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“Cielito Lindo” is a popular traditional song of Mexico, written in 1882 by Quirino Mendoza y Cortés (c. 1859–1957). In recent decades it has come to be widely known as a theme song for Mexicans, particularly in international circumstances, like the soccer championship World Cup, where Mexican fans sang it to the Mexican national team. There have been controversies and hurt feelings when the song has been used in parodies perceived by some Mexicans as racist slurs, or by commercial advertisers such as the Frito Bandito mascot of Frito-Lays corn chips snack.
The melody was used as the basis for a popular English-language song, “You, Me, and Us,” which became a hit for Alma Cogan in the United Kingdom in 1957.
A related Son huasteco version, sometimes called “Cielito lindo” from La Huasteca in Mexico, is one of the most popular songs played by Conjunto
Pedro Infante – Cielito Lindo
Cielito Lindo – André Rieu
Mariachi Nuevo Jalisco – Cielito Lindo
Cielito Lindo Huasteca
Enrique Iglesias & Luciano Pavarotti – Cielito Lindo
Lyrics
| Spanish | literal English Translation | metaphoric English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 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)Si tu boquita morena, Fuera de azúcar, fuera de azúcar, Yo me lo pasaría, Cielito lindo, chupa que chupa. (Estribillo)De tu casa a la mía, Cielito lindo, no hay más que un paso, Antes que venga tu madre, Cielito lindo, dame un abrazo. (Estribillo)Una flecha en el aire, Cielito lindo, lanzó Cupido, y como fue jugando, Cielito lindo, yo fui el herido. (Estribillo) | From the Sierra Morena mountains, Pretty darling, they come down, a pair of black eyes, Pretty sweetheart, which are contraband.Refrain: Ay, ay, ay, ay, sing and don’t cry, because singing gladdens, pretty sweetheart, one’s heart. Bird that abandons, pretty darling, his first nest, if he finds it occupied, pretty sweetheart, is well deserved. (Refrain)That beauty mark you have pretty darling, next to your mouth, don’t give it to anyone, pretty sweetheart, for it belongs to me. (Refrain)If your little brown mouth were made of sugar, were made of sugar I would spend my time, pretty sweetheart, sucking(x2) (Refrain)From your house to mine pretty darling, there is no more than a step. Before your mother comes, pretty sweetheart, give me a hug. (Refrain)An arrow in the air pretty sweetheart, Cupid launched And since it was a game, pretty darling, I got hurt. (Refrain) | Through dark tresses, heavenly one, a pair of deep brown eyes, (that could steal a man’s heart), lower as they approach.Refrain: Ay, ay, ay, ay, sing and don’t cry, heavenly one, for singing gladdens the heart. A bird that abandons his first nest, heavenly one, then finds it occupied by another, deserves to lose it. (Refrain)That beauty mark you have next to your mouth, heavenly one, don’t share with anyone but me who appreciates it. (Refrain)If your little mouth were made of sugar, heavenly one, I would spend my time enjoying its sweetness.(Refrain)From your house to mine there is no more than a step. Before your mother comes, heavenly one, give me a hug. (Refrain)Cupid shot off an arrow, heavenly one, And though he was playing, I was wounded. (Refrain) |
External links
See also
- “México Lindo y Querido“, another traditional Mexican song
Notes
- Cielo means sky or heaven. It is also a term of endearment comparable to sweetheart. Cielito would be “sweetie”.
Lindo means beautiful. - In the article ¡Hasta que me cayó el veinte![1] Mr. Ortega discusses the origins of the first verse of the song which most students of Spanish have difficulty making logical sense of. According to his research, in the early 1600s armed bandits lived in the Sierra Morena mountains of Spain and one risked one’s life going there. The first verse of “Cielito Lindo” was written in a song from that time. But as time moved along so did the meaning of the verse as people began romanticizing it. “Your face is the Sierra Morena. Your eyes are thieves who live there.” The verse had other melodies put to it and variations of the lyrics. Mr. Quirino Mendoza, the composer of the song we know, adapted the verse to his own melody and added a refrain and more verses.
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