
This melancholy folk song has become an anthem for expats.

Ry Cooder – “Canción Mixteca”


“Canción Mixteca” (1912 ~ 1984)
Written over a century ago, this melancholy folk song expresses the homesickness of a migrant, and his longing for his home region. It was written by an Oaxacan composer who had moved to Mexico City.
Expat Anthem
Over the years, “Canción Mixteca” became an anthem of sorts for Mexican expats. Since 1984, it has received even wider exposure from its use in the soundtrack to the film “Paris, Texas”
(which is the version at the above link, with the lyrics sung by the actor Harry Dean Stanton).

Ry Cooder

His resume is very long, and very, very impressive. (Image source)
¡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.
(English translation of lyrics)

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 of sorrow.
Oh Land of 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 of sorrow. (Image source)
Lyrics by José López Alavez, courtesy of – Wikipedia
Reference – Wikipedia
Reference – Wikipedia
Into your ears … through 5 channels
The various posts are categorized into 5 channels (Right-Click to see details)
1 – “Music to Your Ears” (MTYE)
2 – “Cover Versions”
3 – “Honor Roll”
4 – “Documentaries”
5 – “Mock’n’Roll”



Links to my other series ...

Lou Reed – "Anthology of Memorable Lyrics, Part 1"
Lou Reed – "Anthology of Memorable Lyrics, Part 2"
Great Lyrics, a compilation – “Part One – My Lyrics Posts 3~30”
Great Lyrics, a compilation – “Part Two – My Lyrics Posts 31~60”
Vocab-Ability – "Introduction to Vocab-Ability"
Vocab-Ability – "Index" to all Chapters and Sections
Notes from Under the Tatami Mats – "Part One – Notes 1~50"
Notes from Under the Tatami Mats – "Part Two – Notes 51~87"