The songs that all Mexicans magically know

Published November 5, 2024

I’ve been living in Mexico for a very long time. When I first came I was barely an adult, and I’ve “grown up” here in the sense that I grew into an adult here. In lots of ways, I feel like Mexico has raised me from the age of 21 on, which I think most of us can agree is the age of just a baby.

I also love karaoke. A lot. I have a pretty average voice but can mostly hit the notes, and that’s enough for me! Really, there are few things more fun than pretending to be a rockstar, and Mexico is where I first honed my rockstar-pretending skills.

It’s at these parties, though, that I remember: actually, I’m not Mexican.

What makes this obvious? Song choices, mostly. And also this sad fact: everyone seems to know every single word to lots of songs I’ve never heard in my life. They belt them out with the passion and pain of recently jilted lovers while I stand awkwardly by.

How and when did they learn them? Is there a secret Mexican kids club where they learn all the mariachi classics in elementary school?

Read and hear much more […]

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