In 1944, as World War II was drawing to a close, the Mexican love song Besame Mucho crossed the Atlantic and became one of the most recognisable melodies of the post-war era. Its lyrics were daring for the time: an open plea for a passionate kiss.

The song had been written years earlier by Consuelo Velazquez, a young woman who composed romantic melodies for pleasure but kept her authorship a secret, fearing it could damage her career as a classical pianist.

When Consuelo’s secret got out, her song Bésame Mucho topped the charts in the US and became one of the most covered songs in Spanish, with versions by The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.

Stefania Gozzer speaks to her son, Mariano Rivera Velazquez, about his mother's unexpected worldwide success.

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(Photo: A couple kiss by the West Gates at Pennsylvania Station, New York City. Credit: Three Lions/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

The Mexican song that captivated lovers during World War II

Witness History

The Mexican song that captivated lovers during World War II