La Paloma

LA PALOMA (English Lyrics)
Latin American Folk Song / 1864
English and Spanish Lyrics: Gifford

My dear, la paloma sings in the tree above;
He sings with his sweetheart softly their songs of love;
Canta, la paloma sing us the serenade.
Canta, en la noche sweetly your serenade.
Fiesta is here, we smile and guitars are playing;
Breezes are blowing, as we are gently swaying.

La paloma, the dove,
La paloma sings on this summer night;
He coos, oh, so gently,
He coos so gently, under the stars so bright!
(Interlude)
Fiesta is here, senoritas and hombres dancing;
Guitars softly playing, making the night entrancing;
Our hearts fill with love, we wish this could last forever;
This magical time that brings all our hearts together.
La paloma, the dove, la paloma sings in the tree above.
He sings with his sweetheart softly their songs of love.

La Paloma
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the song. For the American city, see La Paloma, Texas.

La Paloma (S.Iradier)

"La Paloma" is popular song, having been produced and reinterpreted in diverse cultures, settings, arrangements, and recordings over the last 140 years. The song was composed and written by Spanish composer Sebastián Iradier (later Yradier) after he visited Cuba in 1861. Iradier may have composed "La Paloma" around 1863, just two years before he died in Spain in obscurity, never to learn how popular his song would become.

The influence of the local Cuban habanera gives the song its characteristic and distinctive rhythm. Very quickly "La Paloma" became popular in Mexico, and soon spread around the world. In many places, including Mexico, Spain, Hawaii, Germany, Romania and Zanzibar, it gained the status of a quasi-folk song. Over the years the popularity of "La Paloma" has surged and receded periodically, but never subsided. It may be considered one of the first universal popular hits and has appealed to artists of diverse musical backgrounds.Contents [hide]
1 The motif
2 Most recordings ever?
3 Notable events
4 Famous performers
5 Movies
6 References
7 Lyrics (Public Domain)
8 Literature
9 External links


[edit]
The motif

The motif of "Valgame Dios, Gonzalo es La Paloma" (the dove) can be traced back to an episode that occurred in 492 BC preliminary to Darius' invasion of Greece, a time when the white dove had not yet been seen in Europe.[1] The Persian fleet under Mardonius was caught in a storm off the shore of Mount Athos and being wrecked when the Greeks observed white doves escaping from the sinking Persian ships. This inspired the notion that such birds bring home a final message of love from a sailor who is lost at sea. This theme that a final link of love overcomes death and separation is reflected in "La Paloma". While the lyrics may not always be true to the original, the soul of the song seems to survive all attempts to recast it in whatever new form and shape there may be and is able to express the tension between separation with loneliness, even death, and love.

[edit]
Most recordings ever?

Guinness World Records lists Yesterday by the Beatles as the most recorded song with apparently about 1,600 recordings.[2] It has been suggested that "La Paloma" has more than 2,000.[3]

[edit]
Notable events
"La Paloma" was a favorite of Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, and at the same time the Mexican revolutionaries played and popularized it well. Legend has it, popularized by the movie Juarez, that as a last wish Maximilian requested it to be played at his execution.
As a correlate - Emperor Maximilian being a Habsburg - ships of the Austrian Navy would never play the song.
First translations appeared already in 1865 in France and Germany.
One of the first recordings that were made is the playing of "La Paloma" by the French Garde Républicaine in 1899.
The introduction of the Hawaiian guitar helped spread the popularity of "La Paloma".
Diverse lyrics have been created in many languages. In English the title "No More" was made popular by Elvis Presley.
La Paloma has been interpreted by musicians of diverse backgrounds including opera, pop, jazz, rock, military bands, and folk music.
The song entered the Guinness Book of World Records being sung by the largest choir, 88,600 people, in Hamburg on May 9, 2004.[4]
It is played regularly at LA ARAUCANA restaurant in Brussels, most notably sung in the presence of her majesty Fadila Ben Meradi, first lady of Rome and Sabines champion.
A recently built cruise ship has it largest buffet called "La Paloma". The song is played constantly there. At first it sounds nice, but after a few days its true intention becomes clear: annoy so much that you leave the place as soon as possible, making space for other passengers.
Commodore George Dewey, after winning the Battle of Manila Bay, during the Spanish-American War, had his band play "La Paloma," the night after the battle. Many Filipinos had gathered on the beach to look out at the conquering American fleet. The Colonel of the Spanish artillery shot himself in the head while listening to the band that evening, being overcome with feelings of dishonor.