Lesson 1: "Bésame Mucho"

1. Context Explanation

"Bésame Mucho" is a bolero song written in 1932 by Mexican songwriter Consuelo Velázquez. It is one of the most popular songs of the 20th century and one of the most important songs in the history of Latin music. It was recognized in 1999 as the most recorded and covered song in Spanish of all time. 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. It inspired the cult Indian song, Yeh Samaa Samaa Hai Pyar Ka, sung by Lata Mangeshkar in the film Jab Jab Phool Khile.

The song appeared in the film Follow the Boys (May 5, 1944) when it was played by Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra[6] and in Cowboy and the Senorita (May 13, 1944) with vocal by Dale Evans.[7] It was also sung by Chris Isaak in the 2003 movie Mona Lisa Smile.[8]

Inspiration

According to Velázquez, 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.

The song reflects deep love, longing, and fear of separation. Its romantic and poetic nature makes it ideal for learning subjunctive structures, imperative verbs, and expressions of emotion in Spanish.

2. Spanish Translation

3. Pronunciation Guide – Sing with Confidence!

"Bésame Mucho" is a romantic bolero with smooth, elongated vowels and a melodic rhythm. Singing this song is a great way to practice clear articulation, vowel elongation, and natural stress in Spanish.

Challenging Sounds & Tips:

✅ The "R" sound – Words like besar (to kiss) and perder (to lose) contain the Spanish "r". Try tapping your tongue lightly against the roof of your mouth, similar to the English "tt" in butter (American accent).

✅ The "J" sound – In jamás (never), the "j" sounds like a soft but breathy "h" (as in ham in some British accents). Exhale slightly as you say it: ha-MÁS.

✅ Vowel Elongation – Spanish vowels are pure and do not change like in English. In bésame, hold the "e" steady instead of letting it slide like in bait. Try: "BÉE-sa-me" (not "BAY-sa-me").

✅ Word stress – Pay attention to accents (tildes), as they indicate stress. In bésame, the stress falls on BÉ-sa-me, not be-SÁ-me.

Sing Like a Pro!

• Sing slowly first – Focus on pronunciation before adding melody.
  
  

• Record yourself – Listen and compare with Luis Miguel’s version.
  
  

Exaggerate vowel sounds – This will help with clarity and make your Spanish sound more natural.

4. Grammar & Vocabulary Highlights

This song is packed with essential grammar structures and high-frequency vocabulary. Let’s break it down!

Key Vocabulary:

Grammar Points:

📌 Imperatives (Commands) – Bésame

• Bésame is the imperative form of besar (to kiss). In Spanish, commands use specific conjugations:
  
  

• Tú: Besa → Besa mis labios. (Kiss my lips.)
  
  

• Usted: Bese → Bese la mano de la señora. (Kiss the lady’s hand.)
  
  

• Tú (with pronoun): Bésame → Bésame otra vez. (Kiss me again.)
  
  

📌 The Subjunctive – Como si fuera esta noche la última vez

• Fuera comes from the verb ser (to be) in the past subjunctive.
  
  

• It expresses hypothetical situations:
  
  

• Como si fuera un sueño. (As if it were a dream.)
  
  

• Te miro como si fuera la primera vez. (I look at you as if it were the first time.)
  
  

📌 Double Negation – No quiero perderte jamás

• Spanish often uses double negatives for emphasis:
  
  

• No quiero perderte jamás. (I don’t ever want to lose you.)
  
  

No tengo nada que decir. (I have nothing to say.)

5. Practice & Activities

🎤 A. Fill in the Blank – Complete the Lyrics!
Listen to the song and fill in the missing words.

Bésame, bésame _______
Como si fuera esta noche la última _________
Bésame,____________ mucho
Que tengo __________ a perderte, perderte después

🎶 B. Sing-Along Challenge!

1. Listen to the song once while reading the lyrics.
   
   

2. Sing along softly, focusing on pronunciation.
   
   

3. Try singing without looking at the lyrics!
   
   

🗣 C. Discussion Questions – Reflect & Talk!

1. What do you think the song is about?
   
   

2. How does the phrase como si fuera la última vez make you feel?
   
   

3. In what situations would you use bésame mucho in real life?
   
   

🎭 D. Act it Out – Express with Emotion!
Say these phrases with the correct emotion:

• Bésame mucho (softly, romantically)
  
  

• Tengo miedo a perderte (worried)
  
  

• No quiero perderte jamás (dramatic, desperate)
  
  

¡Con esta lección, has mejorado tu pronunciación, aprendido nueva gramática y practicado con actividades divertidas! Ahora, ¡a cantar con confianza! 🎵💃