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On this page, I am posting various "news
corridos." For over a century, corridos have been a sort of musical
newspaper in Mexico -- or better, as a musical newsmagazine, since they
comment on and amplify the news rather than simply transmitting word of
the latest events. These days, such corridos rarely are recorded by the
top stars, who are thinking in terms of albums and songs that will
last, but instead tend to come from less popular artists, who hope to
capture some attention with their topicality. In order to keep this site even slightly up to date, I will have to rely on help from anyone with news of new topical corridos. If you hear any corridos about stories currently in the news, please, please let me know about them. Likewise, if you want to pass on information gleaned from this site, please give credit, so that other people will be aware that this is up here. |
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The most recent song is about the
ongoing murders of young women working in the border factories, or maquiladoras, in Ciudad
Juárez, Chihuahua. That is followed by Los Tigres del
Norte's critique of the Mexican presidential administration of Vicente
Fox. Both of these songs are by Paulino Vargas, the most influential
corrido composer of the modern age. I started this page shortly after the attacks of September 11, having heard of three 9/11 corridos in San Antonio, several more in northern Mexico, and two in Los Angeles that had been recorded, as well as reading an LA Times story that mentioned various unrecorded songs by amateur corridistas. Four such songs are reprinted below. |
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Las mujeres de Juárez Los Tigres del Norte have long been the socially conscious ![]() |
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Las mujeres de Juárez (Letra y música de Paulino Vargas, grabado por Los Tigres del Norte en su disco Pacto de Sangre [2004]) Humillante y abusiva la intocable impunidad Los huesos en el desierto muestran la cruda verdad Las muertas de ciudad Juárez son vergüenza nacional Mujeres trabajadoras de maquiladoras Cumplidoras y eficientes, mano de obra sin igual Lo que importan las empresas no lo checa el aduanal Vergonzosos comentarios se escuchan por todo el mundo La respuesta es muy sencilla cuáles saben la verdad Ya se nos quitó lo macho o nos falta dignidad La mujer es bendición y milagro de la fe, la fuente de la creación Parió al zar y parió al rey y hasta al mismo Jesucristo lo dio a luz una mujer Es momento ciudadanos de cumplir nuestro deber Si la ley no lo resuelve, lo debemos resolver Castigando a los cobardes que ultrajan a la mujer Llantos, lamentos y rezos se escuchan en el lugar De las madres angustiadas y al cielo imploran piedad Que les devuelvan los restos y poderlos sepultar El gran policía del mundo también nos quiso ayudar Pero las leyes Aztecas no quisieron aceptar Tal vez no les convenía que esto se llegue a aclarar Ya hay varias miles de muertas en panteones clandestinos Muchas desaparecidas que me resisto a creer Es el reclamo del pueblo que lo averigüe la ley |
The Women of Juárez Translation ©2004 Elijah Wald |
Guerra por la paz
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Guerra por la paz (Letra y música de Pedro Rivera, grabado por Rivera en su disco Guerra por la Paz [2003]) Voy a cantarles señores con tristeza y con pena Esto que esta suciediendo en mi tierra nacional Se ha desatado la guerra contra la nacion de Irak Por causas del terorismo y de tantos atentados De nuestras torres gemelas solo el recuerdo ha quedado Miles de nuestros hermanos alli quedaron sepultados Un hombre cruel y tirano, llamado Saddam Hussein A sometido a su pueblo a como impone su ley Los tienen la vil pobreza, y él viviendo como un rey Spoken: Para que quiero dinero si no lo puedo gastar? Ya me hicieron ciudadano cuando me iban a enterrar, Mi familia con su llanto mi sepulcro fue a regar. Son los heroes de la guerra que murieron con honor Defendiendo a su bandera con orgullo y con valor Ahora despues de su muerte son parte de esta nacion Jose Gutierrez es uno, huerfano de padre y madre A Jesus Alberto Suarez como han llorado tus padres Jose Garibay, Jalisco te recuerda con pesares Por qué pasan estas cosas que nuestras vidas aterran? Como le pido a mi dios porque se acaben las guerras Vamos a darnos la mano pa' que haya paz en la tierra. |
Guerra por la paz Translation ©2003 Elijah Wald |
La crónica de un cambio Los Tigres' Uniendo Fronteras CD includes a Chicano pride hit, "Somos Más Americanos," as well as this excellent song about the Fox administration by Paulino Vargas. This song is more complex and probing than most contemporary news corridos, a challenge to Fox to back up his promises of change. Paulino is, to my taste, the most poetic and intricate writer in the field, and it is worth learning Spanish just to follow the twists and turns of his wordplay. (Incidentally, any suggestions on better translations of this lyric are much appreciated; I obviously ran into quite a few problems.) |
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La crónica de un cambio by Paulino Vargas (T.N. Ediciones Musicales/Paulino Musical [BMI]) recorded by Los Tigres del Norte on "Uniendo Fronteras" (Fonovisa CD 6145)
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The Chronicle of a Change by Paulino Vargas (T.N. Ediciones Musicales/Paulino Musical [BMI]) recorded by Los Tigres del Norte on "Uniendo Fronteras" (Fonovisa CD 6145) A very twisted rope came, and brought the change There is serious spying in the telephones, (????) Translation ©2001 Elijah Wald (1) Fobaproa is the program to bail out the
failed and corruption-ridden Mexican banking system using public funds.
