Cancion Mixteca – Learn Spanish with traditional songs
Canción Mixteca is a Mexican folk song written by composer José López Alavez. Lopez Alavez wrote the melody of the song in 1912. He later added the composed the lyrics in 1915. Lopez Alavez composed it originally about Lopez Alavez’s feelings of homesickness for his home region of Oaxaca after moving to Mexico City. In modern times, the song has become an anthem both for the region of Oaxaca and Mexican citizens living abroad who miss their homeland.
The song was used in the film Paris, Texas directed by Wim Wenders. The song was played by Ry Cooder with the lyrics being sung by Harry Dean Stanton in Spanish. Listen to Harry Dean’s amazing performance of the song. He translates it to English before delivering it in a really good Spanish.
¡Qué lejos estoy del suelo donde he nacido!
inmensa nostalgia invade mi pensamiento;
y al verme tan solo y triste cual hoja al viento,
quisiera llorar, quisiera morir de sentimiento.
¡Oh Tierra del Sol! Suspiro por verte
ahora que lejos yo vivo sin luz, sin amor;
y al verme tan solo y triste cual hoja al viento,
quisiera llorar, quisiera morir de sentimiento.
How far I am from the land where I was born!
Immense nostalgia invades my thoughts;
And seeing myself so lonely and sad like a leaf in the wind,
I want to cry, I want to die from this feeling.
Oh Land of the Sun! I yearn to see you!
Now that I’m so far from you, I live without light and love;
And seeing myself so lonely and sad like a leaf in the wind,
I want to cry, I want to die from this feeling.
SpanishNYC – Learn Spanish through culture, conversation and real life situations
