The happiest memories from childhood are often related to my mom and dad serenading each other on the acoustic guitar. Those moments, sitting together as a family and singing along to the music, are the reason I have a soft spot for the Eagles, the Carpenters, and many other sappy balladeers. When my mother came over for dinner the other night, I asked her to regale me with a few oldies on my new Baby Taylor.
She confessed to being quite rusty and then proceeded to churn out an impressive number of the songs of yore. You would never have thought it had been years since she had picked up a guitar. I am so in awe (and quite envious) of how easily she got back into it.
One of the songs she played is a sentimental favourite of mine. It’s surprisingly easy to strum along to for a guitar beginner like me. Her simplified version consists of just 2 chords: A7 and Bminor. I posted a small video clip of her playing it but won’t link to it here, since only YouTube contacts on my Friends or Family list will be able to see it. If you’re one of the privileged few, have a look-see.
Play the clip below to have a listen. The lyrics are also posted but they may not be entirely accurate…
Lyrics for Suavecito (Malo):
Laaa-ah-ah-ah, la la laaaa-ah-ah-ah
Laaa-ah-ah-ah, la la laaaa-ah-ah-ah
Never…
I never met a girl like you in my life
I never, no, no, yeah
I never met a girl like you in my life
The way that you hold me in the night
The way that you make things go right
Whenever you’re in my arms
Girl, you’re filling me with all your charms
Suavecito, mi linda
Suavecito
The feelin’ that I have inside for you
Suavecito, mi linda
Suavecito
The feelin’
The feelin’ that I have inside for you
‘Cause ever since the day I met you
I knew you that you were my dream come true
But I think I’ve found that day
Gonna make you mine in every way
Suavecito, mi linda (baby, baby, baby now)
Suavecito
You really turn me out
Suavecito
You know you really do
Suavecito
‘Cause you know it, girl, that I love you
I really do love you…
You…
You…
You…
All I want is you
If I can’t have you I don’t know what to do
La la laaa-ah-ah-ah, la la laaaa-ah-ah-ah
Laaa-ah-ah-ah, la la laaaa-ah-ah-ah
Never…
I never met a girl like you in my life
I never, no, no, yeah
I never met a girl like you in my life
‘Cause I know we’ll always be
Together just you and me
From here on you’re gonna see
You’ll be mine until eternity
Suavecito, mi linda (baby, baby, baby now)
Suavecito
You really turn me out
Suavecito, mi linda
You know you really do
Suavecito
‘Cause you know it, girl, that I love you
Suavecito, mi linda
Suavecito
I really do love you…
May 22, 2008 @ 11:33:37
karen, i believe you speak spanish, but, listen, how did you come to be interested in the lyrics, this is the first song that I learned to play on a guitar, a cousin of a half brother about 30 years ago if am not mistaken, taught it to me, but 10 years or 12 i bought a guitar by chance and ever since i have played that song but the lyrics were not complete. thank you for your lyrics,
May 22, 2008 @ 22:56:22
Hi Jorge,
My mother used to sing Suavecito to me as she played her acoustic guitar, so I grew up with these lyrics ingrained in my head. It remains one of my favourite songs to both sing and to play on the guitar. Glad you enjoyed the lyrics and thanks for sharing your story about this song.
Jun 18, 2008 @ 20:34:02
Was this Carlos Santana? I LOVED this song…thank you! I just cannot recall who did this…
Jun 19, 2008 @ 19:12:56
Hi Pamela,
Not Carlos Santana, but his brother, Jorge. Wikipedia has a good entry about Malo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malo
Nov 21, 2008 @ 20:17:43
Hi Karen!
What are the actual chords to that tune? I know a simple A7 to B- will cut it but it seems like more. I play piano.
Dec 02, 2008 @ 10:52:54
Hi George,
I had a hard time finding any more chord info online, but I did find a detailed guitar tab and one site that describes the chord progression as alternating between major and minor seventh chords.
Moreover, the “Oh…” bit from Sugar Ray’s song Every Morning is lifted from this song. You may want to see if you can use that song’s chords as a starting point. If you figure it out, let me know, because I play piano as well as guitar.
