Three Mexican Corridos

These lyrics come from three Mexican corridos at Corridos sin fronteras. The original site is much richer visusally and has audio clips of the songs. Use the lyrics below in case you have trouble accessing the Flash-enhanced site.

 "Gregorio Cortez"

Interpretado por Pedro Rocha y Lupe Martínez
Performed by Pedro Rocha y Lupe Martínez

En el condado del Carmen
miren lo que ha sucedido:
murió el Cherife Mayor,
quedando Román herido.

Look what has happened
in the county of Carmen:
the Major Sheriff has died
and Román has been wounded.
----

Otro día por la mañana
cuando la gente llegó,
unos a los otros dicen:
"No saben quien lo mató".

The next morning,
when people arrived,
they said to each other:
"Nobody knows who killed him."
----

Se anduvieron informando,
como tres horas después
supieron que el malhechor
era Gregorio Cortez.

They investigated
and about three hours later
they discovered that
Gregorio Cortez was the wrongdoer.
----

Insortaron a Cortez
por toditito el estado:
"Vivo o muerto que se aprehenda
porque a varios ha matado".

A warrant for Cortez's arrest
was issued throughout the state:
"Bring him in dead or alive,
he is wanted for murder."
----

Decía Gregorio Cortez
con su pistola en la mano:
"No siento haberlo matado,
al que siento es a mi hermano".

Gregorio Cortez said,
with his pistol in his hand:
"I'm not sorry for killing him,
my concern is for my brother."
----

Decía Gregorio Cortez
con su alma muy encendida:
"No siento haberlo matado,
la defensa es permitida".

Gregorio Cortez said,
with his soul ablaze:
"I'm not sorry for killing him,
self-defense is justifiable."
----

Venían los americanos
que por el viento volaban
porque se iban a ganar
tres mil pesos que les daban.

The Americans were coming
as fast as the wind,
because they would earn
a reward of 3,000 pesos.
----

Tiró con rumbo a González,
varios cherifes lo vieron,
no lo quisieron seguir
porque le tuvieron miedo.

He fled toward González.
Several sheriffs saw him
but they didn't want to pursue him
because they were afraid.
----

Venían los perros jaunes,
venían sobre la huella,
pero alcanzar a Cortez
era alcanzar a una estrella.

The hound dogs were coming,
following his trail,
but catching Cortez
was like reaching for a star.
----

Decía Gregorio Cortez:
"¡Pa' qué se valen de planes,
si no pueden agarrarme
ni con esos perros jaunes!"

Gregorio Cortez said:
"Why do you even try?
You can't even catch me,
with those hound dogs."
----

Decían los americanos:
"¿Si lo vemos qué le haremos?
si le entramos por derecho
muy poquitos volveremos".

The Americans said:
"What shall we do if we find him?
In an open confrontation
only a few of us will make it back."
----

En el redondel del rancho
lo alcanzaron a rodear,
poquitos más de trescientos
y allí les brincó el corral.

By the corral of the ranch
they surrounded him.
There were more than 300 men,
but he jumped through their ring.
----

Allá por el Encinal,
asegún por lo que dicen,
se agarraron a balazos
y les mató a otro cherife.

Around El Encinal,
according to what they say,
they had a shoot out
and he killed another sheriff.
----

Decía Gregorio Cortez
con su pistola en la mano:
"No corran rinches cobardes,
con un solo mexicano".

Gregorio Cortez said,
with his pistol in his hand:
"Don't run you cowardly Rangers,
from one lone Mexican."
----

Giró con rumbo a Laredo
sin ninguna timidez:
"¡Síganme rinches cobardes,
yo soy Gregorio Cortez!"

He turned toward
Laredo without any fear:
"Follow me, you cowardly Rangers,
I am Gregorio Cortez."
----

Gregorio le dice a Juan
en el rancho del Ciprés:
"Platícame qué hay de nuevo,
yo soy Gregorio Cortez".

Gregorio says to Juan,
at the ranch of the cypress:
"Tell me, what's new?
I am Gregorio Cortez."
----

Gregorio le dice a Juan:
"Muy pronto lo vas a ver,
anda háblale a los cherifes
que me vengan a aprehender".

Gregorio says to Juan:
"You will soon find out.
Go and call the sheriffs,
tell them to come and arrest me."
----

Cuando llegan los cherifes
Gregorio se presentó:
"Por las buenas si me llevan,
porque de otro modo no".

