Cucurrucucú paloma
"Cucurrucucú paloma" (Spanish for "Coo-coo dove") is a Mexican huapango-style song written by Tomás Méndez in 1954. The title is an onomatopeic reference to the characteristic call of the mourning dove, which is evoked in the refrain. The lyrics allude to love sickness.

Over the years the song has been used in the soundtrack of several films and has gained international popularity. It initially appeared in the classic Mexican comedy "Escuela de vagabundos" screened in 1955, where it was sung by the star of the film, Pedro Infante. The song also gave its name to the 1965 Mexican film "Cucurrucucú Paloma", directed by Miguel Delgado, in which it was performed by Lola Beltrán, who starred as "Paloma Méndez".

In Pedro Almodovar's film "Talk to Her" (2002) the piece is rendered by the Brazilian singer Caetano Veloso in an art-song style quite different from the mariachi folk-kitsch of its original cinema presentation.

Other films in which the song appears include "Le Magnifique", "The Last Sunset", "Happy Together", "My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done", "The Five-Year Engagement", and "Moonlight".

Since its first release on record in 1956 in a version sung by Harry Belafonte, the song has been recorded by various other popular singers, including Luis Miguel, Rocío Dúrcal, Perry Como, Miguel Aceves Mejía, Hibari Misora, Gaby Moreno, Nana Mouskouri, Julio Iglesias, Shirley Kwan, Lila Downs, Joan Baez (on her album "Gracias a la Vida"), Rosemary Clooney, and The Del Rubio Triplets; the refrain was also taken up by Franco Battiato in his own song "Cuccurucucù" (on "La voce del padrone").

In 2019, operatic tenor Juan Diego Florez sang the song, accompanying himself on guitar at La Scala in Milan, in a version appearing in a YouTube video that has been viewed close to 5 million times.
Q3089524
huapango
Concept
Q7820498
Tomás Méndez
PER
Q170239
onomatopeic
Concept
Q750027
mourning dove
Concept
Q13604751
love sickness
UNK
Q5397497
Escuela de vagabundos
MEDIA
Q467954
Pedro Infante
PER
None
Cucurrucucú Paloma
UNK
Q1747606
Miguel Delgado
PER
Q297703
Lola Beltrán
PER
Q55171
Pedro Almodovar
PER
Q478780
Talk to Her
MEDIA
Q309983
Caetano Veloso
PER
Q4797274
art-song
Concept
Q464129
mariachi
Concept
Q131711
kitsch
Concept
Q2401518
Le Magnifique
MEDIA
Q1324479
The Last Sunset
MEDIA
Q1204213
Happy Together
MEDIA
Q1511905
My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done
MEDIA
Q1265691
The Five-Year Engagement
MEDIA
Q21527875
Moonlight
MEDIA
Q214959
Harry Belafonte
PER
Q1069140
Luis Miguel
PER
Q56074
Rocío Dúrcal
PER
Q333405
Perry Como
PER
Q5368793
Miguel Aceves Mejía
PER
Q147811
Hibari Misora
PER
Q511537
Gaby Moreno
PER
Q154662
Nana Mouskouri
PER
Q122003
Julio Iglesias
PER
Q7498791
Shirley Kwan
PER
Q23880
Lila Downs
PER
Q131725
Joan Baez
PER
Q753226
Gracias a la Vida
MEDIA
Q466508
Rosemary Clooney
PER
Q7729641
The Del Rubio Triplets
ORG
Q25147
Franco Battiato
PER
Q1054834
La voce del padrone
MEDIA
Q160427
Juan Diego Florez
PER
Q5471
La Scala
LOC
Q490
Milan
LOC
Q3699179
Cucurrucucú paloma
MEDIA
1954-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1954
DATE
1955-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1955
DATE
1965-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1965
DATE
1956-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1956
DATE
2019-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
2019
DATE
+2002^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
2002
NUMBER
+5^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#decimal
5
NUMBER
form of creative work
composer
publication date
notable work
cast member
notable work
director
performer
performer
located in the administrative territorial entity