This villancico has a well-documented performance history with mixed choir as a centuries old lullaby to the newborn Jesus. The word “ru ru” has no lexical definition, but rather is a coo meant to lull a baby to sleep. This is sometimes also found as “ro ro,” “rururru”, “alarururru” or “arrorro.” All of these have come to be translated as “lullaby” and interchangeably are used as lyrics and titles of different canciones de cuna (lullabies).

This arrangement juxtaposes the calmness of musical pads for stasis in the refrains with the boisterous verses, where the joy of those present bursts in sudden exclamations of joy! This, to the arranger’s ear, adds a familiar flamboyance of their experience with Mexican folk songs. In several ways, “El rorro” parallels “Stille Nacht (Silent Night).” Both sing of the newborn baby of Jesus at the end of the nativity story, peaceful and resting… although only one of the two mentions mosquitos and elephants!