bebu Silvetti
Bebu Silvetti
Juan Fernando Silvetti Adorno , professionally known as Bebu Silvetti or simply Silvetti, was an Argentine pianist, composer, conductor, arranger and record producer...
, Steven Torres and James Moore. It was released in the United States for Tejano and Contemporary Latin radio stations and was released as a promotional single a day before Selena was murdered
Murder of Selena
Selena, a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter who gained worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of her family-oriented band Selena y Los Dinos and for her community involvement, was murdered by Yolanda Saldívar. Saldívar, Selena's former fan club president and clothing boutique manager,...
on March 30, 1995. Selena promoted the song during her Amor Prohibido Tour
Amor Prohibido Tour
The Amor Prohibido Tour was the final concert tour by popular Latin-American singer, Selena, before she was shot and killed on March 31, 1995. After her "Amor Prohibido" tour she would be getting ready for her "Crossover"-tour that would be from late April 1995- until June 1995 in Texas, then...
, the song was included in every venue. Her final performance was on March 14, 1995 during her concert Calle Ocho Festival in Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, which attracted over 100,000 fans.
While being interviewed with La Nación
La Nación
La Nación is an Argentine daily newspaper. The country's leading conservative paper, the centrist Clarín is its main competitor. It is the only newspaper in Argentina still published in broadsheet format.-Overview:...
, Selena told them that she recorded the song because she believed her fans would appreciate her choice in Latin-pop dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
and wanted to gain fans, who weren't acquainted with her music. "El chico del apartamento 512" was given mixed to positive reviews. Because the single was released a day prior to the murder of Selena, the event jeopardized any further developments for a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
, to further promote the song. "El chico del apartamento 512" had never shared a position on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
and failed to impact any music chart globally. Quintanilla III stated that "El chico del apartamento 512" was a "Colombian Cumbia
Music of Colombia
The music of Colombia is an expression of the Colombian culture, which contains diverse music genres, traditional and moderns according with the features of each geographic region; although it is frequent to find different musical styles in the same region...
" song, while being interviewed for Selena's collection, 20 Years of Music (2002). The song has been covered by many artists since its release.
Background and production
"El chico del apartamento 512" one of the first songs composed for Selena's fifth studio album Amor ProhibidoAmor Prohibido
Amor Prohibido is the fifth studio album by American Tejano pop singer Selena. The album was released on March 13, 1994 by EMI Latin. It was re-released on September 24, 2002, as part of the Selena: 20 Years of Music collection, and included music videos and spoken liner notes by her family,...
(1994), incorporates Cumbia pop, Latin pop
Latin pop
Latin pop generally refers to pop music that has what may be perceived a Latin American influence...
and Latin dance. Selena recorded the song at Q-Productions
Q-Productions
Q-Productions is a record company owned and operated by Abraham Quintanilla Jr. Founded in 1993, Q Productions or also known as Q, or Q-Zone specializes within the Latin music industry, and it is located in Texas. The company's most recognized contributing artists are Selena , Los Tres Reyes, and...
in Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, which is her father's Abraham Quintanilla Jr
Abraham Quintanilla Jr
Abraham Isaac Quintanilla, Jr. is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He is the father of singer Selena, who was murdered in 1995.-Early life:...
's recording studio. Brian "Red" Moore helped audio mix
Audio mixing (recorded music)
In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
the song. Selena told La Nación
La Nación
La Nación is an Argentine daily newspaper. The country's leading conservative paper, the centrist Clarín is its main competitor. It is the only newspaper in Argentina still published in broadsheet format.-Overview:...
that she wanted to record the song because she believed her fans would appreciate her choice in Latin pop dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
. She also wanted to gain other Hispanics who enjoyed that genre into her music. The song was written by lead keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
of the group
Selena y Los Dinos
Selena y Los Dinos was the band in which Grammy-Award-winning Tejano music singer Selena performed, until her death on March 31, 1995. Selena fronted the band since 1980, started by her father Abraham Quintanilla, Jr....
, Ricky Vela
Ricky Vela
Ricardo "Ricky" Vela is an award-winning song-writer and keyboards for the band Selena y Los Dinos. Ricky Vela joined the band as the bands keyboard player...
with collaborative writing credits given to A.B. Quintanilla III, brother and music producer of Selena. While it was produced by Joshua Munoz, Bebu Silvetti
Bebu Silvetti
Juan Fernando Silvetti Adorno , professionally known as Bebu Silvetti or simply Silvetti, was an Argentine pianist, composer, conductor, arranger and record producer...
