If you googled anything yesterday, you may have noticed the colored drawing of a Mexican woman above the words google, honoring composer Maria Grever, the first female Mexican composer to achieve international acclaim.
Although she wrote over 1,000 songs, she is best known for “Cuando Vuelva a tu Lado.” Which she wrote in the 1930’s. Edie Gormet recorded the song in Spanish.
“Cuando Vuelva a tu Lado” translates to, “When I Return to Your Side”, but Dina Washington recorded the song as, “What a Difference a Day Made” in the 50’s”
Washington won a grammy for the song in 1959. Eight years after Maria Grever died in New York City.
Maria Grever was born Maria Joaquina de la Portilla Torres in Mexico in 1885. Her father was Spanish. Her mother Mexican. At the age of six, she moved to Spain and studied music in France with Claude Debussy. She returned to Mexico at the age of 15. A song she wrote when she was 18 sold three million copies. Her songs were recorded by the Andrews Sisters, the Dorsey Brothers, Elvis Presley and many others. She died in 1951 at the age of 66, but at her request, her remains were transported back to Mexico City for burial. Maria’s picture was on the google search site yesterday.
