Bésame Mucho


"Bésame mucho" is a song written in 1940 by Mexican songwriter Consuelo Velázquez. A famous 1956 version is sung by Trio Los Panchos and female vocalist Gigliola Cinquetti. An English lyric was written by Sunny Skylar.
It is one of the most famous boleros, and was recognized in 1999 as the most sung and recorded Mexican song in the world.
The song appeared in the film Follow the Boys when it was played by Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra and in Cowboy and the Senorita with vocal by Dale Evans.

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.
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.

In politics

In Brazil in 1990, an affair between the Minister of Economics Zélia Cardoso de Mello and the minister of Justice :pt:Bernardo Cabral|Bernardo Cabral was revealed when the two danced cheek to cheek to "Bésame Mucho." A few days later, the presidential band was to introduce Cardoso de Mello with a military march. Instead, the director of the band had them play "Bésame Mucho." He was placed under house arrest for 3 days for insubordination.

Notable versions