“Cielito lindo” is a Mexican folk song very often played by mariachi bands, written in 1882 by the composer Quirino Mendoza y Cortés. It is possible, however, that the song was inspired by very old traditional Spanish songs.
Cielito lindo meaning
In literary translation “Celito Lindo” means “beautiful little sky” or “beautiful little heaven”, but cielito is also used as an appellation for sweetie or darling, that’s why the common translation for the song is “Lovely Sweet One” or “Pretty Little Darling”
“Cielito lindo” Lyrics
“Cielito lindo” Spanish Lyrics
De la Sierra Morena,
Cielito lindo, vienen bajando,
Un par de ojitos negros,
Cielito lindo, de contrabando.
Estribillo:
Ay, ay, ay, ay,
Canta y no llores,
Porque cantando se alegran,
Cielito lindo, los corazones.
Ese lunar que tienes,
Cielito lindo, junto a la boca,
No se lo des a nadie,
Cielito lindo, que a mí me toca.
(Estribillo)
Pájaro que abandona,
Cielito lindo, su primer nido,
Vuelve y lo halla ocupado
Cielito lindo, bien merecido.
(Estribillo)
Una flecha en el aire,
Cielito lindo, lanzó Cupido,
y como fue jugando,
Cielito lindo, yo fui el herido.
(Estribillo)
De tu casa a la mía,
Cielito lindo, no hay más que un paso,
Antes que venga tu madre,
Cielito lindo, dame un abrazo.
(Estribillo)
Pretty Little Darling
English Transaltion
Down from the Sierra Morena mountains,
Pretty little darling, they come,
A pair of black eyes,
Pretty little darling, they’re contraband!
(Chorus)
Oh, oh, oh, oh,
Sing and do not cry
Because singing cheers up,
Pretty little darling, our hearts.
That mole that you have,
Pretty little darling, near the mouth,
Don’t give it to anyone,
Pretty little darling, it’s for me to play with.
(Chorus)
The bird that leaves,
Pretty little darling, its first nest,
Comes back and finds it occupied
Pretty little darling, that’s what it deserves.
(Chorus)
An arrow in the air,
Pretty little darling, launched by Cupid
As he was playing,
Pretty little darling, I was the wounded one.
(Chorus)
From your house to mine,
Pretty little darling, there is no more than one step,
Before your mother comes,
Pretty little darling, give me a hug.
(Chorus)