Bésame Mucho

"Bésame Mucho" (Spanish: [ˈbesame ˈmutʃo]; "Kiss Me A Lot") is a bolero song written in 1940 by Mexican songwriter Consuelo Velázquez.[1] It is considered one of the most popular songs of the 20th century and of all times, as well as one of the most important hymns in the history of Latin music. It was also recognized in 1999 as the most recorded and covered song in Spanish of all time.[2][3] Famous versions were sung by Trio Los Panchos and female vocalist Gigliola Cinquetti in 1968, and by Dalida in 1976. English lyrics to it were written by Sunny Skylar.

For other uses, see Bésame Mucho (disambiguation).
"Bésame mucho"
Single by Consuelo Velázquez
LanguageSpanish
Released1940
GenreBolero
Songwriter(s)Consuelo Velázquez

The song appeared in the film Follow the Boys (5 May 1944) when it was played by Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra[4] and in Cowboy and the Senorita (13 May 1944) with vocal by Dale Evans.[5]

Inspiration

According to Velázquez herself, she wrote this song even though she had never been kissed yet at the time, and kissing, as she heard, was considered a sin.[6][7]

She was inspired by the piano piece "Quejas, o la Maja y el Ruiseñor", from the 1911 suite Goyescas by Spanish composer Enrique Granados, which he later also included as "Aria of the Nightingale" in his 1916 opera of the same name.[1]

In politics

In 1990, a hitherto clandestine affair between two Brazilian government ministers, Bernardo Cabral (Minister of Justice) and Zélia Cardoso de Mello (Minister for Economy, Finance & Planning), was revealed to public knowledge as the couple danced cheek to cheek to "Bésame Mucho" during a birthday party held for Cardoso de Mello. A married father of three, Cabral was forced to resign as a result.[8]

A few days later, at a ceremony in which Cardoso de Mello was due to receive her country's Order of Military Merit, the regimental band of the presidential guard, Os Dragões da Independência, struck up "Bésame Mucho" as she was presented with her medal. Its musical director, Lt. Geraldo Mendonça da Lima, was subsequently given 3 days' detention for insubordination.[9][10]

Notable versions
Capitol Records 78rpm record label for USA release of Andy Russell's "Bésame Mucho." Original issue. 1944

References
  1. Fox, Margalit (January 30, 2005). "Consuelo Velázquez Dies; Wrote 'Bésame Mucho'". The New York Times.
  2. by SocialMusik (2019-12-05). "Bésame mucho, la canción en español más versionda - Social Musik". Socialmusik.es. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  3. "Hispanic Heritage Month: The 50 Best Latin Songs of All Time". Billboard.com. 2020-09-15. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  4. "Follow the Boys (1944)". imdb.com. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  5. "Cowboy and the Senorita (1944)". imdb.com. Retrieved May 29, 2017.
  6. "Bésame Mucho Consuelito Velazquez News Feature". YouTube. 2008-08-19. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
  7. Burton, Tony (2008-03-14). "Did You Know? Consuelo Velázquez and "Bésame mucho". : Mexico Culture & Arts". Mexconnected.com. Archived from the original on 2012-05-27. Retrieved 2011-02-14.
  8. "Headliners; Internal Affair". New York Times. New York. 21 Oct 1990. Retrieved 20 Dec 2014.
  9. "Band Hits Sour Note". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, CA. 6 Nov 1990. Retrieved 20 Dec 2014.
  10. "Army Bandleader's detention (Port.)". Google Books. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  11. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 132. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
  12. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954. Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 476. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
  13. Gilliland, John. (2020-03-23). "Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #11 - All Tracks UNT Digital Library". Digital.library.unt.edu. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  14. "A 50 años del Bésame mucho de los Beatles". BBC. July 9, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  15. "Complete List of the Nominees for 26th Annual Grammy Music Awards". Schenectady Gazette. The Daily Gazette Company. January 9, 1984. p. 49. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  16. "Latin GRAMMY Hall Of Fame". Latin Grammy Award. Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. 2001. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  17. "JUAN LUIS GUERRA LEADS LATIN GRAMMY® NOMINATIONS WITH SIX". Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. September 25, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2011.

in the film Adua e le Compagne at 21.28min in youtube version.

Performances in Spanish

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