Great Mexican Songs to Know

Have you just returned from an awesome trip to Mexico? Or maybe you are planning one in the future. Regardless, if you are intrigued about the music produced in my country, I offer a few timeless songs to consider. Some of these may already be in your musical vocabulary, while others may be new to you. And if you are not familiar with them, don’t worry! There will be a Spotify playlist for you at the end!

“Guadalajara”

This iconic love letter to the capital city of the state of Jalisco—where mariachi originated—is a must on this list. It was composed by Pepe Guízar in the 1930s and is a standard in the mariachi repertoire. That said, it has transcended our borders with performances from the likes of Elvis Presley, Nat King Cole, and Eartha Kitt.

“El Son de la Negra”

This mariachi song is instrumental, and research indicates that it was composed during Mexico’s Independence. However, it was popularized in the 1940s when Mexican classical composer Blas Galindo included its melody in his composition, “Sones de Mariachi.” Some theories claim that the song is dedicated to a dark-skinned lady (hence the title, Negra), and if that is the case, this shouldn’t ruffle your feathers as the ‘N’ word doesn’t have those connotations in Mexico. Other theories point to a black locomotive. Regardless, it’s a very traditional and very Mexican song.

“Un Mundo Raro”

The title of this beautiful love song composed by José Alfredo Jiménez translates to “a weird world” and describes experiencing such a desolate loss of love that the only way to cope is to deny the relationship altogether, claiming that the character of the song comes from “a weird world” where love doesn’t even exist. Chabela Vargas, who had an affair with Frida Kahlo and was close friends with the composer, does the definitive version of the song.

“Esta Tarde Vi Llover”

This beautiful pop ballad was composed by the Grammy Award-winning, prolific late composer and singer Armando Manzanero in the 60s and has become quite popular in English as “Yesterday I Heard the Rain.” Its premise is basically: I saw it rain and you came to mind. I don’t care if you like me, love me, or miss me. Just know that I saw it rain and I thought about you. There is a sweet bilingual version out there performed by Tony Bennett and Alejandro Sanz. Do you remember Shirley Bassey singing “It’s Impossible”? That’s a Manzanero song too.

“Rata de Dos Patas”

Ah, this is a classic from the “men are scum” repertoire. This satirical song translates to “two-legged rat” and is performed by the iconic Paquita la del Barrio. There are tons of bitter love songs by men blaming women and women blaming men out there, but this is a classic due to its utterly unapologetic lyrics. There is a YouTube video out there with the English translation for the lyrics. It’s hysterical!

“El Pastor”

If you want to find out if your neighborhood’s Mexican ranchero singer is any good, just ask him to perform “El Pastor,” or “The Shepherd.” It has some of the most challenging falsetto jumps in any Mexican song. It was composed by the late Miguel Aceves Mejía, a composer and singer who happened to have an extraordinary falsetto voice.

“Alma Mía”

“Alma Mía,” or “Soul of Mine,” was composed by Maria Grever, who was born in 1885. Grever

was a woman, a composer of concert music, film music, and over 800 popular songs, many of which have transcended our border with performances by Caruso, Dinah Washington, Aretha Franklin, and Amy Winehouse. Do you know “What A Difference A Day Makes”? That’s hers. “Alma Mía” is one of the most beautiful love songs of Mexico’s traditional repertoire, and its universality makes it timeless. The recommended version is by 38-year-old Mexican singer Natalia Lafourcade, who has made it her mission to rescue traditional songs from the early 20th century and give them a beauty makeover.

And speaking of recommended versions, please feel free to head over to www.bit.ly/mexicansongs where I’ve included versions of these songs and more awesome music from Mexico for you to enjoy.

Catch up with Paco Ojeda live Monday – Saturday at 10:30 am local time on his talk show, “Coffee & Headlines,” where he shares headlines and stories for Puerto Vallarta’s local English-speaking community. facebook.com/pacoojedalive