Five Authentic Songs for High School Spanish
Music is a universal expression of what sometimes we can't express clearly in our own words. Music, movement, poetry and song can connect us to one another and to ourselves. It can also become a beautiful way to remember our culture and pass it on to our bicultural children.
During this Hispanic Heritage Month, I encourage you to listen to songs written by Latin-Americans that express a deep longing for the land they left and the land they long to live in. The songs I recommend below are not necessarily Christian songs, but they are a cry to return to what every human is meant to experience, a homeland. They are songs that remember the beauty of the land and the people left behind, the dignity of all people, and a longing for a better world.
I recommend listening to these songs at home with kids of any ages. For an upper-level Spanish high school or college courses, I recommend picking one or two of them, reading the lyrics, studying and memorizing the song by singing and dancing to their rhythms and beats.
Five Authentic Latin-American Songs that Meet the ACTFL Standards
Mi Tierra (Gloria Estefan)
This song, by the world-famous Gloria Estefan, a Cuban American singer-songwriter who has been around for decades, is one of my favorite songs to dance to.
Themes you will encounter are immigration, remembering, homeland, nostalgia. Notice the instruments used. How does the song make you feel? How does your body want to move? What words in the lyrics touch your heart? Is there any place in the world your heart wants to return to? Where is home for you?
Somos Inmigrantes (Polache)
Somos inmigrantes
somos los rostros de tus semejantes.
Somos la cruda realidad de un caminante
somos las lágrimas de miles de habitates
somos humanos
somos importantes
Polache, musician born and raised in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, is the son of a British father and Honduran mother. A singer-song writer, who began playing his guitar at nine writes about the people and culture of Honduras.
This song, We are Immigrants, expresses the difficulty and hardship that many Hondurans (and others from around the world) endure to reach United States. It is a song dedicated mostly to undocumented immigrants, but also to the mothers, fathers and children left behind, waiting to join or waiting for their loved ones' return.
In the classroom, use these songs and their lyrics to discuss immigration. Why do people leave their countries to seek a new one? What are the hardships that they face? What does it take to immigrate?
Treat this topic with much curiosity. As you read the lyrics or watch the video, what are the emotions that come up for you? Contempt? Compassion? Empathy? Sadness? Joy?
Notice the unfamiliar words. This song contains colloquialisms (slang) unique to the Honduran people. Can you identify them?
American Dream (Polache)
I, I, I, I
I'm a human being (ooh ooh)
looking for the American dream.
American Dream is another really great Polache song about immigrants to the United States. It is written in English and Spanish, so it's a great bilingual song to study. This song is not specifically about undocumented immigrants. It's about all people from all over the world and all walks of life who come to the United States chasing a dream.
In class, discuss the definition of American Dream. What is the American Dream? Is it a reality? Why do people from other nations believe this dream? What makes the United States such a great place to dream about? What are the dreams and hopes you have for your future?
Yo, yo, yo, yo
soy un ser humano (ooh ooh)
buscando el sueño americano
Mestizo Corazón (Santiago Benavides, Yare Vargas, Melissa Olachea, Conexión Cielo)
Santiago Benavides is by far my favorite singer-songwriter. He is a follower of Jesus from Colombia and lives in Canada. His music style is very eclectic. His website describes it as a combination of trova-pop-bossa-carranga-worship. He writes about relationships, worship and so many other small and big topics any of us can relate to in a very candid and poetic style.
Every time I watch the video of Mestizo Corazón, I cry. This song is a collaboration between several Latin-American musicians. The lyrics are a beautiful description of who Latin Americans are as a people. Through the lyrics and the video, notice the intersection of beauty and pain, wealth and poverty, joy and sadness. There is a heart-cry and longing expressed in this song for a more just world.
In class, use the video to identify different Latin American countries. Learn new vocabulary. Latin America is so naturally beautiful and diverse. Learn about its seas, oceans, rivers, mountain ranges. Be curious about the word meztizo. What does that mean? Imagine what justice would look like in Latin America. How would a more just Latin America affect you? There are so many great things to learn from one song!
México Lindo y Querido (Chucho Monge)
México Lindo y Querido,
Si muero lejos de ti
Que digan que estoy dormido
Y que me traigan aquí.
Last, but not least, Mexico lindo y querido, is traditional Mexican ranchero and mariachi song.
I'm not Mexican, but this song has taught me a lot about Mexico and its people. Mexicans love their México! No matter where life and circumstances take them, they are proud to be Mexican and they long to return to the country they love. even if it's in death.
In class, use this song to talk about patriotism. What does that look like for you? Do you love your country? What are some things about your country that you love? How loyal are you to your country? When is that good? When could that be a problem?
I hope you enjoyed this list! What other songs like these would you add?
Check out the ACTFL Summary of World-Readiness Standards for Language Learning here: Standards Summary | ACTFL
