Mexican song and English translation: Cucurrucucú, paloma


  1. Cucurrucucú, paloma (Coo-coo, dove) is a famous Mexican folk song written by composer Tomás Mendez in 1954. The styles of the song are huapango and mariachi. The lyrics tell a story about lovesickness beyond death and the title is an onomatopoeia of the call of a mourning dove, which is evoked in the refrain.


The song has gained international popularity by its use in many films and notable performers include Mexican singers Lola Beltrán, Luis Miguel and Pedro Infante; as well as Spanish singer Rocío Dúrcal.

Here is the song, and below are the lyrics in Spanish and my translation in English. I hope you enjoy it!



Cucurrucucú, paloma
Coo-coo, dove

Dicen que por las noches nomás se le iba en puro llorar,
They say that at night all he did was crying,
Dicen que no dormía, nomás se le iba en puro tomar,
They say that he wouldn't sleep, all he did was drinking,
Juran que el mismo cielo se estremecía al oír su llanto,
They swear that even the sky would tremble hearing his weeping,
Cómo sufrió por ella que hasta en su muerte la fue llamando…
He suffered so much for her that even dead he kept calling for her…

¡Cucurrucucú! - cantaba
Coo-coo! - he sang,
¡Ja, ja, ja, ja, ja! - reía
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! - he laughed    
¡Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay! - lloraba
Aye, aye, aye, aye, aye! - he cried,
¡De pasión mortal… moría!
For a mortal passion… he was dying.

…Que una paloma triste, muy de mañana, le va a cantar
(They say) that a mourning dove, very early in the morning, goes to sing to her,
A la casita sola, con sus puertitas de par en par,
At the lonely little house, with its little doors wide open,
Juran que esa paloma no es otra cosa más que su alma
They swear that this dove is nothing but his soul,
Que todavía la espera a que regrese la desdichada…
Which is still waiting for the wretched woman to return…

¡Cucurrucucú, paloma!
Coo-coo, dove!
¡Cucurrucucú, no llores!
Coo-coo, don't cry!
¡Las piedras jamás, paloma!
Stones never (cry), dove!
¿Qué van a saber... de amores? 
What are they going to know about love?

¡Cucurrucucú, cucurrucucú, cucurrucucú!
Coo-coo, coo-coo, coo-coo!
¡Paloma, no llores! 
Dove, don't cry! 




Ferdinandus

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