South of the border
Frank Sinatra With Billy May And His Orchestra Lyrics

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South of the border
Down Mexico way
That's where I fell in love when stars above came out to play
And now as I wander
My thoughts ever stray
South of the border
Down Mexico way

She was a picture
In old Spanish lace
Just for a tender while I kissed the smile upon her face
For it was fiesta
And we were so gay
South of the border
Down Mexico way

Then she sighed and she whispered "Mañana"
Never dreaming that we were parting
And I lied as I whispered "Mañana"
For our tomorrow never came

South of the border
I rode back one day
There in a veil of white by candlelight she knelt to pray
The mission bells told me
That I mustn't stay
South of the border
Down Mexico way

Ay! Ay! Ay! Ay!
Ay! Ay! Ay! Ay!
Ay! Ay! Ay! Ay!
Ay! Ay! Ay! Ay!

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Overall Meaning

The song "South of the Border" by Frank Sinatra with Billy May and his orchestra is a romantic tune about a love that was found and then lost in Mexico. The lyrics describe the beauty and allure of the country as the singer reflects on his memories of falling in love there. He paints a picture of a woman wearing old Spanish lace and their tender moments together during a fiesta. However, their love was cut short as they both said "mañana" (tomorrow), never realizing that they would be parting forever.

The singer's nostalgia is evident as he recalls returning to Mexico and discovering that his former flame had become a nun, praying in a veil of white by candlelight. The mission bells tolling serve as a reminder that he must move on, recognizing that their love was not meant to be. The repetitive "Ay! Ay! Ay!" at the end of the song further emphasizes the longing and passion still felt by the singer despite the loss.

Overall, "South of the Border" encapsulates not only the beauty of Mexico but also the pain and nostalgia that come with lost love. It is a celebration of the romance and magic that can be found in unexpected places, as well as a lament for what could have been.

Line by Line Meaning

South of the border
Refers to a place down Mexico way where the singer fell in love

Down Mexico way
A specific location where the singer found love

That's where I fell in love when stars above came out to play
The singer fell in love during a picturesque moment with the stars shining above

And now as I wander
The singer is reminiscing about the past as he wanders in the present

My thoughts ever stray
The singer's thoughts often return to his time in Mexico with his love

She was a picture
Describing the beauty of the woman the singer fell in love with

In old Spanish lace
The woman was wearing traditional Spanish clothing

Just for a tender while I kissed the smile upon her face
The singer and his love shared a brief moment of tenderness

For it was fiesta
The celebration and party atmosphere in Mexico added to the romantic moment

And we were so gay
The singer and his love were happy and carefree

Then she sighed and she whispered "Mañana"
The woman whispered tomorrow to indicate that they will see each other soon

Never dreaming that we were parting
Neither the singer nor his love anticipated that they would be separated

And I lied as I whispered "Mañana"
The singer also whispered tomorrow, but he knew that they were not going to see each other again

For our tomorrow never came
The singer and his love never reunited as they had planned

I rode back one day
The singer returned to Mexico, but it was not the same as before

There in a veil of white by candlelight she knelt to pray
The woman the singer had loved was getting married

The mission bells told me
The bells indicated that it was time for the singer to leave

That I mustn't stay
The singer knew that he should not disrupt the wedding or interfere with his former lover's happiness

Ay! Ay! Ay! Ay!
Expresses the singer's emotional pain and agony

Ay! Ay! Ay! Ay!
Continued expression of the singer's emotional pain

Ay! Ay! Ay! Ay!
Further expression of the singer's emotional pain

Ay! Ay! Ay! Ay!
Expresses the intensity of the singer's pain and grief

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CRAIG HONEYCUTT, MARK REINHARDT, RICHARD K BRADLEY, STEVE VAN DAM

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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