Perfidia

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Song written by Alberto Domínguez

title: "Perfidia" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["songs-in-spanish", "1939-songs", "pop-standards", "benny-goodman-songs", "the-four-aces-songs", "the-ventures-songs", "songs-written-by-alberto-domínguez", "trio-los-panchos-songs", "boleros", "linda-ronstadt-songs", "luis-miguel-songs"] description: "Song written by Alberto Domínguez" topic_path: "geography/spain" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfidia" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Song written by Alberto Domínguez ::

[[File:Dominguez-1941.jpg|thumb|Songwriter [[Alberto Domínguez (composer)|Alberto Domínguez]] in 1941]] "Perfidia" (Spanish for "perfidy") is a 1939 Spanish-language song written by Mexican composer and arranger Alberto Domínguez (1906–1975). The song is sung from the perspective of a man whose lover has left him. The song has also been recorded in English (with lyrics by Milton Leeds) and as an instrumental.

Recordings

The song became a hit for Xavier Cugat on the Victor label in 1940.
Los Panchos recorded Perfidia in 1947 February 17, and it became one of their most popular songs.
In late 1960, a rock instrumental version of "Perfidia" was released by the Ventures, which rose to number 15 on the Billboard chart. The record was a Top 10 hit on a number of popular US music radio stations.

Other recordings

"Perfidia" has been recorded by several artists, including:

Glenn Miller Orchestra
Juan Arvizu
Crveni Koralji
Xavier Cugat
Carlos García. A Mexican street performer who makes music by blowing on the side of an ivy leaf. Recorded on a sidewalk, and featured on a CD, Sinfonia Urbana. It was overdubbed with strings by the Kronos Quartet for their 2002 album Nuevo.
Mel Tormé on his 1959, ¡Olé Tormé!: Mel Tormé Goes South of the Border with Billy May
Nat King Cole
Phyllis Dillon on Treasure isle 1967.
Los Straitjackets on the album Play Favorites, 2004.
Argentine alternative band La Portuaria on their EP Hasta Despertar, 2002.
Argentine alternative band Juana la loca on their 1998 album Planeta (Lados B).

In popular culture

"Perfidia" is the title to a chapter of Nora Johnson's 1986 novel Tender Offer. The song highlights the theme of the story's zenith and the actual song is described being played during a crucial scene.
Perfidia is the title of a 1997 novel by Judith Rossner. The song lyrics are quoted several times in the narrative.
Linda Ronstadt's version of the song in English with a Spanish introduction was used in the 1992 film The Mambo Kings. Ronstadt also recorded the song in Spanish for her 1992 album Frenesí. At the 9th Lo Nuestro Awards, her version received a nomination for Tropical Song of the Year.
The novel Perfidia, from James Ellroy, is named after the song.
An instrumental recording by Mambo All-Stars was frequently used in the American series Dexter.
The 2025 film One Battle After Another features a character named "Perfidia Beverly Hills," likely a reference to the song. Her analogue in the novel Vineland, from which the film is loosely adapted, is named "Frenesi" after another Domínguez song of the same name.

References

Dominguez, Alberto. (1939). "Perfidia: canción". [[Peermusic.
"Search Results for 'perfidia'".
Dean, Maury. (2003). "Rock N Roll Gold Rush: A Singles Un-Cyclopedia". Algora Publishing.
Whitburn, Joel. (2013). "Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012". Record Research.
[https://archive.org/details/78_perfidia_juan-arvizu-gonzalo-curiel_gbia0036033/02+-+Perfidia+-+Juan+Arvizu+-+Alberto+Dominguez.flac ''Perfidia'' interpreted by Juan Arvizu and the Lorenzo Barcelata Orchestra on archive.org]
Janjatović, Petar. (2007). "EX YU ROCK enciklopedija 1960–2006". self-released.
(1972). "Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #5".
"Leaf Player". [[NPR]].
"www.allmusic.com".
https://www.allmusic.com/song/perfidia-mt0053547106 ''www.allmusic.com/song/perfidia-mt0053547106'' Retrieved June 14, 2025
[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/espectaculos/6-11053-2002-10-05.html]
[https://www.letras.com/juana-la-loca/407737/]
Johnson, Nora. (1985). "Tender Offer". Simon & Schuster.
"Time Bomb".
Lannert, John. (March 30, 1993). "Secada Lead Latin Noms Following Grammy Win". Nielsen Business Media, Inc..

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