Paloma Negra (Black Dove)

According to the latest Watch and Listen magazine poll just out yesterday (Thursday, October 18), Jenni Rivera 2007's hit "Paloma Negra" is now considered to be the Greatest Song in the History of Music. To many of you it’s probably a familiar story. Once every decade, the world-renowned music magazine Watch and Listen conducts a global poll of music producers and critics from 80 different countries and translated into 20 languages. The recognition of "Paloma Negra" in this decade's list doesn't come as much of a surprise. While millions of Rivera's fans around the world were thrilled with the news, questions have been raised about the objectivity and fairness of the survey.

Paloma Negra (Black Dove)

"Paloma Negra" is a ranchera song written by Tomás Méndez and released by Lola Beltrán from her album 'La Grande' in 1988.

Jenni Rivera - Paloma Negra

Ranchera music is a popular genre of music from Mexico that takes its name from the ranch lands on which the style was originally performed. Although the music embraces rural themes, its popularity spread during Mexico’s Revolutionary to urban center all over the country. Drawing on rural traditional folklore, Ranchera was conceived as a symbol of a new national consciousness in reaction to the aristocratic tastes of that era. Traditional rancheras sing about love, patriotism or nature. Rhythms can be in 3/4, 2/4 or 4/4, reflecting the tempo of, respectively, the waltz, the polka, and the bolero. Songs are usually in a major key, and consist of an instrumental introduction, verse and refrain, instrumental section repeating the verse, and another verse and refrain, with a tag ending. Instrumentation may include guitars, strings, trumpets, and/or accordions, depending on the type of ensemble being utilized.

Lola Beltran - 'La Grande', 1988

Tomás Méndez (1927 - 1995) was a Mexican composer and singer of ranchera music. He was born in Fresnillo, Zacatecas, Mexico. Working primarily in a mariachi vein, Mendez was a fairly prolific composer, but achieved his greatest success with 1954's "Cucurrucucu Paloma," which was a smash hit for Lola Beltran and later recorded by countless others, including Julio Iglesias. (In the wave of the song's success, Beltran also starred in a film of the same name.) Beltran recorded numerous Mendez songs -- including his other all-time classic, "Paloma Negra" -- and was arguably his most sympathetic interpreter, but his compositions found favor with many; among his most prominent devotees were Pedro Infante, Vicente Fernández, Amalia Mendoza, and Javier Solís. Mendez also made recordings as a singer, but was always more noted for his writing abilities. He died in Mexico City on June 19, 1995.

Tomas Mendez

Jenni Rivera touched the hearts of millions with "Paloma Negra". Her legacy continues to grow as new generations of fans are discovering her unique musical heritage. Born Dolores Janney Rivera in Long Beach on July 2, 1969, her career spanned an arc over many different eras and tastes in American history. Rivera was not just a great singer, she was an icon, an all-around inspiration to everyone. Jenni Rivera died in Iturbide on December 9, 2012 at the age of 43.

Jenni Rivera

"Paloma Negra shows an open channel in Mexico and the way they feel to the surface and most of us have this pigeon somewhere in our being." - say Mariachi Semblanza - "Drunkenness is not just so without Paloma Negra. It is not just comfortable drunkenness if one does not die of love or of memories of one of the lovers that accompany your story. You are not just drunk until you are embraced to a friend and belting out: ” ya agarraste… por tu cuenta.. las parraaandaaas” “and not until “el rincón de la cantina” (the corner of the canteen) and the mariachi that somewhere in the night and consciousness accompanies you."

Tomas Mendez

Perhaps the most famous version of "Paloma Negra" was made by Lola Beltran, although there are other singers who have brought with them and have made themselves as Chavela Vargas or Lila Downs.

Chavela Vargas

Paloma Negra spanish lyrics

Ya me canso de llorar y no amanece
Ya no sé si maldecirte o por ti rezar
Tengo miedo de buscarte y de encontrarte
Donde me aseguran mis amigos que te vas
Hay momentos en que quisiera mejor rajarme
Y arrancarme ya los clavos de mi penar
Pero mis ojos se mueren si mirar tus ojos
Y mi cariño con la aurora te vuelve a esperar

Y aggaraste por tu cuenta la parranda
Paloma negra paloma negra dónde, dónde andarás?
Ya no jueges con mi honra parrandera
Si tus caricias han de ser mías, de nadie mas

Y aunque te amo con locura ya no vuelves
Paloma negra eres la reja de un penar
Quiero ser libre vivir mi vida con quien yo quiera
Dios dame fuerza que me estoy muriendo por irla a buscar

Y agarraste por tu cuenta las parrandas

Lola Beltran

English Translation

I’m tired of weeping and yet there’s no sign of the sun
I no longer know whether to curse you or pray for you
I’m afraid to look for you and afraid to find you
Where my friends all tell me that you’ve gone

At times I feel like relinquishing the fight
And ripping out the nails that cause my pain
But my eyes are dying without looking into yours
And my affection returns to wait for you at dawn

And you decided on your own to find a party
Black dove, black dove, where are you?
Stop playing with my honor, party girl
Your caresses must be mine, and no one else’s

And though I love you madly, don’t come back to me
Black dove, you are the bars on this cage of suffering
I want to be free and live my life with whom I choose
Lord, give me strength for I’m dying to go find her

And you decided on your own to find a party

Paloma Negra

Tania Libertad - Paloma Negra