My Mixtape Memoir

(2003-present)

By: Nellie Alonso

Content/ Chapters

1953 - Camino De Guanajuato by Jose Alfredo Jimenez

1960 - La Boa by Sonora Santanera
1997 - Mi Piquito De Oro by Ramón Ayala
2010 - Amor y Control by Ruben Blades
2010 - Las Avispas by Juan Luis Guerra
2015 - Never Forget You by Zara Larsson and MNEK
 Camino De Guanajuato
1953
This memory is one of the most precious I have of my grandfather; his name was Francisco. This
was his favorite song. Every time we played this song, he was happy and sang a few times. One
of the phrases of the song says "Yo ahí me quedo, paisanos, Ahí es mi pueblo adorado" which
translate to "I stay here, paisanos (referring to people who are from his country), here are my
beloved people" my grandpa always loved his state Sonora, Mexico and his little town Obregon.
He told me several times how Sonora was a special and how he wanted to go back there and
greet some old friends. He never could complete this wish after his illness approached.
 
I remember getting up one day at night because I was hungry, everything was dark, and I saw a
light that came from the kitchen then I heard someone. It was my grandfather who had his music,
which is specifically this song, and was sitting in the dining room. He asked me if I wanted
something to eat, and obviously, I said yes. I remember that he was singing while he was making
me a Maruchan soup. Which, by the way, was his specialty.
 
I remember his funeral like it was yesterday, and I was in the lobby where every single person on
my mom's side of the family was. We were all crying because they were taking him to the
cemetery, that was not the hardest part, then they started to play this song while taking him
away; I broke into a million pieces and began to cry harder. Then it got to the last part I could not
bear the pain, so I held on tight to my cousin who is a year older than me and we both started to
cry together. I missed him so much at that point, and I still do. 
 
In loving memory of my grandpa Francisco 
 La Boa
1960
Reminds me of Christmas when I was little. My aunt lives in south Mexico with my grandpa ;my
grandpa’s name from my dad’s side is Pablo and he danced with me every time this song played.
Since he comes from southern Mexico, they listen to a lot of tropical music and salsa. I
remember being in the backyard where we broke the piñata in Christmas and everyone was
looking at us happy and dancing with the music; they started to applaud and joined us. It was a
very funny moment for me and after that I got to eat a lot of candy and tamales.
Unfortunately we cannot do that anymore since my grandpa now has a frail health, but
sometimes we listen to this song and dance on our own. We did not care much about the lyrics of
this song but we could always dance to the music. Something I remember that always stood out
in the song was " Mi corazón es para tí " which translates to ” My heart is for you” in which my
grandfather and I always sang in unison.

*Christmas last year, the woman standing with the kid is my aunt and the first person sitting in
the couch in the left is my grandpa.
 Mi Piquito De Oro
1997
«  Yo tengo un amorcito que la quiero más que a mi vida
Por ella me muero y sabe bien que es mi consentida
A ella le digo con cariño mi piquito de oro
Le gusta que la besa y que le diga mi lindo tesoro »

Translates to :

«  I have a little love that I love her more than my life

I'm dying for her, and she knows she's my favorite
To her I say affectionately my little golden piquito (Referring to the mouth)
She likes it when I kiss her and tell her my beautiful treasure »

I remember this song and my dad always sang it to me. In Mexico, many restaurants have a band
singing to all the diners. Whenever my dad saw a singer he always asked if he could sing this
song. One time we were in a seafood taco restaurant and he asked the singer to sing this song.
This lyrics will always stay with me because he is the first person in my life who has said to me
"beautiful treasure" to the person who calls me that in the future will have to be my husband.
Someone who takes care of you like a father does, no one.

