"Amor Prohibido" (English: Forbidden Love) is a song by Mexican-American Tejano pop singer Selena. Amor Prohibido was the lead single released from her album of the same name (1994). The song was written and produced by Jorge Alberto Pino, Bebu Silvetti, A.B. Quintanilla III, Jose Behar, Pete Astudillo and Abraham Quintanilla Jr, and was prepared and adapted by Joe Ojeda and Chris Pérez. It was released in the United States for the Tejano and rhythmic contemporary radios. The song describes a relationship between a man and a woman in which their love is tested by poverty, differences and parental disapproval.
Widely known as Selena's signature song, "Amor Prohibido" won both the Premio Lo Nuestro Awards for "Pop Ballad of the Year" and was awarded "Regional Mexican Song of the Year" for three consecutive years, starting in 1995. During the Tejano Music Awards, the single won all nominated awards for the album Amor Prohibido. The success of the album and the single's airplay helped Selena to be nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Mexican-American Performance" in 1995. During the 1996 Tejano Music Awards, Selena won "Single of the Year" for the song. "Amor Prohibido" also won the "Latin Pop Award" during the Broadcast Music Incorporated Awards in 1995 and won the "Billboard Latin Music Awards" in 1996.
"Amor Prohibido", one of the first songs composed for Selena's fifth studio album of the same name, became the year's most successful single in 1994 and 1995. It was written and produced by Jorge Alberto Pino, Bebu Silvetti, A.B. Quintanilla III, Jose Behar, Pete Astudillo and Abraham Quintanilla Jr. The single was prepared and adapted by Joe Ojeda, and Chris Pérez. Amor Prohibido was originally written about Selena's grandparents. It also leaked into airplay in the South Texas region a couple weeks prior to the album's official release date. Selena's brother, A.B. Quintanilla III, had written the song with some help from Selena while touring for the Selena Live! Tour in 1993. A.B finished writing the song after Selena had won her first Grammy Award for Best Mexican American Album for her fourth studio/first live album, simply called "Selena Live!. Creation and lyrics were inspired by Selena's grandparents who had dealt with the song's meanings during their time. Selena told numerous TV crews about the song and its meanings to both her and her family. Amor Prohibido then became the leading single and first single from the album "Amor Prohibido" and instantly became Selena's signature song due to its popularity.
Selena promoted the song during her Amor Prohibido Tour which officially started on January 28, 1994. Selena first gave her fans a taste of "Amor Prohibido" during her Denver, Colorado concert as her first musical number. Selena's final performance for "Amor Prohibido" in the year 1994 was on December 2 during the Tejano Music Awards in San Antonio, Texas.
"Amor Prohibido" is a Tejano Pop song mix with Latin pop. It is set in common time composed in a moderate beat tempo. Its lyrics describes a relationship between a man and a woman in which their love is tested by poverty, differences and parental disapproval.
