Words and Music

Whenever I go to the Anthropology Museum or to Chapultepec Park, I check out the park fence running along the Paseo de la Reforma.  There is always a photographic exhibit on display.  Right now there is a photo tribute to famous Mexican song writers and composers.  I had never heard of most of the younger ones, but among the "old-timers", even if I didn't know the song writers by name, I recognized the songs that they wrote.  "Oh, so that's who wrote that song," I said to myself a number of times.  Back in the 1940s and 50s there were numerous Mexican songs that were adapted with English lyrics and became top hits in the U.S.

Here are a few of the songwriters who were honored in the exhibit, and in some cases I have provided a YouTube link to some of their songs.  See if you recognize the melodies.

Armando Manzanero

(1935-2020)

Manzanero was one of the most famous songwriters from the state of Yucatán.  One of his songs, Somos Novios, became a hit song in the U.S. for Perry Como under the title of "It's Impossible".

Juan Gabriel

(1950-2016)

I have to admit that I am not familiar with the songs of the flamboyant Juan Gabriel, but he was one of the most popular singer / songwriters in Mexico, if not all of Latin America.  His death a few years ago was front page news here.

Carlos Chávez

(1899-1978)

Chávez was the most important Mexican composer of classical music.

Ricardo Palmerín

(1888-1944)

Another composer from the Yucatán, Palmerín wrote the music to one of my favorite Mexican songs, La Peregrina.

Pepe Guízar

(1906-1950)

I had never heard of Guízar, but I certainly know his most famous song, Guadalajara!

Alberto Domínguez

(1911-1975)

His song Perfidia became a big hit in the U.S. in 1940.  In the movie "Casablanca", Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are shown dancing to the song in a Paris nightclub.

Quirino Mendoza

(1865-1957)

You certainly recognize his most famous song, Cielito Lindo, if only because it was plagiarized as the "Frito Bandito" song of TV commercials.

Agustin Lara

(1900-1970)

Hard to believe that this less than handsome fellow was married (for two years) to Mexico's most glamorous film star, María Félix.  His song "María Bonita" was dedicated to her, but you might recognize his song Solamente una Vez which became known in the U.S. as "You Belong to My Heart".

Juventino Rosas

(1868-1894)

In 1888 Rosas published a waltz entitled Sobre las Olas.  It became internationally famous, and you will probably recognize it.

Consuelo Velázquez

(1916-2005)

Velázquez wrote what has been called the best known and most recorded Latin song of all time... Bésame Mucho