Which country has the most emotional song dedicated to emigrants? A video shared on Instagram has prompted a competition among Cuba, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic through three musical pieces that reflect the nostalgia, uprooting, and challenges faced by those who leave their homeland in search of a better future.
The post, shared by user @Jeffer17, features snippets of songs by Celia Cruz, Juan Luis Guerra, and Calibre 50, and invites followers to choose which one best conveys the feelings of those living far from their homeland.
The video posted on Instagram had garnered over 83,000 "likes" and 13,500 comments up to this moment.
To represent the Dominican Republic, the creator chose "Visa para un sueño," by Juan Luis Guerra and 4.40, included in the album Ojalá que llueva café, from 1989. The song addresses the challenges faced by those trying to obtain a visa to emigrate and the hopes they place in the possibility of starting a new life in another country.
Mexico participates with "El corrido de Juanito" by Calibre 50, a song that portrays the experience of an emigrant who has spent years away from their homeland. The song reflects the longing for family, the passage of time, and the sacrifices made by those who work abroad while dreaming of returning home.
For Cuba, the selected song is "Just in Case I Don't Return," performed by Celia Cruz and written by Emilio Estefan and Angie Chirino, one of the most moving pieces in her repertoire and a composition closely tied to the sentiment of the Cuban exile.
Included in the album Siempre viviré, released in 2000, the song expresses the pain of leaving one's homeland and the uncertainty of not knowing if it will ever be possible to return.
The election holds special significance due to Celia Cruz's own history. The Guarachera de Cuba left the island in July 1960 with the Sonora Matancera and was never able to return. In 1962, Cuban authorities denied her permission to attend her mother's funeral. The artist passed away in the United States on July 16, 2003.
Over the years, "Just in case I don't return" has become one of the most representative songs of Cuban emigration, particularly among those who left their families behind and keep the hope of returning to their homeland alive.
The topic was also used by the United States Embassy in Cuba in a tribute dedicated to Celia Cruz in April of this year.
The creator of the video did not hide his preference for the Cuban song and defended his choice with these words: "There’s nothing better than Cuba because Cubans truly struggle in their country and leave in search of a better future."
Finally, he left the decision in the hands of his followers with a request: "May the country that has created the most heartfelt song dedicated to immigrants win."
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