, Steven Torres and James Moore. The single was released the day before Selena was murdered
Murder of Selena
Selena, a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter who gained worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of her family-oriented band Selena y Los Dinos and for her community involvement, was murdered by Yolanda Saldívar. Saldívar, Selena's former fan club president and clothing boutique manager,...
, which jeopardize any further development of a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
.
Selena expressed why she wanted to record "El chico del apartamento 512":
"I really wanted to record this song when I first heard it. I was sitting down eating breakfast with my husband, Chris PerezChris PerezChristopher Gilbert "Chris" Pérez is a American guitarist and the widower of "The Queen of Tejano music" Selena. He is currently a guitarist for A.B. Quintanilla III y Los Kumbia All Starz since he joined in 2006. Prior to that, Pérez was the lead guitarist for his wife's band Selena y Los Dinos...
, when A.B. and Ricky came rushing in. I asked him "what's wrong?" and he replied telling me that I have to hear one of the songs that he and Rick had just wrote. So I walked over to A.B.'s house, keep in mind we are neighbors (laughs). When A.B., had given me the song to look at. I was already in love with it. I was glad that my brother and Rick had written the song, because, I wanted to get more fans who aren't fans of Tejano musicTejano musicTejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...
. I wanted to show other Hispanics of this different type of sound. Like, there's salsaSalsa musicSalsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
, merengueMerengue musicMerengue is a type of music and dance from the Dominican Republic. It is popular in the Dominican Republic and all over Latin America. Its name is Spanish, taken from the name of the meringue, a dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar...
and bachata, but there's also "Tejano". So I instantly wanted to record "El chico del apartamento 512". I hope all my fans and the new ones cross my fingers (laughs), will enjoy this song. I literally recorded two takes on the song, and A.B., like always, wanted me to keep going. A.B., had liked the third take and we went with it."
Composition and lyric content
Quintanilla III stated that "El chico del apartamento 512" was a "Colombian CumbiaMusic of Colombia
The music of Colombia is an expression of the Colombian culture, which contains diverse music genres, traditional and moderns according with the features of each geographic region; although it is frequent to find different musical styles in the same region...
" song, while being interviewed for Selena's collection: 20 Years of Music (2002). Vela, stated in his interview that the song was the "lead Tejano
Tejano music
Tejano music or Tex-Mex music is the name given to various forms of folk and popular music originating among the Mexican-American populations of Central and Southern Texas...
song" because they had used more South American rhythms, in order to get a "different sound".
"El chico del apartamento 512" is an up-tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
song, drawing influences from pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
music genres. With 102 beats per minute, the song is set in common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
and it is composed in C minor
C minor
C minor is a minor scale based on C, consisting of the pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. The harmonic minor raises the B to B. Changes needed for the melodic and harmonic versions of the scale are written in with naturals and accidentals as necessary.Its key signature consists of three flats...
. It incorporates music from several musical instruments, including the french horn, violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. During the beginning of the song, hymn tune
Hymn tune
A hymn tune is the melody of a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung. Musically speaking, a hymn is generally understood to have four-part harmony, a fast harmonic rhythm , and no refrain or chorus....
s are accompanied by Selena's singing of being depressed.
The song's lyrics describes a girl who lives in an apartment complex, who always get hit on by random guys she is not interested in. All of a sudden, a whistle blows from a handsome young man in the elevator and she is stuck with curiosity on who he is, which makes her heart jump. she discovers its her new neighbor from the apartment number 512. This triggers her to think about him, write him love letters and when she bumps into him in the apartment corridor she gets shy and acts like she is not interested in him. One day she gets the courage to knock on his door to confess her love for him. Her heart is broken when she knocks on the door and a blond haired woman opens the door. She wants to run away, but as she is about to, the blond girl asks her: "Were you looking for my brother?", and the song ends.
