Down in Mexico

"Down in Mexico" is the debut single by the Coasters, released in 1956. The song was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and appears on the 1957 album, The Coasters. It reached No. 8 on the R&B chart in 1956.

This song is about a person, who goes down to Mexico, where he meets a boss, who wears a red bandanna, and plays the piano in a honky-tonk. Also, a dance erupts, where a Mexican girl dances wildly with the narrator of the song.

This song features castanets.

This song features a spoken recitation, in a Mexican accent, before the song's fade, by Carl Gardner.

The song appears in the film Death Proof, directed by Quentin Tarantino. The version used is a re-recording done in 1973. The song also appears in The Hangover Part III, directed by Todd Phillips.

Personnel

 * Mike Stoller, piano
 * Gil Bernal, saxophone
 * Barney Kessell, guitar
 * probably Adolph Jacobs, guitar
 * Ralph Hamilton, bass
 * Jesse Sailes, drums
 * Chico Guerrero, congas

Cover versions

 * Bobby Short on his 1958 album, Speaking of Love
 * Ella Mae Morse on her 1985 album, Sensational
 * Deja Voodoo on their 1988 album, Too Cool to Live, Too Smart to Die
 * Kaleidoscope on their 1991 album, Greetings from Kartoonistan...(We Ain't Dead Yet)
 * Ronnie Dawson on his 1994 album, Monkey Beat!
 * Manfred Mann on his 2004 album 2006