The songs we sing, an occasional series

Back when Maria had 17 rolls and I could not sing Tortillitas para Mamá one more time, I googled the words to a Spanish pop song my favorite aunt taught me in the ’70s, María Isabel. Hurrah for Google, for there were the lyrics, found by simply typing in “vamos a la playa, calienta el sol.’’

Pure gold. The song has become the anthem that will make Maria laugh no matter what is happening. She especially likes it when I substitute “Isabel’’ for her two middle names and last name. I swear, I think it’s how she learned to say her whole name by the age of 17 months.

And how could one not love a chorus that goes
chi ri bi ri bi po po pom pom?

The words:

La playa estaba desierta,
el mar bañaba tu piel,
cantando con mi guitarra
para ti, María Isabel.
En la arena escribí tu nombre
y luego yo lo borré
para que nadie pisara
tu nombre, María Isabel.

Coge tu sombrero y póntelo,
vamos a la playa, calienta el sol.
Chi ri bi ri bi po po pom pom,
chi ri bi ri bi po po pom pom,
chi ri bi ri bi po po pom pom,
chi ri bi ri bi po po pom pom.

La luna fue caminando
junta a las olas del mar,
tenia celos de tus ojos
y tu forma de mirar.
Coge tu sombrero y póntelo…

And, thanks to YouTube, there’s now video of the band, Los Payos, here