"Cielito Lindo" is a traditional Mexican song, composed in 1882 by Quirino Mendoza y Cortés , who was inspired by a beautiful birthmark on the face of his wife, whom he had met in the mountains.
It is roughly translated as "Lovely Sweet One". Although the word "Cielo" means "sky" or "heaven", it is also a term of endearment comparable to "sweetheart" or "honey". "Cielito", the diminutive, can be translated as "sweetie"; "lindo" means "cute", "lovely" or "pretty". Sometimes the song is known by words from the refrain, "Canta y no llores" (Sing and don't cry) or simply the "Ay, Ay, Ay, Ay" song.
In 1927 the song was also contained in Carl Sandburg's "American Songbag".
The first recording of the song was probably made by Trio González for Victor Records in 1919
(c) Trío González (1919) (as "Cielito Lindo")
Guillermo González (instrumentalist : guitar)
Francisco Aguirre del Pino (vocalist : baritone vocal)
Alcides Briceño (vocalist : tenor vocal)
Recorded December 15, 1919 in New York
Released on Victor 72563
Victor matrix B-22920. Cielito lindo / Trío González - Discography of American Historical Recordings
Listen here
(c) Pilar Arcos (1920) (as "Cielito Lindo")
Recorded January 1920 in New York
Released on Columbia C3824
Listen here:
(c) Max Dolin Orchestra (1922) (as "Cielito Lindo (Beautiful Heaven)")
Recorded December 22, 1921 in New York
Released on Victor 19329
Also released on Victor 73193 (as by Orquesta Max Dolin)
Listen here:
In 1921 Osvaldo Fresedo and his brother Emilio adapt "Cielito Lindo" to the tango entitled "Cielito Mio". This version was recorded by Carlos Gardel.
(c) Carlos Gardel (1921) (as "Cielito Mio")
with Jose Ricardo on guitar
Recorded on July 30, 1921 in Buenos Aires
Matrix: 449
Released on Disco Nacional (ODEON) 18034
SEE Carlos Gardel discography: EL CANTOR.xls
Listen here
(c) Diana de la Fuente (1921) (as "Cielito Lindo")
Recorded July 1921 in New York
Released on Okeh 16002
(c) The Castillians (=Louis Katzman) (as "Cielito Lindo (Beautiful Heaven)")
Recorded October 12, 1923 in New York
Released on Vocalion 14693
Listen here:
(c) Emil Coleman and his Orchestra (1923) (as "Cielito Mio (My Little Heaven)")
Recorded November 1923 in New York
Released on Vocalion 14706
Emil Coleman & His Club Trocadero Orchestra* - Capricho / Cielito Mio (1924, Red, Shellac) | Discogs
(c) Vincent Lopez and his Orchestra (1923) (as "Cielito Lindo")
Recorded October 30, 1923 in New York
Released on Okeh 4988
Also released on Odeon 4988
Listen here:
(c) Imperial Dance Orchestra (1923) (as "Cielito Lindo")
Recorded November 29, 1923
Released on Oriole 268 and Banner 1298
(c) Bob Haring and his Orchestra (1924) (as "Cielito Lindo (Beautiful Heaven)")
Recorded February 22, 1924 in New York
Released on Cameo 503
(c) Paul Specht and his Hotel Alamac Orchestra (1924) (as "My Beautiful Mexican Rose")
English words by Paul
Ash, Max Dolin and Irving Mills
Recorded January 29, 1924 in New York
Released on Columbia 83-D
(c) The Top Notchers (1924) (as "My Beautiful Mexican Rose")
Recorded April 24, 1924 in New York
Released on Edison 51342
Listen here: cusb_ed_51342_01_9480_0c.wav
Or here:
(c) Paul Ash and his Granada Orchestra (1924) (as "My Beautiful Mexican Rose")
Recorded May 6, 1924 in Los Angeles
Released on Brunswick 2628
Listen here (at 3 minutes and 2 seconds in the next YT)
(c) Frank Ferera and John Paaluhi (1925) (as "Cielito Lindo")
Recorded June 9, 1925
Released on Banner 1579 and 2120 and Domino 0146 and Regal 9880
In 1927 Ferera and Paaluhi re-recorded "Cielito Lindo" in an adaptation by Manuel Ponce
(c) Ferera and Paaluhi (19270
Recorded June 21, 1927 in New York
Released on Okeh 40845
Listen here:
(c) Dusolina Giannini (1926) (as "Cielito Lindo (Beautiful Sky)")
Recorded June 17, 1926 in Camden, New Jersey in a Church Building
Released on Victor 1195
Or here:
(c) Orquesta Típica Mexicana (1926) (as "Cielito Lindo (Beautiful Heaven)")
Recorded November 26, 1926 in New York
Released on Victor 20384 (Listed as Mexican Tipica Orchestra)
Listen here:
An also released on Victor 79062 (Listed as Orquesta Tipica Mexicana)
American adaptations (1935) credit Jerry Castillo and Carlo Fernandez.
