"Perfidia" (Spanish for "perfidy", as in faithlessness, treachery or betrayal) is a song written by Alberto Domínguez (1911–1975), a Mexican composer and arranger born in the state of Chiapas, about love and betrayal. Aside from the original Spanish, other renditions exist, including English and instrumental versions. The English lyrics are by Milton Leeds. The song was published in 1939 and became a hit for Xavier Cugatin 1940. Desi Arnaz sings the Spanish version in the 1941 film, "Father takes a Wife" which starred Gloria Swanson. This version was used by director Wong Kar-wai in his films Days of Being Wild, In the Mood for Love, and 2046.
"Perfidia" has been recorded by many artists, including Julie London, The Four Aces, Charlie Parker, Laurel Aitken, Bud Roman and the Toppers, Mel Tormé, Olavi Virta, Café Tacuba, Glenn Miller, Nana Mouskouri,King Tubby, Phyllis Dillon, James Last, The Shadows, The Ventures, Trini Lopez, Linda Ronstadt (in Spanish and English), Nat King Cole, Sara Montiel, Los Tres Caballeros and Javier Solís (in Spanish), Cliff Richard,Lawrence Welk, Luis Miguel, Issac Delgado, mandolinist Dave Apollon, Olivia Molina, Perez Prado, Freddy Fender, Ibrahim Ferrer, Los Rabanes, Andrea Bocelli, Ray Conniff, Duke Pachanga, Frank Galan, John Altman and Ben E. King.
An English arrangement of "Perfidia" was also the founding song of the Princeton Nassoons, Princeton University's oldest a cappella group.
In popular culture[edit][]
- 'Perfidia' is the title to a chapter of Nora Johnson's 1986 novel Tender Offer. The song highlights the theme of the story's zenith and the actual song is described being played during a crucial scene.[1]
- Perfidia is a song in the Off-Broadway musical Forever Plaid (1990).
- The song has also been used as the opening theme to the television show George and Martha.
- Perfidia was also included on the Dexter soundtrack.
- Linda Ronstadt's version of the song in English with a Spanish introduction was used in the 1992 movie The Mambo Kings. Ronstadt also recorded the song in Spanish for her 1992 album Frenesí. At the 9th Lo Nuestro Awards, her version received a nomination for Tropical Song of the Year.[2]
- In Casablanca, Perfidia plays while the characters Rick Blaine and Ilsa Lund are ballroom dancing during the famed "flashback to Paris" sequence.