“El Chico del Apartamento 512“ is a 1995 cumbia song by American artist Selena. Written by Ricky Vela, it tells of a woman visiting her love interest’s apartment (number 512), mistaking his sister for his girlfriend.
Blending cumbia with Colombian influences, the song showcases Selena’s vocals and catchy melody. It topped the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart, acclaimed as a “classic” and “one of Selena’s finest”.
El Chico Del Apartamento 512 Lyrics
Every day is the same down the corridor
I never reach my door without having listened to the whistling
from a guy who says he is waiting for me
what he should do is go away and take a shower
and then a bore stops me once again
and I pretend I’m interested
when all of a sudden from the lift comes out
the man of my dreams
the one I want to belong to
The guy from apartment 512
the one who makes my poor heart beat fast
to whom I write letters day and night
which I can’t deliver
The guy from apartment 512
who causes me to stutter and worse
He is the one I think and dream about all day
Him, only him
An old man tells me “come to see me”
and I say to him “I don’t like old lechers”
and I walk to my room slowly
hoping I might see him
and when he goes out for a walk
he greets me with a smile
that wins me over
But today I have finally truly decided
to confess my love to him
I knock on his door and I get goose bumps
a blonde answers the door
and my heart breaks
I truly felt my heart breaking into pieces
when suddenly she asked:
“Were you looking for my brother?”
Here are some additional details about the song:
- It was released on January 10, 1995.
- It was written by Ricky Vela.
- It is a cumbia song with influences of Colombian and South American music.
- It was a commercial success, peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart in the United States.
- It has been praised by critics, who have called it a “classic” and “one of Selena’s best songs”.
