Ay Ay Ay (song)

Osmán Pérez Freire

¡Ay, ay, ay!, subtitled Reminiscencias cuyanas, (1913) is a song by the Chilean composer Osmán Pérez Freire. The spelling Ay-Ay-Ay, though incorrect, is more common in English sources, for example as in the title of a 1963 album by Luigi Alva.^[1] Although often mistakenly called a "Chilean" song, perhaps because of the place of birth of the composer, the style is in fact that of a traditional canción cuyana of the Argentine Cuyo region.^[2]

Lyrics

Si alguna vez en tu pecho,

¡ay ay ay!

mi cariño no lo abrigas, engáñalo como un niño,

¡ay ay ay!

pero nunca se lo digas...

References

1. James J. Fuld The Book of World-famous Music: Classical, Popular, and Folk 2000 Page 121 "Ay-Ay-Ay ..Osman Perez Freire. This song is said to have been published first in 1913 by Breyer Hermanos, 414 Florida, ... after the title, are the words "Reminiscencias Cuyanas" (a region in northwest Argentina), there is a picture of a man.....The autograph manuscript of the song is at PAU. This song should not be confused with the Mexican Cielito Lindo, whose chorus begins, "Ay, ay, ay, ay." Freire was born in Santiago, Chile, in 1878, moved to Mendoza, Argentina, in 1886,"
2. Formas musicales rioplatenses Josué Teófilo Wilkes, Ismael Guerrero Cárpena, Josué Teófilo Wilkes - 1946 "En la transición se exhalaba el típico ¡Ay, ay, ay! de la canción cuyana. La frase es, en realidad, la misma de la tonada andina, un tanto desfigurada por mala memorización o quizá para mejor adaptarla al ritmo del estilo."