Live performances
"El chico del apartamento 512" was the fifth song sung live during the DenverDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
concert on January 10, 1994. The next day, Selena gave fans in Stockton
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
an extended version of "El chico del apartamento 512", which mainly had an extension in the ending, with Suzette Quintanilla's drum solo
Drum solo
A drum solo is an instrumental solo played on a drum kit. A drum solo may be set or improvised, and of any length, up to being the main performance....
s. In the San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
concert, fans sang periodically with Selena, since the song had just been released several weeks ago on radios. On February 26, 1995, Selena was booked to perform at the Houston Astrodome in Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. She wore a purple bodysuit, which she was buried in, she sang "El chico del apartamento 512" that night.
During the "Noche De Carnaval" concert in Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Selena wore a black see-through blouse with a bustier, black mini-skirt with black knee-high boots
Knee-high boots
Knee-high boots are boots that rise to the knee, or slightly thereunder. They are generally tighter around the leg shaft and ankle than at the top. Mostly made of a synthetic rubber , they are used by fishermen, dairy workers, stable hands, duck hunters, clammers, etc. to protect the feet from...
. During Selena's half-hour spot on the Johnny Canales Show
Johnny Canales
Johnny Canales is a former Tejano singer, and was host of the popular show titled "The Johnny Canales Show". Canales is credited with one of the first live performances of Selena by her thirteenth birthday. He took Selena y Los Dinos for their first concerts in Mexico...
in mid-1994, Selena wore one of her original deigns from Selena Etc.
Selena Etc.
Selena Etc. was a South Texas-based boutique, salon, and clothing store, which was built by Latin Superstar, Selena. Selena Etc. was built and finished on January 27, 1993 in Corpus Christi, Texas which was the headquarters building...
Similar to the "Noche De Carnaval" concert, Selena didn't sing "Ya No", while also not including "Fotos y Recuerdos" in the set list
Set list
A set list, or setlist, is a document that lists the songs that a band or musical artist intends to play, or has played, during a specific concert performance...
. Her final performance was on March 19, 1995 during her concert Calle Ocho Festival in Miami, which attracted over 100,000 fans.
Critical reception
Raúl Manuel Rodríguez of El Dictamen, believed "El chico del apartamento 512" was "... a wonderful piece from Ricky Vela, who had never let [us] down with his great works ..." and stated that "... and Selena's legacy was only growing before she was murdered by the president of her fan club. The song was released a day before she was killed. If she had lived, "El chico del apartamento 512" would have been a much better success [than what it was release] ..." Victoria Díaz of Grupo ReformaGrupo Reforma
Grupo Reforma is the largest printed media company in Mexico and Latin America. It publishes ten daily newspapers in five cities, including the leading newspapers in Mexico's three largest cities: Reforma in Mexico City, El Norte in Monterrey and Mural in Guadalajara...
, commented on Selena's loss and the song, stating that "... we [all] know if Selena had lived to further promote her fifth studio album
Amor Prohibido
Amor Prohibido is the fifth studio album by American Tejano pop singer Selena. The album was released on March 13, 1994 by EMI Latin. It was re-released on September 24, 2002, as part of the Selena: 20 Years of Music collection, and included music videos and spoken liner notes by her family,...
, that her singles "El chico del apartamento 512" and "Techno Cumbia
Techno Cumbia
"Techno Cumbia" is a song by American Tejano pop singer Selena, released as the seventh single from her album, Amor prohibido . It was written by Selena's brother and music producer, A.B. Quintanilla III, backup singer Pete Astudillo, lead keyboardist Ricky Vela, and produced by Quintanilla and...
" would have, without a doubt, appear on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Top Latin Songs at number-one ..." She also stated that "El chico del apartamento 512" has gained popularity since its release, but failed to impact any music charts unlike Selena's other number-one singles from Amor prohibido (1994).
Carlos Meléndez, of El Nuevo Día
El Nuevo Día
El Nuevo Día is a Puerto Rican newspaper based in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico and distributed daily throughout Puerto Rico and some parts of the United States.- History :...
commented on Quintanilla III's choice for selecting the song saying that "... Selena already had great songs on her Amor prohibido album, but if A.B. had picked another song similar to "Bidi bidi bom bom", the album would have been way better ..." Meléndez's comments towards the song were upsetting to some Puerto Rican fans, who wrote to the newspaper, many of them stated that Meléndez "does not know what music is". Meléndez also complained about the song, stating that "... "El chico del apartamento 512" is somewhat tiring after Selena had sung the chorus
Bridge (music)
In music, especially western popular music, a bridge is a contrasting section which also prepares for the return of the original material section...
