“Cielito Lindo” is a very popular Mexican song, and today it is often played as a Mariachi piece by Mariachi bands. It is a copla, which is a genre of Spanish popular music, and its exact origins are unknown; however, it was popularized in 1882 by the Mexican author Quirino Mendoza y Cortéz.

          In English, the title translates to “Lovely Sky” or “Lovely Sweet One”.

          I chose this piece because it was a staple of the repertoire I played as part of the Lincoln High School Mariachi Band, and Mariachi is one of my favorite musical genres to listen to and play. Of all the songs we performed, “Cielito Lindo” was one of our favorites, as well as a favorite of our various audiences.