According to Velázquez, she wrote this song even though she had never been kissed yet at the time, and kissing, as she heard, was considered a sin.[8][9]
In 1990, a hitherto clandestine affair between two
Brazilian government ministers,
Bernardo Cabral (Minister of Justice) and
Zélia Cardoso de Mello (Minister for Economy, Finance & Planning), was revealed to public knowledge as the couple danced cheek to cheek to "Bésame Mucho" during a birthday party held for Cardoso de Mello. A married father of three, Cabral was forced to resign as a result.[10]
A few days later, at a ceremony in which Cardoso de Mello was due to receive her country's
Order of Military Merit, the regimental band of the presidential guard,
Os Dragões da Independência, struck up "Bésame Mucho" as she was presented with her medal. Its musical director, Lt. Geraldo Mendonça da Lima, was subsequently given 3 days' detention for insubordination.[11][12]
Notable versions
Capitol Records 78rpm record label for USA release of
Andy Russell's "Bésame Mucho." Original issue. 1944
Ray Conniff and His Orchestra and Chorus recorded this song on march 25, 1960, for the album "
Say It With Music" issued originally on August 8, 1960. A world wide hit [citation needed]and a trademark for Conniff for decades.
The Beatles (recorded during their
Decca audition on January 1, 1962. A second version was recorded during their first session at
Abbey Road Studios on June 6, 1962. The latter is included on The Beatles' Anthology 1)[17]
Jet Harris reached No.22 in the UK with their version in 1962.[18]
Dalida reached No 5 in France and No 10 in Turkey in 1976.
^"Headliners; Internal Affair". New York Times. New York. October 21, 1990.
Archived from the original on December 21, 2014. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
^"Band Hits Sour Note". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, CA. November 6, 1990.
Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2014.