El Corrido de un Borreguero


Santiago Jimenez Jr.


El Corrido de un Borreguero was composed by Santiago Jimenez Jr. The corrido was written in order to be a part of the soundtrack for "A Sheepherder 's Homecoming, " a documentary film about the day to day life of the Mexican and Mexican-American migrant worker. This corrido captures the hardships faced by the migrant worker as a consequence of needing t o find work when there was no work near home.




El Corrido de un Borreguero




El Corrido de un Borreguero
Played by
Santiago Jiménez, Jr. Y Su Conjunto
Music courtesy of Arhoolie Records




Tomás Ballato nacío

en México, aya en Hidalgo

y vino a Estados Unidos

en busca de un buen trabajo.

 

Cuando cruzó la frontera

Se encontro con un ranchero

y lo ofrecío un buen trabajo

para cuidar los borregos.

 

Cuando Tomás fue a la escuela,

decian los profesores,

Tomás es buen estudiante,

es uno de los mejores.

 

Tomás Ballato era un joven

con mucha suerte en ámores.

decian que a la profesora

le deba besos y flores.

 

Ella tenía su novio

era un teniente valiente.

decian que a la profesora

le daba besos y flores.

 

Otro dia por la maña

se fue por los Dos Laredos

y aqui en Estados Unidos

compro una yegua y dos perros.

 

La vida de un imigrante

es de aventuras muy grandes

Tomás ganaba el dinero

para mandarle a sus padres.

 

Queria volver a su patria

y ser un hombre de bienes

pasiarse con sus amigos

Y con bonitas mujeres.

 

Tomás y Felix, dos hombres

honrados, trabajoadores.

eran como dos hermanos

de fieles estimacíones.


Se acordaban de sus tierras

de sus bonitas canciones.

con lagrimas en sus ojos

pensaban en sus amores.

 

Tomás Ballato bajo

de las montiañas y cerros

y comenzó la trsquila

de borregas y borregos.

 

Unas cuantas se perdieron,

en el desierto murieron.

otras cuantas los coyotes

malditos se las comieron.

 

Tomás sabía protejer

las crias de sus borregas.

las bigilaba muy bien

por los llanos y laderas.

 

Con gran cariño mimba

muchos de los borregitos

porque perdieron sus madres

y quedaron huerfanitos.

 

Ya con esta me despido

con mi yegua y mis dos perros,

son mis amigos mas fieles

porque no son traicíoneros.

 

Cuando llegue yo a mi tierra

con regalos y una historía,

a mi madre y a mi novia

yo las traiba en mi memoria.

 

Cuando volví de regreso,

volví a mi lengua materna.

Nunca olvide mis raíces,

de mi madre que se tan buena.

 

El pretigio de un imigrante

nunca puede ser de orullo.

Fui un sincero borreguero

para qyudar a los mios.

 

Pero en cabio hay muchos otros

que no encuentran sus destino,

todavia siguen buscando

una luz en sus camno.

 

Mi madrecita conternta

porque al fin ya regrese.

Volví a mi tierra querida

la que nunca olvidaré.

Tomás Ballato was born

In Mexico, over in Hidalgo,

And came to the United States

in search of a good job.

 

When he crossed the border

he met a rancher

who offered him a good job

herding the sheep.

 

When Tomás went to school

the teachers said

he was a good student,

one of the best.

 

Tomás Ballato was a kid

with a lot of luck in love.

It was said he gave his

teacher kisses and flowers.

 

She had a boyfriend,

he was a brave suitor.

It was said that he threatened

Tomás Ballato with death.

 

The other day in the morning,

He left by way of Dos Laredos,

Her in the United States,

He bought a mare and two dogs.

 

The life of a migrant worker

is of grand adventures.

Tomás made money

to send his parents.

 

He wanted to return to his country

and be a man of good means,

step out with his friends

and with pretty women.

 

Tomás and Felix, two men,

honorable and hardworking.

They were like two brothers,

loyal and true.

 

They remembered their country,

their pretty songs.

With tears in their eyes

they thought of their loves.

 

Tomás Ballato came down

from the mountains and hills

to begin shearing

his ewes and rams.

 

Some were lost,

they died in the desert.

others, the damned

coyotes ate.

 

Tomás knew how to protect

the little lambs.

He watched them close

on the flats and hills.

 

With great love

he pampered many of the little lambs

because they had lost their mothers

and were left orphaned.

 

Now with this one I bid you goodbye

with my mare and two dogs,

they are my most loyal friends

because they won 't betray me.

 

When I arrived back home,

with gifts and a story,

my mother and my sweetheart

I had in my memory.

 

When I returned,

I returned to my mother tongue.

I never forgot my roots

or my mother who is so kind.

 

The migrant worker 's honor

isn 't for boasting.

I was a simple sheepherder

to help my own.

 

But there are many others

who don 't find their destiny,

still searching

for a light in their path.

 

My sweet mother, so happy

that I finally returned,

I returned to my beloved country

that I've never forgotten.


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