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Las mañanitas

First recorded by Stanley A. Lucero in 1973 Canciones para niños on cassette tape, remastered in 1998 on the CD Best of Stanley Lucero, and then re-recorded in 1999 by Stanley A. Lucero, Nora Guillen and Becky Martinez as a combination of Mañanitas tapatias and Mañanitas mejicanas on the CD Dos Voces.  Listen to  Las mañanitas from the CD Dos Voces.

At birthday parties, anniversaries, and serenatas we hear one of the many versions of Las mañanitas being sung by trios, mariachis, bands, and loved ones.  There are more verses to this song than any other song I know.  Even though I've sung this song at least a thousand times, the look in the eyes of the people to whom the song is dedicated makes it feel like a new song each time.

Lyrics to Las mañanitas: 

Estas son las mañanitas, que cantaba el Rey David.  Hoy por ser día de tu santo, te las cantamos a ti.

Despierta mi bien despierta  mira que ya amaneció. Ya los pajaritos cantan.  La luna ya se metió

Que linda está la mañana en que vengo a saludarte.  Venimos todos con gusto y placer a felicitarte.  

Ya viene amaneciendo.  Ya la luz del día nos dio.  Levántate de mañana.  Mira que ya amaneció. 

Lyrics with chords to Las mañanitas

The mañanitas (poetic translation)

These are the lovely little psalms that were sung by King David.  Today we sing them to a loved one who happy will be.  Wake up this early morning and the sun you will see.  As the moon leaves us this morning all the birds they will sing. How beautiful is the morning that I come to share with you.  We all come in celebration of this special day just for you.  The day it is a dawning and the light of day has come.  Awaken early this morning to see all that we have done.

 The Little Mornings (Literal translation)

These are the little mornings that sang the King David, today for being day of your saint we sing them to you.  Wake up my love wake up look that sunrise has come, already the litttle birds sing the moon already has set.  How pretty is the morning that I come on to greet you.  We come all with gladness and pleasure to congratulate you.  Already comes the sunrise already the light of day has touched us.  Get up of morning look that sunrise has come.

ADDITONAL VERSES

El día en que tu naciste, nacieron todas las flores y en la pila del bautismo cantaron los ruiseñores.

Quisiera ser un San Juan, quisiera ser un San Pedro, para venirte a cantar con la música del cielo.

De las estrellas del cielo quisiera bajarte dos; una para saludarte y otra para decirte adiós.

NOTES:  I learned various versions of Las mañanitas in New Mexico (Taos, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, Encino, San Cristobal, Penasco, Holman, Encino, Chihuahita, etc) starting in 1961, S.Lucero.  I was told the song came from México.  In my recording of Las mañanitas (1974), I combined verses from the mañanitas Mexicanas and mañanitas Tapatias

 I have found versions of Las mañanitas in books by the following authors.Go to the bilbliography for more detailed information about each of the books that contain one or more versions of Las mañanitas.

Song Title   Location Title Author, Date
Las mañanitas Mexico El folklore y la música Mexicana, Investigación acera de la cultural musical en México Campos, 1928
Las mañanitas Mexico Cancioncitas, Little Songs of Latin America McLaughlin, 1948
Las mañanitas Mexico Canciones para la clase de Español De Cesare, 1960.
Las mañanitas California Cantemos niños Krones, 1961.
Las mañanitas Mexico Hola! Vamos a cantar Barnett, 1966
Las mañanitas Mexico A Fiesta Of Folk Songs From Spain And Latin America. Yurchenco, 1967
Las mañanitas Mexicanas Austin, Texas Paso a paso con los niños SWEDC, 1970
Mañanitas Tapatias Austin, Texas Paso a paso con los niños SWEDC, 1970
Las mañanitas Las Cruces, New Mexico Canciones para niños Lucero, 1973
Las mañanitas Mexican folk song Macmillan. Songs in Spanish for Primary Grades Music and You. Macmillan, 1989
Mañanitas Tapatias Traditional Macmillan. Songs in Spanish for Intermediate Grades Music and You. Macmillan, 1989
El día que yo nací Columbia 90 Songs Of The Americas, A Musical Introduction to the Varied Cultural Heritage of the Americas De Cesare, 1993
Las mañanitas Mexico 90 Songs Of The Americas, A Musical Introduction to the Varied Cultural Heritage of the Americas De Cesare, 1993
Las mañanitas Mexico De Colores And Other Latin-American Folk Songs For Children. Orozco, 1994
Las mañanitas New Mexico Best of Stanley A. Lucero, 1973-1977 Lucero, 1998
Las mañanitas New Mexico and Texas

Dos voces - Un espiritu.

Lucero, 1999

 

Page updated March 22, 2011