No me ames

"No Me Ames" (English: "Don't Love Me") is the second single from Jennifer Lopez's debut album, On the 6 (1999). Due to its limited release though, many view "Waiting for Tonight" as the album's second single. Released in 1999, the single (which is a duet with Marc Anthony, and also appears on his 1999 greatest hits album Desde Un Principio: From the Beginning) was only released for airplay and promo only to Latin American markets, successfully topping the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart for seven non-consecutive weeks.

Song information

The song is in fact a cover of a 1992 Italian ballad called "Non Amarmi" written by Giancarlo Bigazzi, Marco Falagiani, and Aleandro Baldi. It became very popular in Italy despite the lack of notoriety of the two Italian performers—Aleandro Baldi and Francesca Alotta. "Non Amarmi" won the newcomers' section of the Sanremo Music Festival in 1992. The original song talks about a blind man (as in fact was the performer, Aleandro Baldi) who fears to be loved only for compassion. In the Spanish version the referrals to the blindness are absent, nevertheless the song talks about some kind of incapabilities.
Ignacio Ballesteros wrote the Spanish lyrics. Although Lopez and Anthony are now a married couple, they were only friends and did not have romantic intentions in each other when the song was recorded. Instead the pair had met while Lopez was recording On the 6 in a studio, and Anthony had been next door. Anthony came over while Lopez was recording and asked her to be in his music video for "No Me Conoces". As she was not an established artist at the time and she needed credibility in the Latin market, Lopez's street smarts kicked in, and she agreed to only if Anthony would sing a song with her. Anthony thought about it and agreed.
The song was later covered by Brazilian pop trio KLB under the title "Não Me Ames" for their 2002 self-titled album KLB and Yuri feat. Rodrigo on 1998 under title "Hoy que estamos juntos".
Tokyo Disneyland's Latin-themed stage show Minnie Oh! Minnie features this song in one of its numbers.

Music video

The music video for the single was taped in 1998. Its opening scene shows Lopez walking up to an old house, then going in and searching for Anthony, whom she finds sitting on the bed; he looks uneasy. Apparently Anthony has an illness of some kind. Then we see them holding hands near the window. Then they're both seen sitting on the bed. Lopez gets up. Anthony tries to get up, but as he is getting up he feels pain and falls back on the bed. She offers him help, but he refuses. She feels she can't see him like this, and really wants to help. Then we see them both in the bathroom, and Lopez fixing his shirt for him. Then Anthony is seen dizzy and in severe pain as he leans against the wall. Then he is seen lying on a chair, with Lopez by his side, taking care of him. Then Lopez is seen sitting by the window, while Anthony is sleeping. Then Lopez is seen remembering the happier times with Anthony, we see in a form of a flashback. In the flashback we see Lopez getting the nachos. Then we see her sitting on Anthony's lap and serving him one. Then they're seen dancing, looking very happy, and with no troubles and problems to haunt them and make their life hard. Then they're seen near the window cuddling. As Lopez remembers all this, she longs for things to go back to the way they once were, and live happily with Anthony. As the video progresses, Lopez and Anthony are seen outdoors walking. She holds his hand and is comforting him, but he refuses and walks away from her, but Lopez is determined to stay by his side no matter what, and do all she can till the end, then they reunite and hug each other, looking very scared and just want to get through this rough time of their life, they are also seen sitting near a tree. Then they're seen in bed together, as Anthony reaches her and kisses her, as a thank-you for standing by him. At the very end, Anthony dies, and we see Lopez leaving flowers on Anthony's tomb and mourning; as she's walking away, Anthony's spirit follows Lopez and watches over her.

Track listings and formats

U.S. and Mexican promo CD single
"No Me Ames" (with Marc Anthony) – 4:38
"No Me Ames" (Tropical Remix) (with Marc Anthony) – 5:03
Argentine promo CD single
"No Me Ames" (with Marc Anthony) – 4:38
"If You Had My Love" – 4:25

Remixes

"No Me Ames" (Pablo Flores Club Mix) (duet with Marc Anthony)
"No Me Ames" (Pablo Flores Radio Edit) (duet with Marc Anthony)
"No Me Ames" (Salsa Version) (duet with Marc Anthony)

Awards

2000 Billboard Latin Music Awards: Tropical/Salsa Track of the Year, Hot Latin Track of the Year, and Hot Latin Track of the Year by a Vocal Duo

Nominations

2000 Latin Grammy Awards: Best Pop Duo or Group with Vocal Performance and Best Short Form Music Video

Chart (1999)[1] Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot Latin Tracks 1
U.S. Billboard Latin Pop Airplay 2
U.S. Billboard Latin Tropical/Salsa Airplay 1

Preceded by
"Livin' la Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin U.S. Billboard Hot Latin Tracks number-one single
(first run)
June 26, 1999 – July 3, 1999 Succeeded by
"Bailamos" by Enrique Iglesias
Preceded by
"Bailamos" by Enrique Iglesias U.S. Billboard Hot Latin Tracks number-one single (second run)
July 17, 1999 – August 14, 1999 Succeeded by
"Loco" by Alejandro Fernández
Preceded by
"Pintame" by Elvis Crespo U.S. Billboard Latin Tropical Airplay number-one single
July 3, 1999 – August 7, 1999 Succeeded by
"Dejate Querer" by Gilberto Santa Rosa