Peruvian operatic tenor Juan Diego Flórez sings three Mexican songs with guitar: Bésame Mucho, Cielito Lindo and Granada. On the occasion of the Eurovision Song Contest, a matinée was held in the Vienna State Opera on May 17, 2015: “Pop meets Opera”. On stage were opera stars such as Juan Diego Flórez, the ensemble “The Philharmonics” (musicians of the State Opera Orchestra/Vienna Philharmonic), last year’s Song Contest winner Conchita Wurst and ESC candidates from various participating countries. Barbara Rett moderated.
“Bésame Mucho” (English: Kiss me a lot) is a song written in 1940 by Mexican songwriter Consuelo Velázquez (August 21, 1916 – January 22, 2005). It is one of the most famous boleros, and was recognized in 1999 as the most sung and recorded Mexican and Latin American song in the world.
The song was inducted into the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001. According to Velázquez herself, she wrote this song even though she had never been kissed yet at the time, and kissing, as she heard, was considered a sin. She was inspired by the piano piece “Quejas, o la Maja y el Ruiseñor” from the 1911 suite Goyescas by Spanish composer Enrique Granados, which he later also included as Aria of the Nightingale in his 1916 opera of the same name.
Bésame Mucho Lyrics
Bésame Mucho
Bésame, bésame mucho
Como si fuera esta noche
La última vez
Bésame, bésame mucho
Que tengo miedo a perderte
Perderte después
Bésame, bésame mucho
Como si fuera esta noche
La última vez
Bésame, bésame mucho
Que tengo miedo a perderte
Perderte después
Quiero tenerte muy cerca
Mirarme en tus ojos
Verte junto a mi
Piensa que tal vez mañana
Yo ya estaré lejos
Muy lejos de ti
Bésame, bésame mucho
Como si fuera esta noche
La última vez
Bésame, bésame mucho
Que tengo miedo a perderte
Perderte después
Bésame, bésame mucho
Que tengo miedo a perderte
Perderte después
Que tengo miedo a perderte
Perderte después
Kiss Me A Lot
Kiss me , kiss me a lot
As if tonight it was
The last time
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
Me who fears of losing you
Losing you afterwards
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
As if tonight it was
The last time
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
Me who fears of losing you
Losing you afterwards
I wish to have you very close
Looking at myself in your eyes
To see you next to me
Think that maybe tomorrow
I will already be far away
Very far away from you
Kiss me , kiss me a lot
As if tonight it was
The last time
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
Me who fears of losing you
Losing you afterwards
Kiss me, kiss me a lot
Me who fears of losing you
Losing you afterwards
Me who fears of losing you
Losing you afterwards
“Cielito lindo” is a popular Mexican song from a Spanish copla, popularized in 1882 by Quirino Mendoza y Cortés (c. 1859-1957). It is roughly translated as “Lovely Sweet One”.
Related: Alma, Corazón, y Vida (Pachamama)
Cielito lindo lyrics
Spanish
De la Sierra Morena,
cielito lindo, vienen bajando,
Un par de ojitos negros,
cielito lindo, de contrabando.
Estribillo:
Ay, ay, ay, ay,
Canta y no llores,
Porque cantando se alegran,
cielito lindo, los corazones.
Pájaro que abandona,
cielito lindo, su primer nido,
Si lo encuentra ocupado,
cielito lindo, bien merecido.
(Estribillo)
Ese lunar que tienes,
cielito lindo, junto a la boca,
No se lo des a nadie,
cielito lindo, que a mí me toca.
(Estribillo)
Una flecha en el aire,
cielito lindo, lanzó Cupido,
si la tiró jugando,
cielito lindo, a mí me ha herido.
(Estribillo)
Literal English translation
From the Sierra Morena,
Pretty darling, they come down,
a pair of black eyes,
Pretty little heaven, which are contraband.
Refrain:
Ay, yai, yai, yai,
sing and don’t cry,
because singing gladdens,
Pretty little heaven, the hearts.
Bird that abandons,
pretty darling, his first nest,
if he finds it occupied,
Pretty little heaven, is well deserved.
(Refrain)
That mole you have
pretty darling, next to your mouth,
don’t give it to anyone,
Pretty little heaven, for it belongs to me.
(Refrain)
An arrow in the air
pretty sweetheart, Cupid launched
playing he shot it towards me,
Pretty little heaven, and I’ve been wounded.
(Refrain)
Granada is a famous Mexican song written in 1932 by Agustín Lara. The song is about the Spanish city of Granada, the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain; and has become a “standard” in music repertoire.
Related: Luis Mariano sings Mexico
Granada lyrics
Spanish
Granada tierra soñada por mí
Mi cantar se vuelve gitano
Cuando es para ti.
Mi cantar hecho de fantasía
Mi cantar flor de melancolía
Que yo te vengo a dar.
Granada tierra ensangrentada
En tardes de toros,
Mujer que conserva el embrujo
De los ojos moros.
Te sueño rebelde y gitana
Cubierta de flores
Y beso tu boca de grana
Jugosa manzana
Que me habla de amores.
Granada manola cantada
En coplas preciosas,
No tengo otra cosa que darte
Que un ramo de rosas.
De rosas de suave fragancia
Que le dieron marco a la virgen morena.
Granada tu tierra esta llena
De lindas mujeres
De sangre y de sol.
English translation
Granada, land of dreams for me
My song becomes gypsy-like
When it is for you.
My song made of fantasy
My song a melancholy flower
That I come to give to you.
Granada, blood-stained soil
In bull fight afternoons
Woman who preserves the enchantment
Of Moorish eyes.
I dream of you rebellious, a gypsy
Covered with flowers
And I kiss your scarlet mouth
Juicy apple
That speaks to me of love affairs
Granada my beautiful sung
In precious verses
I have nothing else to give you
Than a bouquet of roses
Of roses of sweet fragrance
That framed the dark virgin.
Granada your land is full
Of lovely women
Of blood and sun
Related: Juan Diego Flórez sings Granada
