Before the Beatles became famous they made a demo tape of 15 songs for Decca Records, which included the Mexican song “Bésame Mucho.” (Kiss Me A Lot)
Here’s the feedback that the Beatles manager got from Decca about those sessions:
“Not to mince words, Mr. Epstein, but we don’t like your boys’ sound. Groups are out; four-piece groups with guitars particularly are finished.”
That’s one of the all time greatest blunders. The amazing thing is that the Decca executive, Dick Rowe, didn’t just reject the Beatles but predicted they would never succeed.
He also said, “The Beatles have no future in show business.”
Oops.
If you have a “Dick Rowe” being negative about your Spanish or you’ve been dogged by negative thoughts, take a look at these success stories:
http://www.synergyspanishsystems.com/blog/overcoming-spanish/
They are all from people who have turned their Spanish around despite the naysayers, false starts and negative thoughts.
http://www.synergyspanishsystems.com/blog/overcoming-spanish/
Listening to music in Spanish is a fun way to boost your vocabulary and enjoy the culture of the Spanish-speaking world.
The Beatles’ version was mostly in English. That’s why this page also has the Spanish version performed by Los Panchos.
I know I am a bit late with this comment, but several years ago I bought a CD of Trio Los Panchos and found it extremely good for listening to Spanish. Because of the clarity with which they express the words when they sing and because they do not allow the music to override their voices, it is a great CD to pick up new and old words and pronunciations while you are learning Spanish.
Yes, the Los Panchos recording reminds me of the band I heard in San Francisco before the earthquake struck and I was on the QE2. The Beatles recording reminds me of the foul mouthed four who’d been bombarded with ‘Dolly Mixtures’ at the ‘Cavern Club’ when I was was playing in a band alongside them in the early ’60’s. Mind you McCartney had said he loved those particular sweets so he got what he’d asked for! Couldn’t translate those expletives into Spanish though Marcus. Maybe a special edition? Off to Spain in 10 days. Maybe you’ll rush it out pronto (??!!)
Loving the Course.
Ian
Thank you for posting these two great groups. Both versions are wonderful. It was enjoyable seeing the Beatles when they first started out.
What a beatiful song…….whan the Trio Los Panchos sing it. Learning Spanish to music is delightful.
Hi Marcos ,what a good idea to show how failure can turn into success ,i am from Liverpool where the Beatles started out,they went from playing gigs in the cavern club in Liverpool[ where i was a frequent visitor in the sixties] to a world famous band. Just goes to show you can overcome most things if you are determined enough,i was unaware that they ever played besame mucho,anyway a inavative way of helping us all improve our spanish,in a fun way thanks marcos
Great Marcus!!!!
As a child I grew up listening to The Beatles and as a teenager was very familiar with their latest hits. I don’t recall hearing them sing this song but I love it all the same. Instead, I recall hearing a female singer sing Besame Mucho in Spanish and all that I could sing was Besame mucho but I felt the mood of the song was conveying a profound love. However when I heard the group Trio Los Panchos sing it at a slower rate I was able to follow, repeat the words and understand it much better. I like singing songs in Spanish;it makes learning Spanish easier, more meaningful and enjoyable. Sometimes I find it difficult to understand Spanish speakers because they speak so quickly and I am barely able to translate their spoken word into English because I am not a fluent speaker. At school I learnt to read and write Spanish before I could speak it and so I find it easier to do that. I like your style though. Usually, I am not on line very often but when I get the chance to check my mail I find your lessons very interesting. Gracias Senor Marcus. Will make a greater effort to learn the language. I love the rhythm of the language. Otra vez gracias for the Spanish version of Besame Mucho along with the English translation. Mavarita Rep Trinidad and Tobago.
EXCELLENT! Muchas Grazies.
The Beattle version of Besame Mucho is great. They have good voices and the song is ideal for people who don’t know Spanish.
Thanks for the songs! The Beatles’ song is youthful & the Los Panchos’ one romantic!
Absoluely enchanting to listen to. Beautifully expressed.
Thank you very much.Xxx for you too.
Besame is MUCH nicer with the L
atin American vibe !!!!!
This is great. Thanks
Muchas gracias Marcus.
Prefiero el grupo Los Panchos.
thankyou Marcus, this brought back so many memories of both the beatles, and trio los panches so great thankyou again John
Gracias Marcus,
I have always heard this song but never understood a word. Now I know.
Muchas muchas gracias Marcus, I am learning a lot.
Colette
An interesting story, a lovely song and some nice intimate new words
Muchas Gracias Marcus
A wonderful addition to your Spanish lessons.
I printed a copy of the words to Mesame Mucho , by the “Trio Los Panchos”,
(much, much better than the Beatles), and now I can learn the words and practice singing this lovely song in Spanish.
A brilliant idea !!
Saludos, Murray
Nice one Marcus. Thank you for this.
A great combination of history, 2 versions of “Besame Mucho”, and transcript of the words. This will boost my spanish greatly. You don’t happen to have the chord pattern (just kidding). Synergy Spanish has been a great help to me. I am very grateful to you. Thank you very much!
