The songs that all Mexicans magically know

I’ve been living in Mexico for a very long time. When I first came I was barely an adult, and I’ve “grown up” here in the sense that I grew into an adult here. In lots of ways, I feel like Mexico has raised me from the age of 21 on, which I think most of us can agree is the age of just a baby.

I also love karaoke. A lot. I have a pretty average voice but can mostly hit the notes, and that’s enough for me! Really, there are few things more fun than pretending to be a rockstar, and Mexico is where I first honed my rockstar-pretending skills.

It’s at these parties, though, that I remember: actually, I’m not Mexican.

What makes this obvious? Song choices, mostly. And also this sad fact: everyone seems to know every single word to lots of songs I’ve never heard in my life. They belt them out with the passion and pain of recently jilted lovers while I stand awkwardly by.

How and when did they learn them? Is there a secret Mexican kids club where they learn all the mariachi classics in elementary school?

Basically, the answer is yes, there is. Really though, it’s mostly just from them listening to the music their parents listened to growing up. Remember too, that children are included at parties here just as much as adults. They might be running around and playing, but Juan Gabriel’s music is subliminally making its way to their memory centers while they do.

I did not grow up with Mexican parents, so I’m still playing catch-up. It’s hard not to feel second-rate at these moments. I mean, what are the songs that Americans universally know? “She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain”? Give me a break.

I know plenty of songs in Spanish, but I really just want to sing “I Want to Break Free” and other favorites at karaoke that fall within my limited voice range. If only I could comfortably hit Shakira’s high notes!

At least I can do fellow Tejana Selena’s Como la Flor, right? Alas, I am still far behind. Luckily, I am surrounded by Mexicans who can help me learn them, or at least what they are in the first place.

Some are ballads, and some are pop hits. But they all seem to have a magical effect on all Mexicans art party time. They’re keys that unlock something inside of them that makes them close their eyes, tilt their heads back, and position their hands in a way that can only be described as a gesture of anguish born from a deep well of heartbreak and passion.

So I have gone on a deep well expedition for you all, my friends, and have returned! Here are some of the songs that Mexicans know — completely, by heart — and love.

“El Rey,” Vicente Fernández” 

You might actually recognize this song, or at least some parts.
“Con dinero y sin dinero, hago siempre lo que quiero…” and “Llorar, y llorar…” are two of its most recognizable lines.

Vicente Fernández, like many of the great Mexican acts of the 20th century, had a real rags to riches story. Born in Jalisco, he spent his teenage years doing odd jobs, including working as a cashier at an uncle’s restaurant. Eventually, he started singing at restaurants and weddings, and the rest is history.

“Rata de Dos Patas,” Paquita la del Barrio

“Two-legged rat / I’m talking to you / Because a creeping bug / Even the worst kind, Compared to you / Is nothing.” As you might guess, Paquita is known for her fearless teasing of, and anger at, Mexican misogyny. “¿Me estás oyendo, inútil?” — “Do you hear me, you good-for-nothing? — often makes its way into her live performances, and honestly, who can get enough of it? Someone’s got to stand up to all those cheating machistas!

“Bésame Mucho,” Consuelo Velázquez: 

You’ve probably heard this song before — it seems every artist has a version of it! This is a recording of the original composer, who, if Wikipedia is to be believed, had not ever kissed anyone when she wrote this song at the age of 16. Check out this video to see her chops on the piano. Wow!

“Amor Eterno,” Juan Gabriel

Juan Gabriel, like many of the artists mentioned, is a Mexican institution. He even made an appearance in one of our meme collections! He sang passionately and often, accompanied by a full orchestra and mariachi singers. I’m almost certain that most Mexicans know every single word to every one of his songs, but have not proved this scientifically.

“El Triste,” José José 

This is another one of those singers whose every song has essentially been memorized by a sizable portion of the population. Rumor has it that his singing voice completely left him after years of drinking. Thankfully, he recorded quite a bit before that point.

“Mis Ojos Lloran por Ti,” Big Boy 

This is a more contemporary song than the ones above, and it is a fun one! Whoever can sing this one at karaoke, in fact, pretty much wins the night. Why? There’s a lot of really fast rapping woven throughout the song, and it is a Major Challenge.

“Que Bello,” Sonora Dinamita 

This song cracks me up, and it’s one that I actually know! Sometimes I try to sing it at karaoke, but usually start laughing when I hear a line like “Pero me arrepiento, en el piso o donde sea y tómame”: “But I change my mind, on the floor or wherever, take me.” Um, I’m sorry, a cold, hard floor? When there’s a nice, comfy bed available? Who are these people? In any case, it’s a fun little cumbia and a major classic.

“Si No Te Hubieras Ido,” Marco Antonio Solís 

This is the newest song on the list, having come out in 1999, the year I graduated high school. It’s a beautiful and heartbreaking ballad, with one of my favorite lines of any song: “El frío de mi cuerpo pregunta por ti.” “The cold of my body asks for you.” See? Super romantic.

Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website.