SONGS FOR CINCO DE MAYO Canciones mexicanas del libro
Y más Por Bryce Hedstrom 2021
Contenido (Son puras canciones mexicanas)
La Bamba Cielito Lindo La Cucaracha De Colores La Llorona Las Mañanitas María Isabel (Marísabel) La Rana debajo del Agua Bésame Mucho El Rancho Grande El Rey
LA BAMBA Traditional dance and song from northern Mexico
1. Para bailar la Bamba, para bailar la Bamba In order to dance the Bamba… Se necesita una poca de gracia One needs a bit of grace Una poca de gracia, y otras cositas A bit of grace, and other little things Y arriba, y arriba, y arriba, y arriba And up, and up, and up, and up Por ti seré, por ti seré, por ti seré I will be for you, I will be for you, I will be for you Yo no soy marinero. Yo no soy marinero I am not a sailor. I am not a sailor Soy capitán, soy capitán, soy capitán I’m a captain, I’m a captain, I’m a captain
Coro: Baila bamba, baila Bamba, Dance (the) Bamba, dance (the) Bamba, Baila bamba, baila Bamba Dance (the) Bamba, dance (the) Bamba,
2. Para subir al cielo In order to go up to heaven Para subir al cielo In order to go up to heaven Se necesita una escalera grande One needs a big ladder Una escalera grande y otra chiquita A big ladder and another really small one Y arriba, y arriba, y arriba, y arriba And up, and up, and up, and up Por ti seré, por ti seré, por ti seré I will be for you, I will be for you, I will be for you
3. Cada vez que te digo Each time that I tell you Cada vez que te digo Each time that I tell you Que eres hermosa, se te pone la cara That you are beautiful, it puts on you the face Se te pone la cara color de rosa It puts on you the face the color of pink Y arriba, y arriba, y arriba, y arriba And up, and up, and up, and up Por ti seré, por ti seré, por ti seré I will be for you, I will be for you, I will be for you
La Bamba is an old folk song and dance from northern Mexico. The song became popular in the U.S. after 1950’s musical pioneer Ritchie Valens adapted it to a rock-and-roll format. Valens was a Mexican-American whose given name was Ricardo Valenzuela. His version of La Bamba was the first song that was sung entirely in Spanish to reach the top of the pop musical charts in the U.S.A.
CIELITO LINDO Traditional folksong from Mexico
1. De la sierra morena, From the dark mountain range, Cielito Lindo, vienen bajando Cielito Lindo, they come descending Un par de ojitos negros, A pair of little black eyes, Cielito Lindo, de contrabando. Cielito Lindo, forbidden (eyes).
Estribillo: ¡Ay, ay, ay, ay! Ay, ay, ay, ay! Canta y no llores! Sing and don’t cry! Porque cantando se alegran, Because (by) singing they are made happy, Cielito Lindo, los corazones. Cielito Lindo, the hearts
2. Una flecha en el aire, An arrow in the air. Cielito Lindo, lanzó Cupido. Cielito Lindo, Cupid shot. Y como fue jugando, And as he went playing, Cielito Lindo, a mí me ha herido. Cielito Lindo, he has wounded me.
3. Ese lunar que tienes, That beauty mark that you have, Cielito Lindo, junto a la boca. Cielito Lindo, next to your mouth. No se lo des a nadie. Do not give it to anyone. Cielito Lindo, que a mí me toca. Cielito Lindo, because it is my turn.
4. Todas las ilusiones, All of the illusions, Cielito Lindo, que el amor fragua Cielito Lindo, that love creates. Son como las espumas, Are like the foam, Cielito Lindo, que forma en el agua. Cielito Lindo, that forms in the water.
Último estribillo: ¡Ay, ay, ay, ay! ¡Suben y crecen! Ay, ay, ay, ay! They rise up and grow! Y con el mismo viento, And with the same wind, Cielito Lindo, desaparecen Cielito Lindo, they disappear.
Cielito Lindo literally means Pretty Little Heaven, which is a poetic term of endearment like sweetheart. This is one of the best-known Mexican folksongs and has come to typify Mexican culture in the soundtracks of many Hollywood movies. There are many different versions and verses of this song, but the four here are the most popular.
