El Cantante cover art

  Studio Album · No. 10

El Cantante Songwriting Credits by Marc Anthony

2007 Sony BMG Norte 10 tracks 47 min

Produced by Sergio George, Marc Anthony, Bigram Zayas, Julio Reyes Copello  ·  Engineered by Héctor Ivan Rosa, Jim Caruana, Peter Wade Keusch

Sony BMG Norte SalsaTropical
0%
Authorship
Singer / Performer

Holds writing credit on 0 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 0 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Marc Anthony carries a lyricist or composer credit.

0%
0 trackswritten by Marc Anthony 10 tracksoutside writers
Marc Anthony's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist0%
Composer0%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
10
Lyricists
3
Producers
2007
Released
Data Insight

El Cantante is a pure interpreter's album with no Marc Anthony writing credits anywhere. Every song is a cover of the Héctor Lavoe and Willie Colón salsa canon, so the writer column belongs to the original composers, not to Anthony. The signature title track 'El Cantante' was written by Rubén Blades, and Willie Colón, often with Lavoe, wrote the bulk of the rest, including 'Aguanilé,' 'Che Che Colé,' 'El Día de Mi Suerte,' and 'Todo Tiene Su Final.' Johnny Pacheco supplied 'Mi Gente' and co-wrote 'Quítate Tú.' The only new composition is the closing ballad 'Toma de Mí,' written by Nelly Furtado and producer Julio Reyes Copello, making the album a straight tribute to Lavoe rather than an authored work.

El Cantante is the soundtrack and studio album released by Marc Anthony in July 2007 to accompany the biographical film of the same name, in which Anthony played the salsa singer Héctor Lavoe opposite Jennifer Lopez. It is an all-covers record: Anthony sings the classic Lavoe and Willie Colón repertoire that defined 1970s New York salsa, from 'Mi Gente' and 'Aguanilé' to 'El Día de Mi Suerte' and 'Todo Tiene Su Final.' The title track, 'El Cantante,' is the Rubén Blades composition that became Lavoe's signature song. Sergio George handled the salsa arrangements and production, with Anthony co-producing and his musical director Bigram Zayas involved, while Julio Reyes Copello produced the lone new song, the ballad 'Toma de Mí.' Released on Sony BMG Norte, the album topped the Billboard Top Latin Albums and Tropical Albums charts and won the 2008 Latin Grammy for Best Salsa Album, standing as a tribute record rather than a set of Anthony originals.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
El Cantante
Rubén Blades Rubén Blades Sergio GeorgeMarc Anthony Marc Anthony (Lead Vocals)
2
Mi Gente
Johnny Pacheco Johnny Pacheco Sergio GeorgeMarc Anthony Marc Anthony (Lead Vocals)
3
Escándalo
Rafael Cárdenas CrespoRubén Fuentes Rafael Cárdenas CrespoRubén Fuentes Sergio GeorgeMarc Anthony Marc Anthony (Lead Vocals)
4
Aguanilé #2
Willie ColónHéctor Lavoe Willie ColónHéctor Lavoe Sergio GeorgeMarc Anthony Marc Anthony (Lead Vocals)
5
Che Che Colé
Willie Colón Willie Colón Sergio GeorgeMarc Anthony Marc Anthony (Lead Vocals)
6
El Día de Mi Suerte
Willie ColónHéctor Lavoe Willie ColónHéctor Lavoe Sergio GeorgeMarc Anthony Marc Anthony (Lead Vocals)
7
Qué Lío
Willie ColónJoe CubaHéctor Lavoe Willie ColónJoe CubaHéctor Lavoe Sergio GeorgeMarc Anthony Marc Anthony (Lead Vocals)
8
Quítate Tú
Johnny PachecoBobby Valentín Johnny PachecoBobby Valentín Sergio GeorgeMarc Anthony Marc Anthony (Lead Vocals)
9
Todo Tiene Su Final
Willie Colón Willie Colón Sergio GeorgeMarc Anthony Marc Anthony (Lead Vocals)
10
Toma de Mí
Nelly FurtadoJulio Reyes Copello Nelly FurtadoJulio Reyes Copello Julio Reyes CopelloMarc Anthony Marc Anthony (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 12 contributors

More from Marc Anthony

Frequently Asked Questions El Cantante

Did Marc Anthony write the songs on El Cantante?
No. El Cantante is an all-covers album. Marc Anthony sings the Héctor Lavoe and Willie Colón salsa repertoire, and the writing credits belong to the original composers, not to Anthony.
Who wrote the song 'El Cantante'?
'El Cantante' was written by Rubén Blades. It became Héctor Lavoe's signature song, and Marc Anthony's version anchors this soundtrack.
What is El Cantante connected to?
It is the soundtrack and studio album for the 2007 biographical film El Cantante, in which Marc Anthony portrayed the salsa singer Héctor Lavoe.
Who wrote most of the album's songs?
Willie Colón, frequently with Héctor Lavoe, wrote most of the salsa tracks, including 'Aguanilé,' 'Che Che Colé,' 'El Día de Mi Suerte,' and 'Todo Tiene Su Final.' Johnny Pacheco wrote 'Mi Gente' and co-wrote 'Quítate Tú.'
Is there any original song on the album?
Yes, one. The closing ballad 'Toma de Mí' was written by Nelly Furtado and Julio Reyes Copello and is the only non-cover on the record.
Who produced El Cantante?
Sergio George produced and arranged the salsa material with Marc Anthony co-producing and Bigram Zayas involved, while Julio Reyes Copello produced 'Toma de Mí.'
How did the album perform?
It reached number one on the Billboard Top Latin Albums and Tropical Albums charts and won the 2008 Latin Grammy Award for Best Salsa Album.

Sources