The 12 Most Famous Mariachi Songs

Besides its gastronomy and unbelievable historical heritage, Mexico is also known for its mariachi songs. Through string instruments (especially guitars, violins, and guitarrones for the lower notes) and wind instruments (like trumpets and clarinets in more modern versions), these songs have been exported to the rest of the globe and represent one of the best signs of the country's identity.

The 12 most famous mariachi songs

We review some of the most beautiful and well-known rancheras that have made Mexican culture everlasting.

12. Malagueña salerosa (Pedro Galindo Galarza and Elpidio Ramírez)

Malagueña salerosa is the story of unrequited love, a typical theme in the genre, dedicated to a woman from Málaga (Spain), whose beautiful features the lover describes and tells us how the lady's impassiveness is slowly killing him.

Originally composed by Pedro Galindo and Elpidio Ramírez in 1947, Malagueña salerosa is one of the most frequently covered mariachi songs, as internationally renowned artists (Los Panchos, Joselito, Luis Miguel, or Plácido Domingo, among others) have performed it at some point in their concerts and compilation albums. Even the heavy-metal band Avenged Sevenfold dared to give their personal touch to this ballad, which is also part of the Kill Bill: Volume 2 soundtrack.

11. La Adelita (Pepe Aguilar)

This acclaimed song is about a female guerrilla fighter who is part of an armed group of the Revolution. This woman is so well-known for her bravery among her fellow companions that even those of higher rank would be willing to leave everything to follow her wherever she goes.

La Adelita is an ode dedicated to those women without military training who joined the militia ranks during the early 20th-century Revolution. We are left with the powerful voice of Pepe Aguilar covering this anthem with a designation of origin.

10. El Rey (José Alfredo Jiménez)

"I have no throne or queen, nor anyone who understands me, but I am still the king," does it sound familiar? Probably yes, as it is the verse of one of the most emblematic songs in all of Mexico.

This tune was written and sung by José Alfredo Jiménez (1926-1973) as a dedication to another great singer, Alicia Juárez (1949-2017); and it alludes to the experiences of a man throughout his life, someone who has acted at will and answers to no one because he has spent much of his time in solitude.

9. México lindo y querido (Jorge Negrete)

Popularized by the singer-songwriter turned actor Jorge Negrete (1911-1953), México lindo y querido is part of the mariachi song repertoire that best exalts pride and patriotic sentiment; a song that professes devotion to the land, a place where the singer asks to be buried when he dies.

8. Volver, volver (Vicente Fernández)

Erroneously attributed to Vicente Fernández, the truth is that the composition of this beautiful piece was the work of another distinguished ranchera singer: Fernando Z. Maldonado (1917-1996).

Like many others in the genre, Volver, volver is a lament sung with the heart to regain the lost love of a lady, to whose arms the unfortunate one longs precisely for what the title says: "to return."

7. Guadalajara (Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán)

Different generations that have been part of this group of musicians have been playing since its formation (in the late 19th century) some of the most famous Mexican songs of the Mexican tradition. Among the most common is Guadalajara, a tribute to the capital city of the state of Jalisco, a true symbol of national identity.

6. Que te vaya bonito (Chavela Vargas)

Going against the grain, as was her style, the indomitable Chavela Vargas took a guitar and her hoarse voice to fill one of the most memorable rancheras with melancholy.

With the feeling she always put into her tunes, almost as if she were in inconsolable tears, Chavela wishes luck to that loved one who has left; but she does so with a broken heart from the loss, as she says goodbye knowing that her love still endures and that there are still things she would like to do.

5. Bésame mucho (Consuelito Vázquez)

Consuelo Vázquez wrote and sang the timeless Bésame mucho, surely her most well-known work, in which she asks her lover to kiss her endlessly, as she doesn't know how long they will be able to continue doing so if one day they part.

This tune quickly became known throughout the last century, both inside and outside the territory, especially as it was covered by internationally renowned artists like the Beatles; and no one can resist paying tribute to one of the great voices of Mexican song, no matter how much time has passed since her death.

4. Las mañanitas (Pedro Infante)

Whether at weddings, baptisms, communions, birthdays, or even saint's days, the often-heard Las mañanitas can't be missed. This piece, written in 1914 by Manuel M. Ponce, has integrated like few others into the DNA of Hispanic American popular culture and has crossed Mexico's borders, so it's not uncommon to hear it in other neighboring countries.

3. La Bamba (Anonymous)

They said that "to dance La Bamba you need a little grace," although not all of us are clear on how to do that. This cheerful rhythm song with a catchy chorus is about a captain's love for his beloved, who promises that for her he will do whatever it takes if that way he conquers her heart.

2. La cucaracha (Anonymous)

Much has been speculated about who is behind La cucaracha, but it is believed to date back to the time of the conflict of the capture of Granada (late 15th century) and is a reference to the expulsion of the Moors from the Alhambra. However, it seems that this triumphant song gained special prestige among Pancho Villa's ranks during the years of the Revolution when soldiers modified some of the verses to have a mocking tone toward the enemy, Victoriano Huerta.

Thanks to its chorus, La cucaracha is one of the songs that plays anywhere in the world and makes everyone sing it in unison.

1. Cielito lindo (various artists)

This beautiful song, which has been performed by many of the great voices of Mexican music, talks about a beautiful lady with large brown eyes, walking down from the mountain. The lyrics continue, telling us that even if the young woman's love is unrequited, there will always be something to cheer the most downhearted hearts: singing.

Although not officially, Cielito lindo is, of all the songs in Mexican culture, the one most identified with the country. That "ay, ay ay, ay, sing and don't cry" can be heard during the World Cups or the Olympics, sung by Mexicans in honor of their land and even by anyone from outside, as we are probably facing the most well-known Spanish song until the arrival of Despacito.