7 Unmissable Songs For This End Of The Year In Latin American Homes

Music can awaken and connect people with their emotions. It can transport you to happy, nostalgic moments, of great joy or sadness, and Christmas music manages to bring out all those feelings. At Christmas and in the novenas, carols are heard, but to say goodbye to the old year and receive the new year, in Latin America, there are a series of memorable songs that have become a must in these celebrations.

Regardless of musical tastes, on these dates, all generations come together to enjoy these melodies. Year after year, it is a tradition to revive this musical repertoire to toast the new opportunities that lie ahead. Many hits can be included in this playlist, but here we present 7 songs that cannot be missing on New Year's Eve.

"Faltan cinco pa' las doce"

Without a doubt, this song is a must when it comes to hugging the end of the year in homes, mainly in South America. It is a classic written in the 60s by the Venezuelan composer Oswaldo Oropeza and performed by Néstor Zavarce. The characteristic sound of the bells that announce the arrival of midnight reflects the melancholy of the year that is ending and the phrase "I'm running home to hug my mom", which makes your skin crawl.

"Año nuevo, vida nueva"

If you are one of those who prefer to be happy, celebrate and think about the positive things that the new year will bring on this day, this song by the group Billo's Caracas Boys is for you. The musical influence of this group has been marked by Caribbean and Cuban sounds. With its catchy rhythm and easy-to-remember lyrics, this song by the Venezuelan orchestra became a hymn every December 31. It is ideal to forget the bad memories of the year that are gone and welcome the new year with joy.

"Año viejo"

This song performed by the Mexican Tony Camargo became very popular, especially in Colombia, where its composer Crescencio Salcedo is from. It is said that there are more than 300 versions of this theme and for Colombia, it is a musical icon. And it is that who has not sung his particular chorus on December 31: "I leave a goat, a black donkey, a white mare and a good mother-in-law", a composition that, in addition to entertaining us, makes us reflect and be grateful for the good things from the year that is left behind.

"La víspera de año nuevo"

The legendary song "La Víspera de Año Nuevo" by Tobías Enrique Pumarejo and recorded by Guillermo Buitrago, will always be a success to liven up the Colombian December festivities. Behind this musical theme is the story of forbidden love, of a couple of lovers who decide to escape to celebrate the new year together. One of its best-known versions is that of the group “Los 50 de Joselito”, an orchestra that was born to rescue Vallenato music from the 50s, and that every December, without fail, makes us dance.

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"El ausente"

The cumbias of past decades cannot be missing at the end-of-the-year parties in many Latin American countries. In this case, the melancholic song "El Ausente", whose original title is "El Hijo Ausente" is part of the album "30 Pegaditas de Oro" by Pastor López, released in 1999. The theme is also quite popular in El Salvador for the version of the famous Salvadoran orchestra “Los Hermanos Flores”. Despite its festive character, its heartfelt message can't go unnoticed, since it is aimed at those who for one reason or another are not present at the celebration.

Gaita: “Viejo año”

And how not to highlight the folklore and the melodious sounds of the Venezuelan bagpipes. For so many Venezuelans outside their country, listening to a good bagpipe is part of the happy and boisterous tradition that this genre has left behind. “Viejo Año” (1982) is one of the hits of the bagpipe group “Maracaibo 15” founded in Caracas by Betulio Medina in 1974. It combines the rhythms of the Zulia bagpipe with parrandas, cumbias, porros, and many others. It is a song dedicated to the old year and invites us to raise our glasses and toast him.

"La fiesta de Pilito"

The title may not tell you much, but if we recite the chorus: "To eat cake, eat suckling pig, rice with pigeon peas and drink rum", it is possible that many will remember this classic. For most salsa and rumberos, this song by the Gran Combo de Puerto Rico is perfect to make more than one dance not only on these dates but all year round. “La fiesta de Pilito” is a musical success that reminds us that even though in life we will always have worries, the month of December is made to hesitate and have a good time.

Wherever you are this end of the year to say goodbye to 2022, we are sure that there is no better way to celebrate than with an excellent musical compilation, and even better if the songs evoke special moments that you have spent with family and friends.