LA CUCARACHA Traditional song from northern Mexico
1. Una cosa me da risa, One thing makes me laugh, Pancho Villa sin camisa. Pancho Villa without a shirt. Ya se van los Carranzistas, Now the Carranzistas are leaving Porque vienen los Villistas Because are coming the Villistas. Estribillo: La cucaracha, la cucaracha, The cockroach, the cockroach, Ya no puede caminar; X X X Cannot walk anymore; (CLAP on X’s) Porque no tiene, porque le falta, Because he doesn’t have, because he is missing, Marihuana que fumar. X X X (bis) Marijuana to smoke. (Repeat chorus)
2. Un panadero fue a misa, A baker went to mass, No encontrando que rezar, Not finding anything to pray about. Le pidió la Virgen pura He asked the pure Virgen dinero para gastar. for money to spend.
3. Mi vecina de enfrente, My neighbor across the street Se llamaba Doña Clara, Called herself Doña Clara Y si no había muerto, And if she hadn’t died, es probable se llamara. It is probable that would (still) her name.
La Cucaracha is a well-known Mexican folksong with endless verses. Some of the verses deal with war, some with love. In all versions, the firstpart of each verse is slow and serious, and the last part is faster and adds a funny twist—like the punch line of a joke. The song dates back to the time of the Mexican Revolution of 1910, when the underdogs overthrew the rich who controlled the country. The first verse above pokes fun at Pancho Villa and his troops, los Villistas, as well as those of his military rival, Venustiano Carranza, los Carranzistas, much like the American folksong “Yankee Doodle” made fun of the Revolutionary Army. The first verse has a “meet the new boss, same as the old boss” (a line from the classic rock song "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who from 1971) flavor indicating that to the common people it often matters little who is in power.
In Spanish, la cucaracha means “the cockroach”, but this was also a nickname for General Carranza, as well as the old steam engine train that Pancho Villa used to transport his troops. Legend has it that because wood and coal were so scarce, bales of marijuana were occasionally robbed from smugglers and burned to power the locomotive. The train was “smoking” marijuana, hence the last line of the chorus: marihuana que fumar—marijuana to smoke.
DE COLORES Traditional song from Mexico and the southwestern U.S.
De colores, All in colors, De colores se visten los campos en la primavera All in colors, they dress themselves the fields in the Spring De colores, All in colors, De colores, son los pajaritos que vienen de afuera. All in colors, are the little birds that come from afar De colores, All in colors, De colores, es el arco iris que vemos lucir All in colors, is the rainbow that we see shining
Estribillo: Y por eso los grandes amores And for this reason the great loves De muchos colores me gustan a mí. (bis) Of many colors are pleasing to me. (repeat)
Canta el gallo, Sings the rooster, Canta el gallo con el kiri-kiri-kiri-kiri-kiri Sings the rooster with the cock-a-doodle-doodle-doo La gallina, The hen, La gallina con el cara-cara-cara-cara-cara The hen with the cluck-cluck-cluck-cluck-cluck Los *polluelos, The chicks, Los polluelos con el pío-pío-pío-pío-pí The chicks with the peep-peep-peep-peep-peep
De Colores is a well-known folk song throughout Mexico and the Southwestern U.S. The song celebrates the many different colors of creation and is seen as a celebration of diversity. Singers can often hardly refrain from holding hands and swaying together, as is the tradition. De Colores is also the anthem of the United Farm Workers of America, the union founded by the late César Chavez, many of whose members are Spanish-speaking. There are dozens of verses to this song, many of them spiritual in nature.