When the sheriffs arrived
Gregorio turned himself in.
"You can take me only on my terms,
no other way."
----

Ya agarraron a Cortez,
ya terminó la cuestión,
la pobre de su familia
la lleva en el corazón.

They caught Cortez
and the case is closed.
His poor family
is always in his heart.
----

Ya con esta ahí me despido
con la sombra de un Ciprés,
aquí se acaba cantando
la tragedia de Cortez.

I now take my leave,
by the shade of a cypress tree.
Here I end singing
the tragedy of Cortez.


 "El corrido de César Chávez"
"The Corrido of César Chávez"

Interpretado por Daniel Valdez
Performed by Daniel Valdez

Un día siete de marzo,
Jueves Santo en la mañana,
salió César de Delano
componiendo una campaña.

On the 7th of March,
the morning of Holy Thursday,
César left Delano,
organizing a campaign.
----

Compañeros campesinos:
"Esto va a ser un ejemplo,
esta marcha la llevamos
hasta mero Sacramento".

"Fellow farmworkers,
this will serve as a lesson;
this march will take us
straight to Sacramento."
----

Cuando llegamos a Fresno
toda la gente gritaba:
"¡Y que viva César Chávez!"
y la gente que él llevaba.

When we arrived at Fresno,
everybody was shouting:
"Long live César Chávez
and his followers."
----

Nos despedimos de Fresno,
nos despedimos con fe,
para llegar muy contentos
hasta el pueblo de Merced.

We gave our farewell to Fresno,
we departed with faith,
arriving happily
at the town of Merced.
----

Ya vamos llegando a Stockton,
ya mero la luz se fue,
pero mi gente gritaba:
"¡Sigan con bastante fe!"

We are getting close to Stockton,
the light is almost gone,
but my people shouted:
"Let's go on, with faith."
----

Cuando llegamos a Stockton
los mariachis nos cantaban:
"¡Y que viva César Chávez!"
y la Virgen que él llevaba.

When we arrived at Stockton
the mariachis sang to us:
"Long live César Chávez
and the Virgin image he carries."
----

Contratistas esquiroles,
esto va a ser una historia:
ustedes van al infierno
y nosotros a la Gloria.

Strikebreaking contractors,
this will become history.
you will go to hell
and we will go to heaven.
----

Oiga, Señor César Chávez:
un hombre que se pronuncia,
en su pecho usted merece
la Virgen de Guadalupe.

Listen, Mr. César Chávez,
you are a man who speaks up.
On your chest you deserve
the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe.


 "Mi raza chicana"
"My Chicano People"

Interpretado por Luis y Julián Garza
Performed by Luis and Julián Garza

Mi Matamoros, frontera,
Tamaulipas, suelo mío,
donde se da la cantera
del mexicano bravío
y los de alma aventurera
nos cruzamos por el río.

My border Matamoros,
my home Tamaulipas,
where you find the true character
of brave Mexicans
and those adventurous souls
who go across the river.
----

Adiós Bravo fronterizo
y patrulla ribereña;
a nadie pedí permiso,
llegué a la costa norteña
pero antes yo, por Carrizo,
me les fuí por la Quineña.

Farewell to the border of the Río Bravo
and the patrolling river guards.
I didn’t ask for anyone’s permission,
and reached the north coast
but, before that, at Carrizo,
I escaped through King’s Ranch.
----

Pisqué limón en Florida
y betabel en Luisiana,
corté la fresa nacida
en Michigan y en Indiana,
quedó sudor de mi vida
de Texas hasta Montana.

I picked lemon in Florida
and beets in Louisiana,
I cut fresh strawberries
in Michigan and Indiana.
I left the sweat of my life
from Texas to Montana.
----

La ley de Simpson-Rodino
la ponen dificultosa
pero yo haré mi destino
en Chicago o en Reynosa;
adiós a San Bernardino
y a Los Angeles hermosa.

The Simpson-Rodino bill
makes things much harder,
but I will shape my own future
either in Chicago or in Reynosa.
Goodbye to San Bernardino
and beautiful Los Angeles.
----

Adiós mi raza chicana,
adiós Denver, Colorado;
adiós gente mexicana
que vive del otro lado:
cuando me pegue la gana
regresaré de mojado.

Farewell, my Chicano people.
Goodbye to Denver, Colorado,
and farewell to those Mexican people
who live on the other side.
When I am ready
I’ll be back again as a wetback.