La Malaguena
Los Tres Caballeros Lyrics

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Que bonitos ojos tienes
Debajo de esas dos cejas
Debajo de esas dos cejas
Que bonitos ojos tienes

Ellos me quieren mirar
Pero si tu no los dejas
Pero si tu no los dejas

Ni siquiera parpadear

Malaguena salerosa
Besar tus labios quisiera
Besar tus labios quisiera
Malaguena salerosa
Y decirte nina hermosa

Que eres linda y hechicera
Que eres linda y hechicera
Como el candor de una rosa

Si por pobre me desprecias
Yo te concedo razón
Yo te concedo razón
Si por pobre me desprecias

Yo no te ofresco riquezas
Te ofresco mi corazon
Te ofresco mi corazon
A cambio de mis pobrezas

Y decirte nina hermosa
Que eres linda y hechicera
Que eres linda y hechicera

Como el candor de una rosa
Como el candor de una rosa

Overall Meaning

Los Tres Caballeros's song La Malagueña is a romantic ballad that speaks about the beauty of a woman's eyes and the desire to kiss her lips. The song starts with the repetition of the phrase "Que bonitos ojos tienes" which translates to "What beautiful eyes you have" and goes on to describe the desire to gaze into them, but only if she lets him. The singer compares the woman's beauty to the purity of a rose in the repeated line "Que eres linda y hechicera como el candor de una rosa" meaning "You are beautiful and enchanting like the purity of a rose."

The title "Malaguena Salerosa" refers to the city of Malaga, Spain and salerosa meaning "charming" or "graceful." The song is written in a traditional Mexican folk style, with influences from flamenco and Spanish music. The lyrics are an adaptation of an old Spanish love song called "La Malagueña." The song has been covered by many artists over time, including Chingon, Placido Domingo, and Avenged Sevenfold.

The song is a celebration of love without materialism, with the singer accepting that he is poor and cannot offer the woman any riches but instead offers his heart "A cambio de mis pobrezas" meaning "in exchange for my poverty." It's essentially a song about valuing love over wealth and material things.

Line by Line Meaning

Que bonitos ojos tienes
Your eyes are so beautiful

Debajo de esas dos cejas
Located beneath those two eyebrows

Que bonitos ojos tienes
Your eyes are so beautiful

Ellos me quieren mirar
They want to look at me

Pero si tu no los dejas
But if you don't let them

Ni siquiera parpadear
Not even blink

Malaguena salerosa
Beautiful Malaguena

Besar tus labios quisiera
I would love to kiss your lips

Malaguena salerosa
Beautiful Malaguena

Y decirte nina hermosa
And tell you beautiful little girl

Que eres linda y hechicera
That you are beautiful and enchanting