LA LLORONA Traditional huapango style song from Oaxaca, México
1. Todos me dicen el negro, Llorona Everyone calls me the black one, Llorona Negro, pero cariñoso. (bis) Black, but affectionate (repeat) Yo soy como el chile verde, Llorona I am like the green chile, Llorona Picante, pero sabroso (bis) Spicy, but tasty. (repeat)
2. ¡Ay de mí! ¡Llorona, Llorona! Woe is me! Llorona, Llorona! Llorona de ayer y hoy; (bis) Llorona of yesterday and today; (repeat) Ayer maravilla fui, Llorona, Yesterday a marvel I was, Llorona, Y ahora ni la sombra soy. (bis) And now not even a shadow am I. (repeat)
3. Salías del templo un día, Llorona, You came out of the temple one day, Llorona Cuando al pasar yo te vi. (bis) When in passing by I saw you. (repeat) Hermosa huipil llevabas, Llorona A beautiful huipil you were wearing, Llorona Que la Virgen yo te creí. (bis) So that the Virgin I thought you were. (repeat)
4. Dicen que no tengo duelo, Llorona, They say that I have no pain, Llorona, Porque no me ven llorar. (bis) Because they do not see me crying. (repeat) Hay muertos que no hacen ruido, Llorona, There are dead who do not make noise, Llorona Y más grande es su penar. (bis) And greater is their suffering. (repeat)
5. La pena y la que no es pena, Llorona, Grief and that which is not grief, Llorona Todo es pena para mí; (bis) All is grief for me; (repeat) Ayer lloraba por verte, Llorona, Yesterday I cried because of seeing you, Llorona, Y hoy lloro porque te vi (bis) Today I cry because I saw you. (repeat)
6. ¡Ay de mí! ¡Llorona, Llorona! Woe is me, Llorona, Llorona, Llorona de azul celeste. (bis) Llorona of heavenly blue. (repeat) Aunque la vida me cueste, Llorona, Although (my) life it may cost me, Llorona, No dejaré de quererte. (bis) I will not stop loving you. (repeat)
This Mexican folk song may be loosely connected with the scary folktale also known as La Llorona (The Weeping Woman), which is still told in Mexico and the Southwestern U.S. It could also just be a sad song about a lost love. The haunting melody and internal clues hint that this song might have some connection with the legend (for example, the last line of the fourth verse). In the legend, the ghostly wailing of La Llorona is often heard after dark near rivers or other bodies of water. It is said that she is lamenting her lost children, which she drowned in a moment of grief and desperation. She now endlessly wanders the waterways crying and searching for them. For more on this fascinating folktale see La Leyenda de La Llorona Embedded Reading on brycehedstrom.com.
In popular folklore, La Llorona is also blamed for even more evil mischief. It is said that she often lures young men to their death by first appearing as a beautiful maiden, and later revealing herself as a horrible grimacing skeleton. Those she does not murder, she either terrifies or worse, permanently enchants them so that for the rest of their lives they will ache to see her again. Like all folksongs, this one has many different versions and can be interpreted in different ways.
LAS MAÑANITAS (Traditional song from Jalisco, México)
1. Estas son las mañanitas These are the morning songs Que cantaba el Rey David That King David used to sing A las muchachas bonitas To the pretty girls Se las cantamos así We sing them to you like this
Coro:
Despierta, mi bien, despierta Awake, my beloved, awake Mira que ya amaneció See that already it is dawn Ya los pajarillos cantan Already the little birds are singing La luna ya se metió The moon already set
2. El día en que tú naciste The day on which you were born Nacieron todas las flores Were born all of the flowers En la pila de bautismo On the baptismal font Cantaron los ruiseñores The nightingales ang
3. Si el sereno en la esquina If the night watchman on the corner Me quisiera hacer favor, Would want to do me a favor De apagar su linternita Of turning off his lantern Mientras pase mi amor. While my love passes by
Las Mañanitas is a classic Mexican folk song that is traditionally sung on a person’s birthday or Día de Santo (Saint’s day), often as a serenade outside of a window. It is also used to celebrate El Día de las Madres in México when groups of friends gather outside of their mothers’ homes to sing to them early in the morning.
