This was Gloria Estefan’s first #1 hit in the U.S.  Estefan recorded three versions of this song: all English, all Spanish and ‘Spanglish’, a mix of the two.

By 1988 when this song was released, Estefan had been married to Miami Sound Machine founder Emilio Estefan Jr., who started the band under the moniker Miami Latin Boys, for 10 years. Fans wondered how the supposedly happily married singer could write such a heart-rending ballad about love gone wrong.  She explains …

“I think that’s where the artist uses his creative license. I might have experienced these feelings awhile back or maybe vicariously through somebody else, maybe friends of mine who have gone through a similar thing. I think the artist always writes from within, from the soul, and even if you didn’t experience it yourself, you have to feel how would people in this situation feel, and how would they say it. I always try to write very conversationally, and think how would someone want to say it to someone else and then I try to make it more musical.”

The song was originally cut with just vocals and piano, but at the last minute the Estefans decided to change things up. With a four-day deadline, Miami Sound Machine’s Jorge Casas (bassist) and Clay Ostwald (keyboardist) reworked the track and added guitar, bass, percussion, and horns to the mix.

The song was also a breakthrough hit in the UK, reaching #10 on the charts.

Anything for You
Gloria Estefan, Miami Sound Machine

Anything for you
Though you’re not here
Since you said we’re through
It seems like years
Time keeps draggin’ on and on
And forever’s been and gone
Still I can’t figure what went wrong

I’d still do anything for you
I’ll play your game
You hurt me through and through
But you can have your way

I can pretend each time I see you
That I don’t care and I don’t need you
And though you’ll never see me cryin’
You know inside I feel like dying

And I’d do anything for you
In spite of it all
I’ve learned so much from you
You made me strong

But don’t even think that I don’t love you
That for one minute I forgot you
But sometimes things don’t work out right
And you just have to say goodbye

I hope you find someone to please you
Someone who’ll care and never leave you
But if that someone ever hurts you
You just might need a friend to turn to

And I’d do anything for you
I’ll give you up
If that’s what I should do
To make you happy

I can pretend each time I see you
That I don’t care and I don’t need you
And though inside I feel like dying
You know you’ll never see me cryin’

But don’t even think that I don’t love you
That for one minute I forgot you
But sometimes things don’t work out right
And you just have to say goodbye

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Gloria Estefan
Anything for You lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Foreign Imported Productions & Publishing