Do you know Cucurrucucu Paloma?

I recall the first time I heard this song in Spanish Director Pedro Almodovar‘s lyrically beautiful film “Hable Con Ella”, Talk to Her.

Early fans of  Pedro Almodovar‘s work, may recall this scene.  The viewer is led into this open air concert like moth to a candle flame. A summer night at a private estate; a poignant song sung by a master-Caetano Veloso

Caetano Veloso Cucurrucucu Paloma (Pedro Almodovar Hable Con Ella)

Here is the history of this song, culled from Wikipedia.

Cucurrucucu Paloma” (Spanish for Coo-coo dove) is a Mexican huapango-style song written by Tomás Méndez in 1954. The title is an onomatopeic reference to the characteristic call of the mourning dove, which is evoked in the refrain. The lyrics allude to lovesickness.

Over the years the song has been used in the soundtrack of several films and has gained international popularity. It initially appeared in the classic Mexican comedy Escuela de vagabundos[1] screened in 1955, where it was sung by the star of the film, Pedro Infante. The song also gave its name to the 1965 Mexican film Cucurrucucú Paloma, directed by Miguel Delgado, in which it was performed by Lola Beltrán, who starred as “Paloma Méndez”. In Pedro Almodovar’s film Talk to Her (2002) the piece is rendered by the Brazilian singer Caetano Veloso in an art-song style quite different from the mariachi folk-kitsch of its original cinema presentation. Other films in which the song appears include Le Magnifique, The Last Sunset, Happy Together, My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done, and The Five-Year Engagement.

Since its first release on record in 1956 in a version sung by Harry Belafonte, the song has been recorded by various other popular singers, including Luis Miguel, Rocío Dúrcal, Perry Como, Miguel Aceves Mejía, Hibari Misora, Nana Mouskouri, Julio Iglesias, Shirley Kwan, Lila Downs, Joan Baez (on her album Gracias a la Vida), Rosemary Clooney, and The Del Rubio Triplets; the refrain was also taken up by Franco Battiato in his own song “Cuccurucucù” (on La voce del padrone).

They say that at night
Dicen que por las noches

He was just going to cry
Nomás se le iba en puro llorar

They say I didn’t sleep
Dicen que no dormía

He was just going to drink
Nomás se le iba en puro tomar
They swear that the same sky
Juran que el mismo cielo

He shuddered when he heard her cry
Se estremecía al oír su llanto

How I suffered for her
Cómo sufría por ella

That even in his death he was calling her
Que hasta en su muerte la fue llamando
Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay he sang
Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay cantaba

Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay he was moaning
Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay gemía

Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay he sang
Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay cantaba

Of mortal passion he died
De pasión mortal moría
Then a sad dove
Que una paloma triste

Very early in the morning, he will sing
Muy de mañana le va a cantar

To the little house alone
A la casita sola

With its little doors wide open
Con sus puertitas de par en par
They swear that dove
Juran que esa paloma

It is nothing but your soul
No es otra cosa más que su alma

That still awaits her
Que todavía la espera

For the unfortunate to return
A que regrese la desdichada
Cucurrucucu dove
Cucurrucucú, Paloma

Cucurrucucú, don’t cry
Cucurrucucú, no llores

The stones never, dove
Las piedras jamás, paloma

What are they going to know about love affairs?
¿Qué van a saber de amores?

Uh
Uh
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Tomas Mendez Sosa
Cucurrucucú Paloma lyrics © Editorial Mexicana De Musica Int. S.a. (emmi)

Cucurrucucú Paloma | Sílvia Pérez Cruz i Raül Fernández

The Empty Boat – Caetano Veloso