MARIA ISABEL Traditional Mexican song
La playa estaba desierta The beach was deserted El sol bañaba tu piel The sun bathed your skin Cantando con mi guitarra Singing with my guitar Para ti, Marísabel* For you, María Isabel *
Coro: Coge tu sombrero y póntelo Grab your hat and put it on Vamos a la playa y calienta el sol (2 veces) Let’s go to the beach and the sun is warming ¡Chiri viri vi! ¡Poro po po! ¡Chiri viri vi! ¡Poro po po! (2 veces) (Just nonsense syllables)
La luna fue caminando The moon went walking Junto a las olas del mar Close to the waves of the sea Tenía celos de tus ojos It was jealous of your eyes Y tu forma de mirar And the way you look
En la arena escribí tu nombre In the sand I wrote your name Y luego yo lo borré And later I erased it Para que nadie pisara So that no one would walk on Tu nombre, Marísabel Your name, María Isabel
* Marísabel is short for María Isabel.
On the last line of the chorus, it is fun for the song leader to sing the nonsense syllables “¡Chiri viri vi!” and have the class answer back singing “¡Poro po po!” This can encourage timid singers to join in the singing.
LA RANA DEBAJO DEL AGUA (The Frog beneath the Water) Traditional children’s song from México
Estaba la rana cantando debajo del agua, The frog was singing under the water, Cuando la rana se puso a cantar, When the frog started to sing, Vino una mosca y la hizo callar. Along came a fly and made it be quiet.
Callaba la mosca a la rana The fly quieted the frog Que estaba cantando debajo del agua. That was singing under the water. Cuando la mosca se puso a cantar, Vino una araña y la hizo callar.
Callaba la araña a la mosca, la mosca a la rana, Que estaba cantando debajo del agua. Cuando la araña se puso a cantar, Vino un ratón y la hizo callar.
Callaba el ratón a la araña, La araña a la mosca, la mosca a la rana, Que estaba cantando debajo del agua. Cuando el ratón se puso a cantar, Vino un gato y lo hizo callar.
Callaba el gato al ratón, el ratón a la araña, La araña a la mosca, la mosca a la rana, Que estaba cantando debajo del agua. Cuando el gato se puso a cantar, Vino un perro y lo hizo callar. .
Callaba el perro al gato, el gato al ratón, El ratón a la araña, la araña a la mosca, La mosca a la rana, Que estaba cantando debajo del agua. Cuando el perro se puso a cantar, Vino un palo y lo hizo callar.
Callaba el palo al perro, el perro al gato, El gato al ratón, el ratón a la araña, La araña a la mosca, la mosca a la rana, Que estaba cantando debajo del agua. Cuando el palo se puso a cantar, Vino un fuego y lo hizo callar.
Callaba el fuego al palo, el palo al perro, El perro al gato, el gato al ratón, El ratón a la araña, la araña a la mosca, La mosca a la rana, Que estaba cantando debajo del agua. Cuando el fuego se puso a cantar, Vino el agua y lo hizo callar.
Callaba el agua al fuego, el fuego al palo, El palo al perro, el perro al gato, El gato al ratón, el ratón a la araña, La araña a la mosca, la mosca a la rana, Que estaba cantando debajo del agua. Cuando el agua se puso a cantar, Vino un toro y la hizo callar.
Callaba el toro al agua, el agua al fuego, El fuego al palo, el palo al perro, El perro al gato, el gato al ratón, El ratón a la araña, la araña a la mosca, La mosca a la rana, Que estaba cantando debajo del agua. Cuando el toro se puso a cantar, ¡Vino un cuchillo, y lo hizo callar!
