Guadalajara - Pepe Guizar

Elvis Presley sung a fine version Guadalajara in Fun in Acapulco but the song has a history.

Guadalajara is a well-known mariachi song composed by Pepe Guizar in 1937. It is probably the most famous mariachi song of all time. "Guadalajara Guadalajara" is considered both within Mexico and abroad as a synonym of the symbols of Mexico: Mariachi, tequila and the charro, to such degree that this song is like a Mexican hymn all around the world, it was interpreted not only on hundreds of radio stations but also in many movies and by several international singers, one of the most popular interpretation abroad Mexico was that of Elvis Presley. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guadalajara_(song)

Many performers omit some of the verses. For example, Pedro Infante and Elvis Presley have only sung the first two verses; Presley sang the second verse twice and replaced the first two lines in the repetition as follows: Ay ay ay ay ay ay! Mis hermanos. Ay ay ay ay! Mexicanos. (i.e. Ay ay ay ay ay ay! My brothers. Ay ay ay ay! Mexicans.).

Vincente Fernandez performing his version of Gudalajara!

Pepe Guizar was the son of Luis Guizar Valencia and Maria Morfin. Born in Guadalajara February 12, 1912. His early studies were done in the Don Atilano Zavala School and Instituto de Ciencias de Jalisco. In 1928 he moved to Mexico City and entered the National Preparatory School. Later was the first three years of law degree from the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences. He also studied music and recitation at the National Conservatory of Music of Mexico being started in music and piano by maestro J. Jesus Estrada: For his part, Professor Erasmo Castellanos Quinto infected him a taste for poetry.


Pepe Guizar was baptized as "The Music of Mexico painter" because his compositions draw the musical geography of Mexico. It was a folkloric composer strove to dress-Mexican music, led beyond the bars and neighborhoods to enter the halls making it compete with the tango and bolero, when they were fashionable. Enamored of the Mexican province and sang deep national roots to Mexico, its people, a mariachi band and the people of Jalisco. Besides "Guadalajara Guadalajara" wrote: Corrido del Norte, Mexico Tehuantepec and as no two. All, hits that marked an epoch in the life of Mexican music. Pepe Guizar gave validity to an entire musical movement interested in restoring values and life of its people beyond the capital. (More here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepe_Guizar )

Mariachi is a genre of music that originated in Mexico. It is an integration of stringed instruments highly influenced by the cultural impacts of the historical development of Western Mexico. Throughout the history of mariachi, musicians have experimented with brass, wind, and percussion instruments. In addition, sociohistorical factors have influenced the repertoire in terms of the performance of diverse regional song forms as well as the evolution of the performance attire. Mariachi is important to the study of Mexican music because, as an ensemble created during the colonial period, it found its essence during the postcolonial era, blossomed during the nationalist era, and made a global impact during contemporary times. Throughout this development, particularly since the nationalist era, mariachi music has become emblematic of Mexican music by appropriating various Mexican regional song forms. Read more here  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariachi

Robert Matthew Walker in ELVIS - A Study in Music comments
" There are no problems with Guadalajara, which is a curiosity. Presley sings it in Mexican Spanish, and very well for his diction enables every word to be heard... An Alternative take is included on Legendary Performer Vol 3"