My dad always reminds me that he loves me and that I came to light up his life. If anything can
clearly represent this song, it is that the love of father and daughter is incomparable to any other
love, not even the one of mother and daughter. Plus the other part of the lyrics goes:

«Ahí viene mi piquito de oro

Ahí viene mi lindo Tesoro »

Translates to:

«Here comes my golden piquito

Here comes my beautiful treasure»

This represents how I came into my parents' lives to make them happy and love them forever.
 Amor y Control
«  Saliendo del hospital
Después de ver a mi mamá
Luchando contra un cáncer
Que no se puede curar »

Translates to:

«  Leaving the hospital

After seeing my mom
Fighting cancer
That can't be cured »

This song reminded me of when my mom had breast cancer. It was a tough period for my little
family, and this made us closer. I had to witness how hard she fought chemotherapy and
radiation as she slowly began to lose her hair and look weaker and weaker. I did not understand
many things at the time, but I remember very well when she came back from the hospital. It was
one of the few times I cried for happiness, and I remember running to her and hugging her. She
is fine now, and I always thank God for letting my mother stay by my side.
«  Solo quien tiene hijos entiende
Que el deber de un padre no acaba jamas
Que el amor de padre y madre
No se cansa de entregar
Que deseamos para ustedes lo que nunca
Hemos tenido, que a pesar de los problemas
Familia es familia y cariño es cariño »
Translates to :

«  Only those who have children understand

That a parent’s duty never ends
May the love of father and mother
Does not get tired of giving

That we wish for you what we never

had, despite the problems
Family is family and love is love »

That even though my mom had cancer, and we were having a hard time, our love for each other
as a family could overcome everything. Parental love is indeed infinite, and my parents have
always shown it. I remember that my mom saw me and smiled when she felt bad and made me
not realize it, but I knew that she was suffering a lot. When she came back, I made a big sign that
said "welcome mom" with pens and cardboard waiting for her to like it. Later on, she told me
what she loved most was seeing me.
 Las Avispas
This song, more than memory, is like my emblem, and every time I have a problem, I listen to it.
Once it helped me a lot, it was when I had an important competition. The lyrics go like this:

« Jesús me dijo
Que me riera
Si el enemigo
Me tienta en la carrera »

Translates to :

«Jesus told me
To laugh
If the enemy
Tempts me in the race»

In this competition, I was very nervous and afraid of the outcome, and when I heard this song, I
instantly calmed down because I felt that God was talking to me in a way, and he was telling me
not to worry and to stick to what I was doing. In the song it also says:
«Y tengo un Dios admirable en los cielos
Que me libra de mal y temores
Es mi roca, mi gran fortaleza
Y me colma con sus bendiciones »
Translates to :

« And I have an admirable God in the heavens

That it frees me from evil and fears
It's my rock, my great strength
And he showers me with his blessings »

These words made me reaffirm that God is going to be there for me, so I do not have to worry
and keep working. In the end, I did good in my archery competition, and I am very grateful to
God for the great day he gave me. I still listen to this song today to gain strength to push myself
forward every time I need it.
 Never Forget You
This song has a significant memory in my life since this song clearly explains my transition from
Mexico to the United States for my studies. It was a change I wanted to make, but it was one of
the most challenging decisions in my life as I had to adapt to another culture, another language,
and new people. I knew I was going to miss my friends, my school, and a lot of things, so I
remember crying when I heard this song, and all my memories of my friends came back since
many of them I knew since elementary school. The song says:
« I used to be so happy
But without here I feel so low
I watched you as you left but I can never seem to let you go »
I was happy, and I knew that the change was going to be hard, but still, that was what I chose,
but that did not take away the fact that they were my friends and that leaving them will
eventually hurt me because we all had a history together. I remember those days when I was
happiest. I am not saying I am not happy today, but that was my best time.
«I'll never forget you
You'll always be by my side
From the day that I met you
I knew that I would love you 'til the day I die »
I had a friend whose name is Aleisha is very special to me since we had known each other for a
long time and she and I had to go our separate ways, but I knew that I would always be there for
her and she would always be there for me. All these memories are significant to me, I do not
regret anything, and even though I miss them a lot, we still talk. The time changed a lot of things,
and also though I changed, I was pleased to have met them and to have another page in my life.

*The girl on top of me is Aleisha