4/4 Key: F (Range: C#-E) Moderately BÉSAME MUCHO Consuelo Velázquez MÉXICO
Bésame, bésame mucho Kiss me, kiss me a lot
Como si fuera ésta noche la última vez As if it were tonight the last time
Bésame, bésame mucho Kiss me, kiss me a lot
Que tengo miedo tenerte y perderte después For I am afraid of having you and (Se repite) losing you afterwards ------
Quiero tenerte muy cerca, I want to have you very close,
Mirarme en tus ojos, verte junto a mí To look at myself in your eyes, to see you next to me
Pienso que tal vez mañana I think that maybe tomorrow
Yo ya estaré lejos, muy lejos de aquí I already will be far away, very far away from here
------
Bésame, bésame mucho Kiss me, kiss me a lot
Como si fuera ésta noche la última vez As if it were tonight the last time
Bésame, bésame mucho Kiss me, kiss me a lot
Que tengo miedo tenerte y perderte después For I am afraid of having you and (se repite esta última línea) losing you afterwards
Bésame Mucho is one of the most romantic songs in the world. It was written in 1940 by the young Mexican songwriter, Consuelo Velázquez (1916-2005) in the style of a Cuban bolero. This simple and artistic request for a kiss was written when the artist was 24 years old and, as she admitted, it was before she had ever been kissed—which makes one wonder if in the second line she might have been thinking: ...como si fuera ésta noche la primera vez (...as if tonight were the first time). It may be the most recognizable Mexican love song in the world.
The song has been a world-wide hit since 1943 and has been recorded by such notable artists as Trio los Panchos, Jimmy Dorsey, Dale Evans, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Nat King Cole, Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, Luis Miguel, Linda Ronstadt, Céline Dion, The Beatles, Andrea Bocelli, Sanjaya (on American Idol) and Zoé, among others. Bésame Mucho has had such lasting appeal that the Spanish television network Univisión named it the "Song of the Century" in 1999.
EL RANCHO GRANDE Lyrics and Music by Silvano R. Ramos, 1934
Coro: Allá en el rancho grande, allá donde vivía There in the big ranch, there where I used to live Había una rancherita There was a little rancher girl Que alegre me decía, que alegre me decía… That merrily used to say to me, that merrily used to say to me, me…
1. Te voy a hacer tus calzones I’m going to make your pants Como los que usa el ranchero Like the ones the rancher wears Te los comienzo de lana I will start them with wool for you Te los acabo de cuero I will finish them with leather for you
2. Te voy a hacer tu camisa I am going to make for you your shirt Como la usa el ranchero Like the one the rancher wears Con el cuello a media espalda With the neck down the middle of the back Y las mangas hasta el suelo And the sleeves to the floor
3. Nunca te fíes de promesas Never trust in promises Ni mucho menos de amores And much less in lovers Que si te dan calabazas For if they give you pumpkins (if they jilt you) Verás lo que son ardores You will see which ones are true
4. El gusto de los rancheros The pleasure of ranchers Es tener un buen caballo Is having a good horse Y ensillarlo por la tarde And saddling it in the afternoon Y darle vuelta al potrero And riding it around the paddock/corral
El Rancho Grande was written in Mexico in the 1930’s. It soon became a favorite on Texas ranches and throughout the Southwest U.S. This is a song with all the elements for a cowboy classic: unrequited love, self-sufficiency, and the appreciation of a good horse. Above are just a few basic verses; there are many additional verses to this song.
EL REY José Alfredo Jiménez (Corrido; México)
Yo sé bien que estoy afuera I know well that I am on the outside Pero el día en que me muera But on the day that I die Sé que tendrás que llorar (llorar y llorar, llorar y llorar) I know that you will have to cry
Y sé que tú me quisiste And I know that you once loved me Pero vas a estar muy triste But you are going to be very sad Y así te vas a quedar And that is how you will stay
Estribillo: Con dinero o sin dinero With money or without money Hago siempre lo que quiero I always do what I want Y mi palabra es la ley And my word is the law
No tengo trono, ni reina I have neither throne, nor queen Ni nadie que me comprenda Nor anyone that might understand me Pero sigo siendo el rey But I keep on being the king
Una piedra en el camino A rock on the road Me enseñó que mi destino Taught me that my destiny Era rodar y rodar (rodar y rodar, rodar y rodar) Was to roll and roll
Después me dijo un arriero Later a muleteer told me Que no hay que llegar primero That you don't have to get there first Sino hay que saber llegar You just have to know how to get there
This Mexican standard epitomizes the swagger of machismo. The fierce independence and self-confidence of a “macho” like this can at once be both admirable and lamentable. The messages of an outsider who is not depressed about it, who can live with or without money, and who knows that getting there first isn’t the only game, are heartwarming.