Besame Mucho
Remembered for his highly-commercial approach to pop music, Xavier Cugat (b… Read Full Bio ↴Remembered for his highly-commercial approach to pop music, Xavier Cugat (born: Francisco De Asis Javier Cugat Mingall De Cru Y Deulofeo) made an even greater mark as one of the pioneers of Latin-American dance music. During his eight decade long career, Cugat helped to popularize the tango, the cha-cha, the mambo and the rhumba. His hits included "El Manicero" in the 1930s, "Perfida" in 1940 and the original recording of "Babalu" in 1944. Members of Cugat's band included Desi Arnaz, Miguelito Valdes, Tito Rodriguez, Luis Del Campo, Yma Sumac and his third (of four) wife, Abbe Lane. Cugat used the success of his musical career as a springboard for a movie career that included appearances in such films as Gay Madrid (1930), You Were Never Lovelier (1942), Bathing Beauty (1945), Weekend At The Waldorf (1945), Holiday In Mexico (1946), On An Island With You (1948), A Date With Judy (1948), Chicago Syndicate (1955) and Desire Diabolique (1959). A native of Genoa, Spain, Cugat emigrated with his family to Cuba in 1905. Trained as a classical violinist, he played with the Orchestra of the Teatro Nacional in Havana at the age of twelve. Emigrating to the United States, sometime between 1915 and 1918, he quickly found work accompanying an opera singer. At the height of the tango craze, in 1918, Cugat joined a popular dance band, The Gigolos. His involvement with the group, however, was brief. As the popularity of the tango faded, he took a job as a cartoonist for The Los Angeles Times. Cugat returned to music in 1920, forming his own group, The Latin American Band. Although they played regularly at the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles and supplied the soundtracks for several musical shorts, the group had its greatest success after moving to New York and became the houseband for the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Despite being criticized for their middle-of-the-road approach, Cugat remained committed to his commercial-minded sound. He later explained, "I would rather play 'Chiquita Banana' and have my swimming pool than play Bach and starve". Cugat and his orchestra remained at the hotel for sixteen years. Beautiful women were consistently featured in Cugat's band. After helping Rita Hayworth to launch her career, he appeared in her film, You Were Never Lovelier. Cugat's recordings of the 1950s featured the singing of his third wife, Abbe Lane. In the mid-1960s, he featured his fourth wife, Charo, who he billed as a "folksinger". Upon his retirement in 1970, Cugat returned to Spain. He died in Barcelona on October 27, 1990. His band, which was led by Tito Puente following his retirement, continues to perform under the direction of dancer, musician and vocalist Ada Cavallo.

Besame Mucho
Xavier Cugat & His Orchestra Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Bésame, bésame mucho
Each time I cling to your kiss, I hear music divine
Bésame mucho
Hold me my darling and say that you'll always be mine
This joy is something new
My arms enfolding you
Never knew this thrill before
Whoever thought I'd be
Holding you close to me
Whispering "It's you I adore"
Dearest one
If you should leave me
Each little dream would take wing, and my life would be through
Bésame mucho
Love me forever and make all my dreams come true

Bésame, bésame mucho
Each time I cling to your kiss, I hear music divine
Bésame mucho
Hold me my darling and say that you'll always be mine
This joy is something new
My arms enfolding you
Never knew this thrill before
Whoever thought I'd be
Holding you close to me
Whispering "It's you I adore"
My dearest one
If you should leave me
Each little dream would take wing, and my life would be through




Bésame mucho
Love me forever and say that you'll always be mine

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Besame Mucho" by Xavier Cugat & His Orchestra express the overwhelming joy and love that the singer feels when they are with their significant other. The repeated phrase, "Besame mucho" (Kiss me a lot), emphasizes the physical connection between the two lovers, and how intoxicating it can be. The singer feels that the music they hear when they kiss is almost divine, and they treasure this newfound pleasure in their relationship. They want their love to last forever and they fear that their life would be incomplete without their partner.


The lyrics also reveal the vulnerability that comes with love. The singer acknowledges that their happiness is dependent on their partner. If their lover were to leave them, all their dreams would be shattered, and life would be unbearable. The expression of this fear heightens the emotional intensity of the song and adds depth to the message behind the lyrics.


Overall, the lyrics of "Besame Mucho" convey the overwhelming passion and tenderness that come with love, as well as the fear of losing it.


Line by Line Meaning

Bésame, bésame mucho
Kiss me, kiss me a lot


Each time I cling to your kiss, I hear music divine
Every time I hold your kiss, I experience a divine sensation


Bésame mucho
Kiss me a lot


Hold me my darling and say that you'll always be mine
Embrace me, my love, and promise to always be with me


This joy is something new
This happiness is unfamiliar to me


My arms enfolding you
As I hold you in my arms


Never knew this thrill before
I have never felt this kind of excitement before


Whoever thought I'd be holding you close to me
I never imagined that I would hold you so close to me


Whispering 'It's you I adore'
Whispering that I love you


Dearest one
My most beloved


If you should leave me
If you were to ever leave me


Each little dream would take wing, and my life would be through
All my hopes and dreams would vanish and my life would lose its meaning


Bésame mucho
Kiss me a lot


Love me forever and make all my dreams come true
Love me for eternity and bring all my dreams to life


Bésame, bésame mucho
Kiss me, kiss me a lot


Each time I cling to your kiss, I hear music divine
Every time I hold your kiss, I experience a divine sensation


Bésame mucho
Kiss me a lot


Hold me my darling and say that you'll always be mine
Embrace me, my love, and promise to always be with me




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Broma 16
Written by: Consuelo Velazquez

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@lopz33

¡Tremenda versión!

@lopz33

Un día como hoy, 1ro. de enero de 1900, nació en Gerona, Cataluña, España, el violinista, actor, dibujante-caricaturista, locutor, director de programas de radio y televisión, director de cine y director-fundador de su propia orquesta Francisco de Asís Javier Cugat Mingall, mejor conocido como Xavier Cugat. Maestro, lo seguimos extrañando. 🎵🎻🎙🎬📽📺📻🎶😢😢😢😢😢

@nellyescalona706

Qué versión tan buena de Bésame Mucho, una variante musical muy tropical, Bravo Maestro ¡

@eddyzoraida410

Xavier fue único

@cacildagoncalves3138

Isso sim agrada todos os ouvidos.lindo Xavier Cugat. Não canso de ouvi-los.bom demais.

@regislima5305

Linda música sempre ouço

@cacildagoncalves3138

@@regislima5305 olá Regis vc.tem bom gosto. Adoro Xavier Cugat Hugo Montenegro com a música: Agradável como una manhana de sol. Ouça vc vai gostar.

@anjanettroldan7682

lamentablemente música que no vuelve más mucho menos Xavier Cugat!!!!!!!!!

@555skipper

Beautiful son, and a magnificent arrangement by Cugat.

@1roblee1

An amazing version of this song. Half way into the song the tempo changes to a mambo and you cannot sit still. A great arrangement of this song. I can listen to it over and over again. CUGAT - THE BEST.

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