(The Mexican version of the American S&L crisis, only much larger.) |
Tragedia en New
York![]() The first 9/11 corrido to be out on CD comes from El As de la Sierra, best known as a hardcore narcocorrido singer in the style of Chalino Sánchez. El As, as far as I know, is still based in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, but seems to have been in Los Angeles, completing work on his latest album, when the attack came. The album is a romantic ranchera collection, his first attempt to distance himself from the corrido trend, but the fact that it was all ready to go gave him the jump on the competition. He quickly added "Tragedia en New York," and got the album out on the streets. The corrido is typical of the LA scene, not getting into heavy politics, but showing earthy patriotism as it recounts the basic events. |
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Tragedia en New
York (El As de la Sierra) Recorded by El As de la Sierra, on Titan Records 9908) La guerra ya comenzó |
Tragedy in New York (El As de la Sierra) Recorded by El As de la Sierra (Titan 9908) The war already began In the United States And look how it began, With airplanes steered At those towers so beautiful, Terrorism has arisen. I would rather not remember Such violent images, Nor do I want to imagine How many people are dead, The whole world is in mourning, This is the start of war. What criminal minds, Or perhaps they are insane, From what countries Did such evil plans come? They say that it is the Talibans Who are involved. The first war of the century, Gentlemen, has begun, Whoever organized the attack Does not know what he has gotten into Whoever turns out to be guilty, Oh, that poor country! What plans so well studied, To capture four airplanes, With eighteen terrorists They carried out the operation, Washington and New York, Targets of those traitors. A black Tuesday, gentlemen, It would have been 8:15 When an airplane crashed Into the twin towers The people imagined That it must be an accident. The people of New York, Without knowing what had happened, Watching that tower burn, Another airplane approached, And in something like 15 minutes Crashed into the other tower. It pains me to sing of it, But I had to do it, Those who began the war, Get ready to lose, The country of those cowards Could disappear. Translation ©2001 Elijah Wald |
El terror del
siglo
"El terror del siglo," the other 9/11 corrido on the air in LA, is less thorough. Again, it takes no particular position, but just says that the disaster happened and now we are surrounded by danger. |
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El terror del
siglo by José Guadalupe Paredes recorded by Grupo Imperio Norteño (Cintas Acuario) Las predicciones....*, Ya estaba prognosticado A los Estados Unidos En minutos lo enlutaron Se esperaba cualquier cosa, Pero no lo que ha sucedido Famosas torres gemelas En segundos han caido Un dia 11 de septiembre Cuando nadie lo esperaba Habían sonado las 9:00 El terrorismo llegaba Miles y miles de humanos De diferentes naciones Han quedado cancelados Por esas crueles acciones Cuatro aviones estrellaron Por diferentes lugares Terrible huella dejaron Los terroristas cobardes Ya con ésta me despido, Pero hay que estar preparado En los Estados Unidos, De peligro está rodeado. *I cannot catch this word, but it seems to refer to early news reports in the Spanish media, which cited apocryphal predictions of Nostradamus foretelling the World Trade Center attack. |
The Terror of the Century by José Guadalupe Paredes recorded by Grupo Imperio Norteño (Cintas Acuario) The predictions ......*, Translation ©2001 Elijah Wald |
![]() A more interesting and controversial song has been recorded in northern Mexico, and has provoked several newspaper articles. Written by Rigoberto Cárdenas Chávez, "El Boston de Colima" (pictured at right), it is called "El corrido de Bin Laden, el error de la CIA." As one might expect, it takes a very different view from the songs recorded in Los Angeles. Rather than assuming a patriotic stanpoint, it shows the suspicion with which the whole affair is regarded by many people in the Third World, blaming the CIA for having set the wheels of the tragedy in motion. This corrido can be heard on line (if you have a fast enough connection), by going to this site. |
