Well, speaking of this topic, the first thing that actually came to my mind was a famous Cuban song called Guantanamera. I first got to know it in April this year, when I travelled to Cuba with a friend for a week.

During the trip, I heard this song again and again. In a swamp national park, there was a local band playing it live. In the streets of Havana, random street performers were singing it. And even in the hotel’s evening shows, it was part of the performance. It seemed like this song was everywhere, and that’s how it left such a strong impression on me.

Our local tour guide gave us a little background of the song. He told us that “Guantanamera” means “the girl from Guantánamo,” which is a city in eastern Cuba. But the deeper meaning comes from the lyrics, which are adapted from the poetry of José Martí — a national hero of Cuba. The song expresses love for the homeland, honesty, and the beauty of nature. It’s a cultural symbol, and almost every Cuban knows how to sing it.

What made it even more interesting for me was the way it sounded. The chorus goes like “Guantanamera, guajira Guantanamera”, and because Cuba relies a lot on American tourists and their tips — usually one US dollar — this line sounds very similar to “one dollar meila”. And “meila” in Chinese means “disappeared” or “gone”. So every time I heard the chorus, it felt like the song was saying “one dollar is gone,” which was funny and a bit sad at the same time.

Besides that, I truly enjoy the rhythm of this song. It’s very relaxing and has strong Afro-Cuban drum beats that make you want to move your body. It’s the kind of music that immediately lifts your mood.

So yeah, because of both its cultural meaning and the fun memory I had with it, Guantanamera became one of the most unforgettable songs I’ve ever heard.