La Paloma

“La Paloma” -written by the Spanish Basque composer Sebastián Iradier Salaverri (1809-1865)- is a song that tells of the soul of a sailor, embodied in a white dove, which thus returns to the house of the beloved.

Thousands of versions of La paloma are known and the song is famous on all continents. Particularly loved and sung in Cuba and Mexico.

The song is the most famous among those of the Habanera genus that have a Cuban origin. This song became the most favorite melody of Maximilian of Mexico. In 1866 the song became an immediate hit there. Paloma brought tears to the eyes of the unfortunate Mexican Emperor Maximilian von Habsburg, while liberals mocked the imperial couple in a satirical version. Legend has it that Maximilian requested La Paloma to be played before he was executed.

La paloma

Cuando salí de la habana, válgame dios

Nadie me ha visto salir sino fuí yo

Y una linda guachinanga como una flor

Se vino detrás de mí, que si señor

Si a tu ventana llega una paloma

Trátala con cariño que es mi persona

Cuéntale tus amores bien de mi vida

Corónala de flores que es cosa mía

Ay chinita que si, ay que darme tu amor

Ay que vente conmigo chinita

A donde vivo yo

Y una linda guachinanga como una flor

Se vino detrás de mí, que si señor

Si a tu ventana llega una paloma

Trátala con cariño que es mi persona

Cuéntale tus amores bien de mi vida

Corónala de flores que es cosa mía

Ay chinita que si, ay que darme tu amor

Ay que vente conmigo chinita

A donde vivo yo

Ay chinita que si, ay que darme tu amor

Ay que vente conmigo chinita

A donde vivo yo

Sebastian Iradier Salaverri


The death of Maximilian of Habsburg (Édouard Manet )