Conception

Augusto Algueró composed the music and Antonio Guijarro [es] wrote the lyrics of "Estando contigo" for the 1961 musical film An Angel Has Arrived, to be performed by Marisol.^[1][2]

Eurovision

On 13–14 February 1961, "Estando contigo" performed by Conchita Bautista competed in the national final organized by Televisión Española (TVE) to select its first ever entrant in the Eurovision Song Contest. The song won the competition so it became the Spanish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 1961.^[3]

On 18 March 1961, the Eurovision Song Contest was held at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès of Cannes hosted by the Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française (RTF), and broadcast live throughout the continent. Conchita Bautista performed "Estando contigo" first on the night, preceding Monaco's "Allons, allons les enfants" performed by Colette Deréal. This was Spain's first appearance at the contest, and the first occasion on which a song was full performed in Spanish language.^[4][5] Rafael Ferrer conducted the event's orchestra in its performance.

At the close of voting, "Estando contigo" had received eight points, placing ninth in a field of sixteen.^[6] It was succeeded as Spanish entry at the 1962 contest by "Llámame" performed by Victor Balaguer.^[7] Conchita Bautista would return to the contest in 1965 with "Qué bueno, qué bueno".^[8]

Film

On 8 June 1961 the film An Angel Has Arrived starring Marisol premiered in Spain, in which she sings several songs composed especially for the film, including "Estando contigo".^[9]

Weekly charts

Cover versions

The song was subsequently covered many times and released by different singers:

• José Guardiola covered the song in a 1961 EP.^[17]
• Los Cinco Latinos [es] covered the song in a 1961 EP.^[18]
• La Lupe covered the song in her 1971 album La Lupe en Madrid.^[19]
• Paco Ortega e Isabel Montero [es] covered the song in a 2003 compilation album tribute to Augusto Algueró.^[20]
• Celia Flores [es] featuring Bebe covered the song in her 2016 album 20 años de Marisol a Pepa Flores.^[21]

Other performances

• Carmen Sevilla performed the song in The Ed Sullivan Show aired on CBS on 3 January 1965.^[22]
• Marta Sánchez performed the song in the show Europasión, aired on La 1 of Televisión Española on 21 May 2008 to choose by popular vote the best song that Spain has sent to Eurovision.^[23]
• In the show La mejor canción jamás cantada [es] aired on La 1 of Televisión Española to choose by popular vote the best Spanish song ever sung, Azúcar Moreno performed "Estando contigo" in the episode dedicated to the 1960s, aired on 22 February 2019.^[24]
• Celia Flores performed the song at the 34th Goya Awards ceremony held on 25 January 2020, in tribute to Marisol –her mother–, the 2020 Honorary Goya Award laureate.^[25]

Impersonations

Some performances of "Estando contigo" were recreated in different talent shows:

• In the seventh episode of the second season of Tu cara me suena aired on 12 November 2012 on Antena 3, Anna Simón impersonated Marisol singing "Estando contigo" replicating the performance she made on 19 October 1962 in VARA's Rudi Carrell Show.^[26]
• In the fifteenth episode of the sixth season of Tu cara me suena aired on 26 January 2018 on Antena 3, Lucía Jiménez impersonated Marisol singing "Estando contigo" replicating the performance she made on 12 October 1968 in TVE's Galas del sábado [es].^[27]
• In opening number of the first episode of the eleventh season of Tu cara me suena aired on 12 April 2024 on Antena 3, Merche impersonated Carmen Sevilla singing "Estando contigo" replicating part of the performance she made in The Ed Sullivan Show.^[28]