Plenitud translates to "fullness" or "completeness." It's a beautiful and profound word that goes beyond everyday vocabulary, suggesting a state of absolute fulfillment.
In "El Amar Y El Querer," José José uses plenitud to describe the essence of true love, singing "El amar es total plenitud" (To love is total completeness). This highlights love as an all-encompassing and deeply satisfying experience, making it a powerful and enticing word for learners.
The whole song is an argument about two Spanish verbs that English flattens into one. Querer and amar both arrive in English as "love", and José José spends three minutes insisting they are opposites: "Amar es sufrir, querer es gozar" (To love is to suffer, to want is to enjoy). Loving, in his account, hands itself over — "El que ama su vida la da" (The one that loves gives their life) — while wanting keeps itself safe, aiming "nunca llorar" (never to cry).
He separates them with images rather than with argument. Love gets open space: "El amar es el cielo y la luz" (Loving is the sky and the light), "Es el mar que no tiene final" (It's the sea that has no end). Wanting gets a body in a small room: "Es buscar el obscuro rincón" (It's seeking the dark corner), "Es morder, arañar y besar" (It's biting, scratching and kissing). The verdict he keeps returning to is the couplet the song opens on and ends on — "Casi todos sabemos querer / Pero pocos sabemos amar" (Almost everybody knows how to want / But few know how to love).
José José, born José Rómulo Sosa Ortiz in Mexico City in 1948, was a legendary Mexican singer renowned as "El Príncipe de la Canción" (The Prince of Song). With a career spanning over four decades, he captivated Latin audiences with his powerful tenor voice and emotive performances, earning him a lasting legacy in Latin pop, bolero, bossa nova, and jazz.
Rising to fame with his stunning 1970 performance of "El Triste," José José achieved international success through hit albums like Secretos and iconic songs such as "Lo Dudo" and "El Amor Acaba." He sold millions of albums worldwide, received multiple Grammy nominations, and was even courted by Frank Sinatra, solidifying his place as one of the most emblematic Latin singers of his time. José José's music continues to inspire new generations of Latin artists and music lovers around the world.