Linkage:
Guitar tab: http://www.911tabs.com/link/?4728206
Short chord commentary on Suavecito: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:hcfixxtsldfe
Sugar Ray’s Every Morning chords (pick your fave): http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/search.php?s=every+morning&w=songs
Every Morning on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cqU1pFRqYE
Jan 31, 2009 @ 16:20:54
hey if anyone has a video tab or even a typed out one please email me goochjt@gmail.com im having trouble figuring out the one that is all over the internet i cant figure this one out
Date: Sun, 29 Mar 1998 15:12:01 EST
From: Chevrolou
Subject: tab: Suavecito by Malo
Jul 09, 2009 @ 11:29:38
Depending on your vocal range, you can play this song in a variety of keys. I don’t know what the original key is, but you can use the following to determine what’s best for you:
Emaj7 F#m7 Emaj7 F#m7
la la la_______________ la la la ______________
Choose any major seventh chord and then play the minor seventh chord that is a whole step above the major seventh (see below):
Amaj7 Bm7
Bmaj7 C#m7
Cmaj7 Dm7
Dmaj7 Em7
Emaj7 F#m7
Fmaj7 Gm7
Jul 09, 2009 @ 13:13:09
Thanks so much, Cleo! I’ll have to a) figure out what the best key is for my voice and b) learn how to play minor sevenths on my guitar. But this is very helpful.
Jul 23, 2009 @ 08:10:45
You are welcome. A “trick” to learning the minor seventh chords is to learn the notes on the low “E” and “A” strings from the open string position to the 12th fret.
For the “E” string, barre the entire first fret with your first finger and then place your third finger on the 3rd fret of the “A” (131111). That is the minor seventh position using the notes of the low “E” string.
Since the note you are pressing on the first fret of the “E” string is an “F,” you just played a F minor seventh chord or Fm7.
If you move that same chord position to the second fret (242222), you are pressing on the F# note of the “E” string and thus you are playing an F#m7 chord.
For the “A” string position, the first thing to remember is this: DO NOT PLAY THE LOW “E” STRING when playing minor seventh chords in the “A” string position.
For the “A” string, the chord shape for the first fret is barring the first fret with your 1st finger, pressing the 3rd fret of the 4th or “D” string with your 3rd finger and pressing the 2nd fret of the 2nd or “B” string with your 2nd finger (x13121). “X” means “do not play this string.”
Since the note you’re pressing on the first fret of the “A” string is Bb, guess what minor 7th chord you’re playing? Yup, Bbm7.
The next notes are B, C, C#, D so as long as you are just going up the neck with that same position, the note on the “A” string tells you what minor 7th chord it is.
Hope that helps!
Sep 27, 2010 @ 05:30:28
CLEO, I consider myself soooo LUCKY this am to find this site. Thanks for the chords–I (try) to play keyboards. I’ll print this out & give it a go. Would youhave ANY idea where i can HEAR the 1972 ORIGINAL PLEASE ??????????
THANKS a lot for your time. Regards,. Don
Oct 30, 2010 @ 05:20:34
You you should change the page title Suavecito (Malo) | karenhamilton.ca to more generic for your blog post you make. I enjoyed the blog post yet.
Nov 11, 2011 @ 20:57:49
To start the song strum each chord 1 time, progress 1 fret at a time…
La, La, La
Bmaj7, Cmaj7, C#maj7
then alternate between Bmaj7 and C#maj7
Bmaj7 x24342, Cmaj7 x35453, C#maj7 x46564
To improvise solo play the B Major scale on the high e string on frets 0, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20
improvise on these frets ie.. 0 0 2 4 2 6 6 8 / 12~
hope you get the idea, feel the song and slide back and forth, main thing is to have fun improvising on these frets :0 )
Nov 11, 2011 @ 21:14:07
After playing it over again it sound better with
Bmaj7 x24342
Cmaj7 x35453 to
C#m7 x46454 on the first 3 La’s
Then Alternate between Bmaj7 x24342 To C#m7 x46454 for the rest of the song :0 )