Bésame Mucho
"Bésame Mucho" (Kiss me generously) is a song written in 1940 by Mexican songwriter Consuelo Velázquez.
It is one of the most famous boleros, and was recognized in 1999 as the most sung and recorded Mexican song in the world.
Inspiration
According to Velázquez herself, 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.
Comments on lyrics
There are slight differences in the wording at the end of the chorus, regarding the words perderte después meaning "to lose you afterwards". Considering that Velázquez may have been fifteen years old when she wrote the song, this sentence reflects inexperience and innocence. Indeed, a video from "TV Mexicana" shows Consuelo Velázquez playing the piano while the singer sings perderte después. Many interpretations use perderte otra vez ("lose you once again") instead of the original perderte después ("lose you afterwards").
San Diego Union-Tribune
14 Feb 2025