Mother's Day serenatas are a popular tradition

Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán-Perfume de Gardenia by blcervantes

As Mother’s Day approaches, I recall the fond memories I had serenading moms on Mother’s Day all through the night. We started at midnight and played until dawn, going house to house with members of the San José Mission mariachi group in San Antonio. It never failed but we were quite successful in bringing mothers to tears when singing songs like “Madricita Querida,” “Canto la Madre,” “Gema,” “Cariño,” “Paloma Blanca” and “Las Mañanitas.” These songs help to honor our mothers and remember their unconditional love.

“Mother’s Day weekend is usually the busiest time of the year for mariachi musicians everywhere,” says Alex Treviño, director for Mariachi Los Arrieros del Valle from McAllen, Texas. “Mother’s Day serenatas last about 12-15 minutes and consist of four primary songs such as “Las Mañanitas,” “Madre Querida,” “Canto la Madre” and “En tu Dia.” “We teach our students at McAllen High School these popular Mother’s Day songs as a way to help them carry on this cultural tradition” he says.

One song Mariachi Los Arrieros performs regularly for Mother’s Day is “Madrecita del Alma Querida.” The song is about a mother’s love and the resemblance between a mother and a rose. The English translation for this Spanish song says “no matter how many loves a man experiences in his life, none will be equal to his mother’s love.”

Happy Mother’s Day to my beautiful mother Irma Muñoz and to all the mothers in the world!

Call Alex Treviño at 956-739-6274 for a Mother’s Day serenade in the Rio Grande Valley or contact mariachimusic.com for a mariachi group near you. Don’t forget to purchase your tickets for Mother’s Day to see Mariachi Vargas live in concert in Midland/Odessa (May 20) and/or Corpus Christi (May 21). It’s the perfect Mother’s Day gift!