Nilo Menéndez

Nilo Menéndez Barnet (Matanzas, 26 September 1902 - Burbank, California, 15 September 1987) was a Cuban-born naturalized American songwriter. Menéndez came to the United States in 1924 when he was 22. He wrote his best known song "Aquellos Ojos Verdes" in 1929 and was recorded several times by Latin artists and translated into English in 1931. The song became a major hit when Jimmy Dorsey recorded it as "Green Eyes" around 1941.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 26th, 1902 (Matanzas), Died September 15th, 1987 (Burbank)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1926 - 1941

Roles Represented in DAHR: leader, piano, composer, vocalist, arranger, songwriter, lyricist

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 92 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BAVE-60931 10-in. Aug.-Sept. 1931 Aquellos ojos verdes Orquesta Adolfo Carabelli Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BAVE-60961 10-in. 9/16/1931 Aquellos ojos verdes Isabel Marengo Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-62737 10-in. 6/19/1930 Otro amor por quien llorar Juan Arvizu Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars composer  
Victor BVE-62738 10-in. 6/19/1930 Aquellos ojos verdes Juan Arvizu Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars composer  
Victor XVE-67159 10-in. 2/19/1931 Aquellos ojos verdes Antonio Machín ; Orquesta Antonio M. Romeu ; Daniel Sánchez Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal duet composer  
Victor BRC-69688 10-in. 6/4/1931 Green eyes Don Azpiazu ; Chick Bullock ; Havana Casino Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BRC-71267 10-in. 1/21/1932 Green eyes Georges Metaxa Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor BSHQ-73062 10-in. 7/5/1932 Besa Juan Arvizu Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars (takes 1 and 2); with violin, cello, and piano (takes 3 and 4) instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BSHQ-73063 10-in. 7/5/1932 Falsa Juan Arvizu Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars (takes 1 and 2); with violin, cello, and piano (takes 3 and 4) instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BSHQ-73097 10-in. 7/11/1932 Amor de ciego Juan Arvizu Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BSHQ-73098 10-in. 7/11/1932 Quién Juan Arvizu Male vocal solo, with instrumental trio instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BSHQ-73102 10-in. 7/12/1932 ¿Porque me dejaste, amor? Juan Arvizu Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble songwriter  
Victor BAVE-74235 10-in. July 1933 Aquellos ojos verdes Don Dean ; Estudiantes de Hollywood Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BS-82503 10-in. 5/9/1934 Canción de cuna Hebe Marin Female vocal solo, with orchestra leader  
Victor BS-82504 10-in. 5/9/1934 Alma de bohemio Hebe Marin Female vocal solo, with orchestra leader  
Victor BS-82505 10-in. 5/9/1934 Princesa Orquesta Nilo Menéndez Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo leader, songwriter, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-82506 10-in. 5/9/1934 Con picante y sin picante Orquesta Nilo Menéndez Instrumental ensemble instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor BS-82507 10-in. 5/9/1934 El chicharronero Orquesta Nilo Menéndez ; Nano Rodrigo Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo composer, instrumentalist, piano, leader  
Victor BS-82508 10-in. 5/9/1934 Patica y Mondonguito Orquesta Nilo Menéndez Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo and vocal chorus leader, vocalist  
Victor BS-82542 10-in. 5/22/1934 Masabí Orquesta Nilo Menéndez Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal ensemble leader, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-82543 10-in. 5/22/1934 Negra soy Orquesta Nilo Menéndez Instrumental ensemble, with male vocal solo (take 2) vocalist, leader, composer, instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-83295 10-in. 6/19/1934 Don't say good-night Juan Arvizu Jazz/dance band (re-recording), with male vocal solo and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-83296 10-in. 6/19/1934 Orchids in the moonlight Juan Arvizu Jazz/dance band (re-recording), with male vocal solo and piano instrumentalist, piano  
Victor BS-83383 10-in. 7/17/1934 No fueron tus ojos Nano Rodrigo Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars and tiple lyricist, composer  
Victor BS-83385 10-in. 7/17/1934 Mujeres argentina Nano Rodrigo Male vocal solo, with 2 guitars and tiple songwriter  
(Results 1-25 of 92 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Menéndez, Nilo," accessed April 19, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109918.

Menéndez, Nilo. (2021). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 19, 2021, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109918.

"Menéndez, Nilo." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2021. Web. 19 April 2021.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/109918

External Sources

Wikipedia: Nilo Menéndez

Discogs: Menéndez, Nilo

Allmusic: Menéndez, Nilo

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Menéndez, Nilo, 1902-1987 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no94002173

Wikidata: Nilo Menéndez - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q16011934

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/10031748/

MusicBrainz: Menéndez, Nilo, 1902-1987 - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/f31a197d-07cb-4936-b08d-16e8f34291b8

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