Lila Downs does a fantastaic version as well.
Ella es mi cantanta favorita.
This is an even better version of this song… entirely in Spanish by Cesaria Evora:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Esdl_3kKSBk
Muchos Gracias! Marcus for the great lessons.
Thanks so much! Gracioussssss!
So thrilled to find this old Spanish song sung by the Beatles . It cheered my day and hepled me learn and sing in Spanish.
What an enhancing experience!
Since I retired I have been studying Spanish an following your blog. This is a very special one. Besame mucho has been one of my long time favorites so this story and these two recording, together with the transcript are especially welcome.
Thank you.
Marcus – tanto dulce.
Gracias.
Fun! That’s one of the main reasons I wanted to learn spanish – so I could understand the lyrics of all the great spanish songs. Please provide more links & lyrics to spanish songs. It is a great way to learn and practice spanish.
Marcus, the two songs came through, but not the transcript.
Thank you so much for that. I’m away from my home computer at the moment, will not be back until end August. Will this site still be accessible by then? (I want to print the transcript, and definitely want to listen to it again, many times.)
Thanks for that Marcus. I´ve been singing that song for the past 2 years with certain ´gaps´. Now I will be able to fill the gaps!
For anyone new to Synergy Spanish courses, I have completed, Shortcut to Spanish, Synergy Spanish, Bola de Nieve and now Advanced Concepts Intensive. For me, this is the perfect way of learning and I can highly recommend these courses.
Much as I love the Beatles. The Spanish version is so much better, the guitars are beautiful & the harmonies much more pleasing
Thank you so much for your most helpful tips and sample lessons. They are so fun and informative.
Marcus I thank ya from the bottom of my heart for the beseme mucho lesson. Increble! What a winner you are. I will be ordering one of your courses very soon. Your free lessons are the best I’ve ever seen. If the paid lessons are comrable to what I’ve seen so far, I will be very satisfied. I don’t think a teacher could get any better than you. Thanks a again George
Thanks for the info and the words to Besame mucho. Tengo muchas canciones en espanol, desde hace muchos anos. La primera fui “Guantanamera” por los cantores “The Sandpipers” y sus palabras me han movido mucho, y les han hacho mucho efecto a mi hasta ahora. “Con los pobres de la tierra quiero yo mi suerte echar ….El arroyo de la sierra me complace mas que el mar.” I was born and brought up in low country near the sea, and i really do prefer the high Sierra to the rolling Downs of southern England. Thanks again for your helpful words. Colin
thank for the translation of besame mucho.the reason i’m learning spanish is that i’m a singer and i love to understand the meaning of the song when i’m singing in spanish.thank you very much i really love to sing in spanish
Thank you I will try to learn though songs
¡Gracias!
A great piece of trivia.
¡Hasta luegio!
Hola Marcus I look forward to your emails Hope you send us more popular spanish song thank you for the lyrics in spanish and english Regards to your wife and family My spanish is getting better with your lessons God bless you Otra vez gracias saludos
Thank you so much for the beautiful song. The Trio Los Ponchos sing so distinctly and are easy to follow. I always look forward to your emails. Otra vez,muchas gracias!
What a terrific idea! Trio Los Ponchos is a far better version than the Beatles. I can understand Rowe’s reaction. The Beatles captured neither the sentiment nor the mood of the song.
Thanks for including both versions and the translation
Saludos,
Fran
besame mucho…Beatles trivia…amazed they tried espanol…music is big in mexico …have heard some amazing and dramatic versions of songs by unknown Mexicanos.
Claudia,
Maybe, maybe, maybe . . .Isn’t Spanish a beautiful language. Just like its people. (Especially its women people!)
I just thought of a song “Quizas, Quizas, Quizas,” especially a version by the Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and Jennifer Lopez. Its slow tempo plus the singers’ careful enunciation make this easy for Spanish learners to understand. I remember, years ago, when I first realized that I could understand at least parts of some songs in Spanish. What a thrill that was! In general, the slower the tempo, the easier it is.
Hola
Muchas gracias por su ayuda con mi espanol ,muy aqradable .A hora yo vivo en España circa de MALAGA y es bien cada Dias yo hablo con persona espanola y poco y poco yo entiendo un poco mas.
Gracias. Marcus tu hacer me muy feliz Betti
Gracias Marcus. What a clever way of teaching your students! It is wonderful to see and read the clear and concise translation while listening to Basame mucho by Trio Los Panchos and the Beatles.
Saludos
Saleem
Marcus querido
So much I enjoyed this.
The Los Panchos version is the one I knew originally.
Thank you very much
saludos
Jochai Rubinstein
Thank you for teaching Spanish to us.
Mi gusta el chocolate. No me gusta el caramelo 🙂
Vito en las Bahamas
thank you very much is a fun way to learnd
Gracias Muchas you are the best.
Loved to be able to see the words as the song was sung. I need to see the word to remember it and it also helps me with the pronunication,