"Cielito Lindo" is a Mexican folk song orcopla popularized in 1882 by Mexican authorQuirino Mendoza y Cortés (c. 1862 – 1957).[1] It is roughly translated as "Lovely Sweet One". Although the wordcielo means "sky" or "heaven", it is also a term of endearment comparable to "sweetheart" or "honey".Cielito, the diminutive, can be translated as "sweetie";lindo means "cute", "lovely" or "pretty". The song is commonly known by words from the refrain, "Canta y no llores", or simply as the "Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay song".
Commonly played bymariachi bands, it has been recorded by many artists in the original Spanish as well as in English and other languages, including byTito Guizar,Pedro Infante,Vicente Fernandez,Placido Domingo,Luciano Pavarotti,Eartha Kitt,The Wiggles,Menudo andAna Gabriel. It also featured prominently in the iconic Mexican filmLos tres Garcia. There is some debate as to whether the song's lyrics refer to theSierra Morena, a mountain range in southernSpain, or the similarly namedSierra de Morones, in the Mexican state ofZacatecas. However most Mexicans believe that this is a misrepresentation of the lyrics and is intended as "la Sierra, Morena", "Morena" is a common term of endearment, and with the comma, it now means he is directly speaking to the woman in the song instead of a specific place.[2] It has become a famous song of Mexico, especially in Mexican expatriate communities around the world or for Mexicans attending international events such as the Olympic Games or theFIFA World Cup.
The song's lyrical scheme corresponds to theCastilian classical stanza known as theseguidilla, i.e. seven lines of alternating heptasyllabic and pentasyllabic verses. Lyrics vary widely from performer to performer, and every singer is free to add and remove some verses for his or her own interpretation. Some of the most traditional lyrics are the following:
| Lyrics | Literal English translation | Idiomatic translation |
|---|---|---|
De laSierra Morena, Estribillo: Pájaro que abandona, (Estribillo) Ese lunar que tienes, (Estribillo) Una flecha en el aire, (Estribillo) | From theSierra Morena, Refrain: A bird that abandons, (Refrain) That beauty mark that you have, (Refrain) An arrow in the air (Refrain) | From theSierra Morena, Refrain: A bird that abandons, (Refrain) That beauty mark that you have (Refrain) An arrow in the air, (Refrain) |
In the article "¡Hasta que me cayó el veinte!",[3] Ortega discusses the origins of the first verse of this song. His research discovered that in the early 17th century, armedbandits would take refuge in the Sierra Morena mountains of Spain and that people feared for their lives when they had to travel through the region. The words of the first verse of "Cielito Lindo" were found in a song from that era, hinting at that fear. But with time the meaning of the verse changed 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 on the lyrics. Quirino Mendoza, the composer, adapted the verse to his own melody and gave us the song we know today.
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The song has been subject to many versions:
"Cielito Lindo" should not be confused with another popular and traditional song called "Cielito lindo huasteco" also known as "Cielito lindo" fromLa Huasteca in Mexico. This song, distinctly different from the common version above, has been played by manyconjuntos huastecos, as it is considered one of the most popularSon Huasteco orHuapango songs. While the music is quite different, the lyrics of both songs have a similar metric structure, and both use the phrasescielito lindo anday ay ay ay as fillers, though in different places within the stanza.
Some singers, for exampleJulio Iglesias, perform the song under the titleDe domingo a domingo, taken from the first words of the lyrics as sung in that version; as with the other song, the lyrics used vary widely among performers, and some borrow stanzas from the former. One frequently sung stanza has the wordsÁrbol de la esperanza, mantente firme ("Tree of hope, stay firm") which appear in an eponymous painting byFrida Kahlo.
Sometimesmariachis perform combined versions of "Cielito Lindo" and "Cielito lindo huasteco" which are completely different, thus creating some confusion about both.
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