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Bin Laden, el
error de la CIA by Rigoberto Cárdenas Chávez interpretado por Los Soberanos del Norte Bill Clinton lo dijo en prensa Que dio la orden de matarlo Su Gobierno no cumplió Y el error están pagando La graduación con honores Con traición les ha pagado. Saben que él es poderoso, Que tiene mucho dinero Los Talibanes lo siguen, Para enfrentarse al mundo entero Llevan a dios por cobija, Y se olvidan de su cuerpo. Por cielo, mar y por tierra, Su huella están buscando La CIA de Estados Unidos A causa del atentado Bin Laden a ti te culpan Que la guerra has iniciado. No soy dios para juzgarte Pero tendrán tus motivos Dinero llama dinero Y a ti te quieren los gringos Como un tesoro te buscan Si te encuentran serán ricos. Nostradamus lo predijo El dragón ha despertado Inicios del fin del mundo Es lo que estamos mirando El animal más perverso De la tierra el ser humano. Por cielo, mar y por tierra Osama te andan buscando Bin Laden el terrorista La CIA te ha preparado Ese fue el error más grande Del gobierno americano. |
Bin Laden, the CIA's Mistake by Rigoberto Cárdenas Chávez, alias "El Boston de Colima" recorded by Los Soberanos del Norte
By sky, sea, and land, Osama, Translation ©2001 Elijah Wald |
Corrido de
Osama bin Laden![]() Andrés Contreras, "The Minstrel of the Roads," has been the unofficial bard and corridista of the Zapatista rebellion, and the most consistently radical and funny composer in contemporary Mexico. I devote a chapter of my book to Andrés, though his cassettes are only available from him and at a few street stands (one in front of the cathedral on Mexico City's main Square). An astonishingly prolific composer, he has released over a dozen cassettes in the last few years, covering everything from Mexican politics to the arrest of Pinochet and the Clinton-Lewinsky affair. Generally, though, he writes of worker and peasant struggles in Mexico, and he is generally to be found traveling with one or another group of protesters, keeping their spirits up on marches and picket lines. Typically, he has written the most virulently anti-American of the Osama corridos, applauding the attacks as fair payment for gringo imperialism. |
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(Ahora vamos para Afganistan,
oiga, donde Osama bin Laden y sus bravos mujaedines, acompanados por el
Taliban, se enfrentan con un valor singular en un combate muy desigual
a los imperios mas poderos del mundo. Esos gringos patones........
[incomprensible] ... Si no matan a bin Laden, malo, y si lo matan peor,
porque van a surgir millones como el.) Alla por Saudi Arabia un valiente hombre nació Lo que nadie habia hecho, el hacerlo atrevió En varios lugares a los gringos atacó Y siempre que lo hizo muchos soldados mató Aunque es un gran milionario eso nada le importó Y toda su fortuna a la lucha dedicó El gobierno americano con el mucho se asustó Y para matarlo miles de tropas mandó Osama bin Laden, no te dejes agarrar Mira que si te atrapan seguro que te han de matar Tu cabeza tiene precio, muchos lo quieren cobrar Por todo lo que has hecho no te van a perdonar (Un saludo para la organización al quaida, hamas, hezbolah, al-fatah y otras que enfrenten con singular gallardia al imperialismo norteamericano y a esos chacales del zionismo israeli, de parte de Andrés Contreras, el juglar de los caminos, de Mexico.) En una saltamontañas con un frio de la chingada Tranquilo espera bin Laden a que llegue la anvanzada Los que se topen con el vivos no regresarán En una bolsita negra a su paÌs volverán Ora, gringo criminal, el diablo se te apareció Hombre de barba y turbante asustote que te dió Hasta el modito de andar Osama te lo quitó Y nom·s de oirlo hablar temblorina que te dió Osama bin Laden, no te dejes agarrar Mira que si te atrapan seguro te han de matar Tu cabeza tiene precio, muchos lo quieran cobrar Por todo lo que has hecho no te van a perdonar (Mire nomás esos pinches gringos, el miedo que llevan. Van a buscar a bin Laden, pero no van solos. Pidieran ayuda a Rusia, a Ingleterra, a Alemania, a Japon y quien sabe que mas... [el cantante rie] °Aguas con el anthrax y el ébola cabrones! no les vayan a polvear.) Helicópteros y aviones con potente artilleria Bombardean al Taliban sea de noche o sea de dia Muchos miles de soldados los han mandado a buscarlo Solo