some multiple times. I think A.B., was trying too hard to show off Selena's musical abilities when he and Vela wrote this song ..." Meléndez then stated that the song "[is] not right for Selena". Julio Ramírez of MTV Latin America
MTV Latin America
MTV Latin America is a cable television specialty service aimed at residents in Hispanic American countries. It was launched on October 1, 1993 as MTV en Español. The channel is a Hispanic American version from MTV...
praised the song, while stating that he can spot crossover-potential. On La Jornada
La Jornada
La Jornada is one of Mexico City's leading daily newspapers. It was established in 1984 by Carlos Payán Velver. The current editor is Carmen Lira Saade...
, editor Gabriela Herrera wrote that "El chico del apartamento 512" had showed off Selena's talents as a musical performer.
Track listing
U.S. Promo Single (1995)- "El chico del apartamento 512" - 3:28
U.S. Promo Single (1996)
- "Si una vez" - 2:50
- "El chico del apartamento 512" - 3:28
Mexico Promo Single (1995)
- "El chico del apartamento 512" - 3:28
Mexico Promo Single (1996)
- "El chico del apartamento 512" - 3:28
- "Fotos y recuerdos - 2:45
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from Amor prohibido liner notes.- Selena – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Joe Ojeda – keyboards
- Ricky VelaRicky VelaRicardo "Ricky" Vela is an award-winning song-writer and keyboards for the band Selena y Los Dinos. Ricky Vela joined the band as the bands keyboard player...
– keyboards - Chris PérezChris PerezChristopher Gilbert "Chris" Pérez is a American guitarist and the widower of "The Queen of Tejano music" Selena. He is currently a guitarist for A.B. Quintanilla III y Los Kumbia All Starz since he joined in 2006. Prior to that, Pérez was the lead guitarist for his wife's band Selena y Los Dinos...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Suzette Quintanilla – drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s
- Los DinosSelena y Los DinosSelena y Los Dinos was the band in which Grammy-Award-winning Tejano music singer Selena performed, until her death on March 31, 1995. Selena fronted the band since 1980, started by her father Abraham Quintanilla, Jr....
– bajo sextoBajo sextoA bajo sexto is a musical instrument with 12 strings in 6 double courses, used in Mexican music. It is used primarily in norteño music of northern Mexico and across the border in the music of south Texas known as "Tex-Mex", "conjunto, or "música mexicana-tejana".A similar instrument with five... - A.B. Quintanilla III – writerWriterA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
- Pete AstudilloPete AstudilloPedro "Pete" Astudillo is a Mexican American songwriter.-Life:Astudillo was one of the leaders of the Tejano music scene, and from an early age followed mariachi and conjunto music. He began his musical career as a backup vocalist for the queen of Tejano, Selena, as a member of Selena y Los Dinos...
– writer - Lisette Lorenzo – art direction
- A.B. Quintanilla III, Joshua Munoz, Bebu SilvettiBebu SilvettiJuan Fernando Silvetti Adorno , professionally known as Bebu Silvetti or simply Silvetti, was an Argentine pianist, composer, conductor, arranger and record producer...
, Steven Torres, James Moore - producers
Covers
| Artist | Album | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Rossi & La Orquesta Gran Caribe | Sueños Compartidos | 1998 |
| Grupo Tijuana | Canta Como: Selena | 2002 |
| Banda El Grullo | Lo Mejor De Selena Con Banda | 2005 |
| Graciela Beltrán Graciela Beltrán Graciela Beltrán in the small town of Costa Rica located in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico, is a Mexican singer and actress... |
Selena ¡VIVE! | 2005 |
| Antony Santos Antony Santos Antony Santos is a bachata musician from the Dominican Republic, renowned for his role in redefining the genre to include romantic music.Santos entered onto the scene in the early 1990s, beginning his career as the guira player for fellow bachatero Luis Vargas, only to leave the group and maintain... |
Ay! Ven | 2006 |
| Nuevas Voces | Latinas Exitos | 2008 |
| The Latin Salsa Boys | Latinos Con Sabor Vol.1 | 2011 |
| Reyes De Cancion | Remembering Selena: Un Homenaje | 2011 |