Mi Viejo Lyrics in English by Grupo Marca Registrada
Mitote is a fascinating word that can mean 'gossip', 'rumor', or 'commotion'. It's a less common, more colorful term than simply 'chisme' (gossip), and it often carries a connotation of drama or a big fuss.
In the song, the lyrics advise, "No ande entre chisme y mitote porque eso es puro veneno" (Don't get involved in gossip and mitote because that's pure poison). This line uses mitote to emphasize staying away from dramatic, harmful rumors and unnecessary commotion, making it a memorable and culturally rich word.
This song is basically a heartfelt conversation with the singer’s “viejo” [old man / elder], who in this case is actually his grandfather, but loved and remembered like a father. From the first line, “Viejo, te extraño bastante” [Old man, I miss you so much], you can feel how much he still hurts after losing him. He even says, “Dicen que los años curan y esto no ha cicatrizado” [They say years heal, and this still hasn’t scarred over], which is such a direct way to say: time has passed, but the pain is still open. Even so, he keeps going in life “como te hubiera gustado” [the way you would have liked], trying to honor the path his grandfather wanted for him.
Most of the song is him repeating the advice his “viejo” used to give. It is simple, old-school wisdom: “Pórtense bien con la gente y trate a todos igual” [Behave well with people and treat everyone the same] and “Nunca haga menos a nadie porque le puede pesar” [Never look down on anyone, or you’ll regret it]. There are also very Mexican, very direct warnings: “No ande entre chisme y mitote, porque eso es puro veneno” [Don’t get into gossip and drama, because that’s pure poison]. He remembers how his grandfather, who lost his own mother at two years old, still “formaste una gran familia con amor y educación” [you built a great family with love and education]. Humility is huge in this song: “La humildad, esa es la llave que te abre todas las puertas” [Humility is the key that opens all doors], but he also warns not to fall for fake praise and appearances.
I love how the song calls out fake kindness: “Si puede brindar su mano, bríndela de corazón, no pa’ que mire la gente y le aplaudan por la acción” [If you can lend a hand, do it from the heart, not so people see you and clap for you]. The only approval that matters is “Con que lo mire Diosito, se alimenta el corazón” [As long as God sees it, the heart is fed]. Near the end, he drops the singer image and just sounds like a grandson grieving: “Si se me quiebra la voz, es que lo extraño bastante, se los digo como humano, no en cabeza de cantante” [If my voice cracks, it’s because I miss him a lot, I say this as a human, not as a singer]. And the final line explains everything: “Y a pesar que fue mi abuelo, yo lo miré como un padre” [And even though he was my grandfather, I saw him as a father]. It is a song about missing the person who raised you, replaying their words in your head, and trying to live up to them even after they are gone.
