15 Selena Quintanilla Songs Every Fan Knows By Heart
You’ll know the hard-core Selena fans when you see them because they are usually the ones who can sing just about every Selena song there is, word for word, while also doing some of the Tejana star’s signature dance moves
Photo: Flickr/hellboy_93
You’ll know the hard-core Selena fans when you see them because they are usually the ones who can sing just about every Selena song there is, word for word, while also doing some of the Tejana star’s signature dance moves. We love coming up with roundups having to do with the superstar and sharing them with our readers, so we decided to do one-on-one songs every Selena superfan should know by heart.
To get you feeling super nostalgic we made sure to include the corresponding Selena video for each song, be it the official video for the jam, or a live performance of Selena singing the song (except for “I Could Fall in Love,” which is Jennifer Lopez singing as Selena in the film Selena). Feel free to sing along, dance, and embrace the fact that Selena is still here through her amazing music, her kind spirit, and her everlasting legacy.
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“Bidi Bidi Bom Bom”
“Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” is one of Selena’s best-known and best-loved hits. The words have come to be associated with her, emblazoned on T-shirts, mugs, and other Selena merch. Of course, we know that bidi bidi bom bom is how her heart beats when she is around the man she loves. It’s hard not to sing the song without automatically wanting to bust out the cute dance moves from the video!
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“Como La Flor”
Another huge Selena song is “Como La Flor.” Selena is always associated with flowers, especially roses, and particularly white roses (her favorite flowers). The song compares love that has faded away to the withering of a flower. Even if you don’t know the words to “Como La Flor,” everyone joins in when it’s time to sing “Aaaayyy! Como me duele!”
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“I Could Fall in Love”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBTUpcCJ_6Q
Come on, you know you’ve cried listening to Selena’s English songs. It’s a reminder that she didn’t get to live to do so much more in the English market, than the already-massive success she had experienced. Her star was definitely dimmed too soon, But it also makes us happy that everywhere we turn, Selena is there, being celebrated. “I Could Fall in Love” is such a sweet song about loving someone and not knowing whether you should let them know or not.
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“Techno Cumbia”
Selena is known for having sung some major dance jams! How can you not run to the dance floor (or wherever you are) and get down to “Techno Cumbia?!” We think it’s impossible, really. Add to that the fun of learning the fast-paced lyrics by rewinding the song and/or playing it 10,000 times until you got it right!
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“Dreaming of You”
Another sweet song in English that Selena recorded is “Dreaming of You.” How many times have we sung that song out loud and pictured our crush?! The cutest part is that the song starts out with Selena dreaming of being with her crush, and then when he tells her he loves her, the dream comes true and then shifts to dreaming with him.
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“Amor Prohibido”
Selena’s first number one song as a solo artist was “Amor Prohibido.” She wrote the hit, with brother A.B. Quintanilla, and Pete Astudillo, about her and A.B.’s grandparents, who found love despite being from different social classes. It’s another song that most every Selena fan knows, but everyone joins in when it’s time to yell out, “o-oh, baby!”
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“Baila Esta Cumbia”
Selena wasn’t crowned the Queen of Cumbia for nothing. She had one cumbia hit after another, including the jam, “Baila Esta Cumbia.” It’s another one of her songs that you can’t listen to without getting up and dancing. Try it! We also have to give Selena credit and thanks for teaching so many Latinxs to speak Spanish or improve their Spanish through learning her lyrics!
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“La Carcacha”
“La Carcacha” is such a cute song. It’s a jam for that girl who loves her guy for who he is, even if he doesn’t have money or a decent car.
“Miren muchachas que no me arrepiento
Y tampoco me avergüenzo yo de mi galán
Aunque sea pobre y tenga un carro viejo
Me trata como reina
Un hombre de verdad
Lo que importa es que voy con él
Tampoco sera el más guapo
Pero sí es mi novio fiel.”
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“El Chico Del Apartamento 512”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK2y53aqtD4
Every girl hopes and prays for a cute neighbor. Selena just happened to be so lucky in her song “El Chico Del Apartamento 512.” The song paints the entire picture of a mini novela: all the wrong guys hit on Selena. Then she sees the guy of her dreams come out of the elevator. He is friendly, and after some time, Selena gets up enough nerve to go talk to him, only for him to ask her if she’s looking for his brother!
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“No Me Queda Mas”
Written by Ricky Vela (songwriter and Selena y Los Dinos keyboardist), about his love for Suzette Quintanilla (the band’s drummer and Selena’s sister), “No Me Queda Mas” is a gorgeous song. It talks about having to wish the person you love well when they are about to marry someone else while proclaiming at the same time that what you felt was true and life-changing.
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“Donde Quiera Que Estés,” with Barrio Boyzz
If you’ve noticed, Selena was a badass dancer. In addition to her own signature moves, she knew how to get down like a true chica of the ’90s. Just check out this video for the song she did with the Barrio Boyzz, “Donde Quiere Que Estes.” Did we mention the fashion? It’s everything!
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“Missing My Baby”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPiH6UL84b0
Selena was all about the tender love songs! Just look at “Missing My Baby,” off of her Entre a Mi Mundo and Dreaming of You albums. Now, how many times have you sung that song out loud when you were missing your own baby? Selena wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable in her songs and portray emotions and themes like missing someone, doubt, fear of rejection, unrequited love, shyness, etc.
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“No Debes Jugar”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRbu2RQmzGE
Just like Selena wasn’t afraid to show her vulnerable side, or sing about love, she didn’t hesitate to put a man in his place in other songs, like “No Debes Jugar.” She lets the guy know she is not to be played with! Tell her how you feel or step aside! You know you have sung this jam out loud in frustration about your love life — but at least Selena’s music made it better!
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“La Llamada”
Another empowering song for women who are fed up is “La Llamada.” The Selena song is all about her telling off, hanging up on, and not forgiving a lying, cheating guy who pretends she didn’t just see him kissing another girl. Because no woman should be putting up with that kind of mess!
“No me vuelvas a llamar
Tratando de explicar
Que lo que vi no era cierto
Verguenza debías tener
Si me quieres convencer
Que eres fiel y eres sincero
Oh, te vi con ella no puedes negar
Que eran tus labios los que la besaban, canalla
No te sirvió de nada, el disimular
Que solo, charlaban, no mientas más.”
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“Fotos y Recuerdos”
Another song we love and know all the words to is “Fotos y Recuerdos.” The Selena classic is a cover of another classic jam, the Pretenders’ “Back on the Chain Gang,” and talks about only having photos and memories left after losing a love. “Fotos y Recuerdos” topped both Billboard’s U.S. Hot Latin Songs and Regional Mexican Airplay charts, as well as peaking at #12 on the U.S. Latin Pop Chart.