que los pobrecitos ruegan a Dios no encontrarlo DecÌa Osama bin Laden, con millones en la mano Se los doy al que me ayude a matar americanos Con mis bravos mujaedines decÌa con voz en cuello No pierdo las esperanzas de cortarles el pezcuello George Bush, bastante asustado, le pregunta su mujer Como le hago con bin Laden que el ya nos paso a torcer Su mujer se le contestó con bastante disimulo Vete para Afganistan para que le des el cul... ...pables son esos gringos de todo lo que les pasa Lo que ellos le han hecho al mundo se lo hicieron en su casa Y vuelen los bombarderos alla por Afganistan Andan buscando a bin Laden, pero no lo encontrarán. (Y como decÌa Doña Lupe, la de la Ley de Herodes, es que Osama no salioómas cabrón que bonito. Ni Francisco Villa, ni Joaquin Murieta, ni Sandino el de Nicaragua mataron tantos gringos como este cabrón. °Ayyyyyy-ha-ha-ha!) |
(Now let's go to Afghanistan, listen, where
Osama bin Laden and his brave mujahadins, accompanied by the Taliban,
oppose themselves with singular bravery, in very unequal combat, to the
most powerful empires in the world. Those bigfooted gringos . . .
[unintelligible]. . . If they don't kill bin Laden, bad, and if they do
kill him, worse, because millions like him will arise!) Over there in Saudi Arabia a brave man was born That which no one had done, he dared to do it In various places he attacked the gringos And every time he did it he killed many soldiers Although he is a great millionaire that did not matter to him And he dedicated all of his fortune to the struggle The American government was very frightened by him And sent thousands of troops to kill him. Osama bin Laden, don't let yourself be caught Look, if they catch you they are sure to kill you There is a price on your head, many want to win it For all that you have done they will not forgive you (A greeting to the Al Queida organization, to Hamas, Hezbollah, Al Fatah and others that oppose themselves with singular gallantry to North American imperialism and to the jackals of Zionism, from Andrés Contreras, the Minstrel of the Roads, from Mexico.) In a saltamontañas, in ass-freezing cold Bin Laden tranquilly awaits the arrival of the advance Those who run up against him will not return alive They will go back to their country in a black bag Listen, gringo criminal, the devil has appeared to you A man in a beard and turban has given you a terrible fright Even your way of walking Osama has taken from you And just to hear him talk gives you the shakes. Osama bin Laden, don't let yourself be caught Look, if they catch you they are sure to kill you There is a price on your head, many want to win it For all that you have done they will not forgive you (Just look at those damn gringos, the fright they've taken. They are going looking for bin Laden, but they're not going alone. Theyíve asked for help from Russia, England, Germany, Japan, and who knows where else . . . (laughter) Watch out for anthrax and ebola, you bastards! lest they pulverize you. . .) Helicopters and airplanes, with powerful artillery Bombard the Taliban both by day and by night Many thousands of soldiers have been sent to look for him Only, the poor guys pray to God that they don't find him Said Osama bin Laden, with millions in his hand I will give them to those who help me to kill Americans With my fierce Mujahedins he said with his voice in his throat I am not giving up hope of cutting their necks George Bush, pretty frightened, asks his wife What will I do with bin Laden, since he has already twisted us His wife answered him, with some disimulation Go off to Afghanistan, to give him your as... . . .those gringos are responsible for everything that happens to them That which they have done to the world has been done to them in their house And the bombers fly over in Afghanistan Looking for bin Laden, but they will not find him (And as Doña Lupe said, the one in La Ley de Herodes, Osama came out as pretty as he was a tough bastard [poor translation, Iím afraid]. Not Fransciso [Pancho] Villa, nor JoaquÌn Murieta, nor Sandino, the one in Nicaragua, killed as many gringos as this bastard. Ayyyy-ha-ha-ha! Translation ©2002 Elijah Wald |
Links to
articles on topical corridos:
"Mexican Songs Chronicle Attacks" an article on Rigoberto Cárdenas and the Sept. 11 corridos, from the North Carolina Herald Times. |