Carlos Vives is celebrating la historia…

The 61-year-old Colombian singer/songwriter has released the new track “La Historia,” the first single from his upcoming album Escalona: nunca se había grabado así.

The new album is a celebration of his 30 years in music and a tribute to maestro Rafael Escalona who helped lay the groundwork for his artistic career.

Vives manages to honor the legacy of the famous composer, with a modern pop version of this melancholic vallenato that immediately transports you to the warm Colombian Caribbean coast — while he sings to that unrequited love that he cannot forget, accompanied by a sentimental wail from the accordion.

“All my heart I gave it to her, and she was pleased to treat it badly / I can never forget that love that left my heart bleeding.”

For those who listen to the song for the first time and those who recognize the classic, popularized by Vives in the Escalona series in the 90s, this version will surely become a fan favorite.