Fernandez was probably a pseudonym for Quirino Mendoza y Cortes.
(c) Al Jolson (1935) (as "Cielito Lindo")
He sang it in the movie: "Go Into Your Dance"
Watch it here:
(c) Milton Brown and his Brownies (1936) (as "Cielito Lindo (Beautiful Heaven)")
Recorded March 3, 1936
Released on Decca 5303
Listen here:
(c) Ted Fio Rito (1937) (as "Cielito Lindo")
Recorded November 15, 1937 in Los Angeles
Released on Decca 1614
Listen here:
(c) Xavier Cugat and his waldorf-Astoria Orchestra 1938 (as "Cielito Lindo (Beautiful Sky)")
Recorded April 8, 1938 in New York
Released on Victor 25826 and Victor 27482
Listen here;
(c) Ella Logan (1938 (as "Cielito Lindo (Beautiful Heaven)")
Recorded September 13, 1938 in Los Angeles
Released on Brunswick 8300
Listen here:
(c) Willy Derby 1939 (as "Aubade Voor Nina")
Dutch lyrics: Herre de Vos
Recorded 1939 in Berlin
Matrix 8315 2 GR 9
Released on Polydor 2935
Listen here:
(c) Albert de Booy (1939) (as "Aubade Voor Nina")
Dutch lyrics: Herre de Vos
Recorded April 4, 1939
Released on Decca FB 41016
Listen here:
(c) Larry Clinton's Bluebird Orchestra (1940) (as "Cielito Lindo")
Recorded December 12, 1940 in New York
Released on Bluebird 10999
(c) Sons Of The Pioneers (1941) (as "Cielito Lindo")
Recorded March 27, 1941 in Chicago
Released on Decca 6003
Listen here:
(c) Mills Brothers (1941) (as "I Yi Yi Yi Amigo")
(adapted by John Redmond and James Cavanaugh)
Recorded April 10, 1941 in New york.
Released on Decca 3789
This Mills Brothers take was later released with a custom title: "Cielito Lindo (I Yi Yi Yi Amigo")
on Decca 25046B
Listen here:
(c) Deanna Durbin (1941) (as "Cielito Lindo (Beautiful Heaven)")
with Victor Young and his Orchestra
Recorded October 9, 1941
Released on Decca 18216
Or here:
(c) Four King Sisters and the Alvino Rey Orchestra (1941) (as "Cielito Lindo)
Listen here:
(c) Pedro Infante (1947) (as "Cielito Lindo)
From the movie: "Los Tres Garcias"
Watch it here:
(c) Irma Vila (1949) (as "Cielito Lindo)
From the movie: "Canto No Llores"
Watch it here:
(c) Pete Seeger (1957) (as "Cielito Lindo")
Listen here:
(c) Alma Cogan (1957) (as "You, Me and Us")
English lyrics by John Jerome
Listen here:
(c) Bing Crosby (1961) (as "Heavenly Night (Cielito Lindo)")
English lyrics by Neil Wilson
Recorded June 23, 1960 in Los Angeles.
Listen here:
(c) Gerd Böttcher (1961) (as "Ay - Ay - Ay - Ay, Oh, Signorina")
German lyrics Curt Blecher
Listen here:
(c) Jerry Williams and the Violents (1962) (as "Twistin' Patricia (Hello Goodbye")
(adapted by Ray Maxwell)
Listen here:
(c) The Cliffters (1962) (as "Twistin' Patricia")
(adapted by Ray Maxwell)
Released on Philips 355266 PF
Listen here:
(c) Trini Lopez (1963) (as "Cielito Lindo")
Listen here:
(c) Ella Fitzgerald (1971) (in "Bossa Scene medley")
Recorded live on July 21, 1971 in Nice (France).
Listen here at 20 min and 46 sec in the next YT:
(c) Jack De Nijs (1972) (as "Ay, Ay, waar blijft Maria")
Dutch lyrics Henk Taal / Jack De Nijs
Released on Imperial 2444
Listen here:
(c) Brave Combo (1992) (as "Cielito Lindo")
Released in 1992 on the P-Vine label and in 1993 on the Rounder-label
Listen here:
(c) De Vrijbuiters (1992) (as "Ay, Ay, Ay, waar blijft Maria")
Listen here:
Or to a sample on the next link
(c) Los Lobos with Lalo Guerrero (1995) (as "Cielito Lindo")
Listen here:
(c) Highway (1995) (as "Ay, Ay, waar blijft Maria")
Listen to a sample on the next link:
(c) Quarteto Patria & Manu Dibango (1998) (as "Cielito Lindo")
Listen here:
(c) Santana and special guests (2014) (as "Cielito Lindo")
Recorded live in 2013 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Listen here:
