La Malagueña
Song by Elpidio Ramírez and Pedro Galindo
Ramirez and Galindo are the credited writers of this song, but it is known to have existed in traditional form earlier. It has been recorded well over 200 times. “Malagueña” refers to a woman from Málaga, in southern Spain.
Qué bonitos ojos tienes
Debajo de esas dos cejas
Debajo de esas dos cejas
Qué bonitos ojos tienes
Ellos me quieren mirar
Pero si tú no los dejas
Pero si tú no los dejas,
Ni siquiera parpadear
Malagueña salerosa
Besar tus labios quisiera
Besar tus labios quisiera
Malagueña salerosa
Y decirte niña hermosa
Eres linda y hechicera
Eres linda y hechicera
Como el candor de una rosa
Si por pobre me desprecias
Yo te concedo razón
Yo te concedo razón
Si por pobre me desprecias
Yo no te ofrezco riquezas
Te ofrezco mi corazon
Te ofrezco mi corazon
A cambio de mi pobreza
What pretty eyes you have,
beneath those two eyebrows,
beneath those two eyebrows,
what pretty eyes you have
They want to look at me,
but you don’t let them,
but you don’t let them,
you don't even blink
Charming Malagueña,
I yearn to kiss your lips,
I yearn to kiss your lips,
charming Malagueña
And to tell you, beautiful girl
that you’re beautiful and captivating,
that you’re beautiful and captivating,
like the innocence of a rose
If you look down on me for being poor,
I agree you are right,
I agree you are right,
if you look down on me for being poor
I don’t offer you riches.
I offer you my heart,
I offer you my heart,
in exchange for what I lack
Serenata huasteca
Song by José Alfredo Jiménez
One of Mexico’s greatest songwriters, José Alfredo Jiménez (1926-1973) was the first prolific singer-songwriter of Ranchera music, writing more than 1,000 songs. Many of them are now considered standards, including “Serenata huasteca,” one of his earliest songs.
Canto al pie de tu ventana
Pa’ que sepas que te quiero
Tu a mi no me quieres nada
Pero yo por ti me muero
Dicen que ando muy errado
Que despierte de mis sueños
Pero se han equivocado
Porque yo he de ser tu dueño
Que voy a hacer
Si de veras te quiero
Ya te adore
Y olvidarte no puedo
Dicen que pa’ conseguirte
Necesito una fortuna
Que debo del cielo
Las estrellas y la luna
Yo no bajare la luna
Ni las estrellas tampoco
Y aunque no tengo fortuna
Me querrás poquito a poco
Que voy a hacer
Si de veras te quiero
Ya te adore
Y olvidarte no puedo
Yo se que hay muchas mujeres
Y que sobra quien me quiera
Pero ninguna me importa
Solo pienso en ti morena
Mi corazón te ha escogido
Y llorar no quiero verlo
El pobre mucho ha sufrido
Ahora tienes que quererlo
Que voy a hacer
Si de veras te quiero
Ya te adore
Y olvidarte no puedo
I sing below your window
to let you know that I love you
You don’t love me at all
They say I’m very misguided
that I should wake up from my dream
but they’re wrong
because I have to make you mine.
What will I do
if I truly love you?
I’ve already fallen for you
and I cannot forget you.
They say, in order to get you,
that I need a fortune
that I have must bring down
the stars and the moon from the sky.
I won’t bring down the moon
or the stars either.
And even if I don’t have a fortune,
you will love me little by little.
What will I do
if I truly love you?
I’ve already fallen for you
and I cannot forget you.
I know there are many women
and plenty to love me
but none of them matter
I only think about you, dark beauty
My heart has chosen you
And I don’t wish to see him cry
The poor guy has suffered a lot
Now you have to love him
What will I do
if I truly love you?
I’ve already fallen for you
and I cannot forget you.
