The lyrics are infinitely imaginative. Okay they're in Spanish, but they handsomely reward a little dictionary work and they're a great way to learn the language. The catchy Bilirrubina hilariously hijacks a bunch of medical terminology to describe feverish feelings of unrequited love, while Burbujas de Amor (Bubbles of Love) sketches some outrageous but touching imagery - "I wish I were a fish . so I could blow bubbles of love wherever you want."

The tunes on Bachata Rosa are all excellent, from a variety of upbeat danceables to some sweet, poetic ballads. The arrangements are no less inventive than the lyrics - all that study certainly paid off.

If you like contemporary Latin music, then you're virtually guaranteed to like this one. Highly recommended.

7 of 7 found the following review helpful:


Superb  Nov 28, 2001 By Jose R. Perez "Jose"
Like another glowing album of Guerra's - "Arieto" - "Batacha Rosa" is a slice of pure genius from the Dominican Republic's Simon-Garfunkle-Lennon-McCartney singer-songwriter extraordinaire. A brilliant stylist, composer and vocalist, Guerra delivers some of his most passionate tracks and warmest moments on record, including the incandescent "Burbujas De Amor" - a story about fish in love that transcends its humor to become a soaring love song, and "Como Abeja Al Panal" - a song about unrequited passions with an unforgettable hook. At once thought-provoking and melodious, "Batacha Rosa" is yet another chapter in this brilliant stylists' repertoire, and perhaps overall, his very best album. As with other Guerra 440 albums, this is a must have collection of songs that will touch your heart, warm your soul, and deliver countless pleasures.

9 of 10 found the following review helpful:


Genius work of music: dance, sing and fall in love to it  May 30, 2004 By Manny Hernandez "@askmanny"
It is not easy for an album to garner so many awards and recognition, but Juan Luis Guerra's 'Bachata Rosa' changed Latin music so much that it deserves every single one of them.

If you only considered that the album is 100% danceable with its catchy tunes ("Rosalia," "Carta De Amor," "A Pedir Su Mano," "La Bilirrubina"), its clever lyrics that still make songs easy to sing along and be merry or fall in love to (such as the case with "Como Abeja Al Panal", "Estrelliatas Y Duendes", "Burbujas De Amor" and the title track), you could say that the album is brilliant already.

But if you go beyond that, and realize that the album brought about a transformation to Merengue and Latin music at large, by bringing Bachata (a sort of tropical ballad) to the forefront of collective awareness, you start to realize that the giant from Dominican Republic (Juan Luis Guerra, in case you're wondering) is no average musician, but close to a musical genius. 'Bachata Rosa' stops being your album of typical Merengue music, and takes on a level of brilliance that is not common.

Do yourself a favor, and begin your Juan Luis Guerra collection here.

3 of 3 found the following review helpful:


I can't hear it enough  Aug 25, 1999
I love this CD. It's all great dance music. Good lyrics & fun music

2 of 2 found the following review helpful:


Great for people new to salsa/Latin music  Mar 24, 2006 By C. Manahan "New Salsera"
I have just started to learn to dance salsa and other Latin dances. To improve, it is important to learn about the various types of music and the timing when learning new dances. I have asked many people what groups and CDs I should purchase to expand my knowledge of Latin dance music. Invariably, they recommend Juan Luis Guerra and specifically, Bachata Rosa. This CD is accessible to people who are new to Latin music. In addition, there are various tempos and styles of music on this CD, from salsa to bachata. I highly recommend this CD to novice and experienced Salseros, and anyone who is interested in experiencing Latin music.

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