The Revolutionary Mexico(1910-1917)


During the Mexican Revolution, many took refuge in the United States to prevent the hunger, violence and as always, to achieve a better way of life. Many Mexicans were encouraged to travel north to the U.S. in hopes of fleeing the turmoil of their country. Following are three corridos that display the feelings and situations of those traveling north to a new life. More info on the Mexican Revolution.

The first corrido is called "Consejos de los Norteños" and was written by José Guerreo . This corrido was written as a way of encouraging Mexicans to come work in the United States. This song uses persuasions such as the lower economic status of Mexico verses the promising prosperity of the U.S. to influence people to migrate. This song lists many reasons to leave Mexico in hope for a new start.

 

Consejos a los Norteños


Ahora sí no lloraran.
vayan juntando el transporte,
muchachos aficionados
de esos que les gusta el norte.


Arreglen su maletita,
ya váyanse preparando,
cepillen bien la gorrita
para entrar de contrabandos


Porque si entran por el Puente
les han de tronar los huesos,
ahora no entrarn de gollete,
les cobran deciseis pesos.


Bañense hasta con legia,
pa’ quitarse lo mugroso,
yo no dén en qué decir
con el gringo pretencioso.


Ahora si van a lonchar
y a comer buenos jamones,
porque aquí en nuestro terreno
no compran ni pantalones.

Llévense también su vieja
no vayan a abrir la boca,
porque las gueras de allá
no se enamoran de coca.


Vamos a Estados Unidos
a ganar buenos salarios,
que los señores patones
necesitan operarios.


Porque los ricos de aquí
no mueven ningun quehacer,
con el reparto de tierras
me los pusieron a leer.

La cosa esta del demonio,
se venció la rebellión,
no más lo que está aumentando
son ladrones a montón.


Amigos, vamos al Norte,
no lo estén tanto pensando,
si no hay dinero pa’l tren
nos iremos caminando.

Adentro, muchachos pandos,
no se vayan a rajar,
éntrenle poco a poquito,
ya es tiempo de trabjar.


Vamos a portar chaqueta,
la que nnunca hemos usado,
camisas de pura seda
como tambien buen calzado.


Aquí, si nos afanamos,
siempre andamos encuerados,
por allá en el extranjero
parecemos diputados.


Ahora sí , amigos, nos fuimos
a atravesar las fronteras,
no le hace que luego digan
que somos chuchas cuereras.


Ese no vió que el país
está peor que los infiernos,
todas son bullas y habladas
y de comer puros cuernos.


Ya por la falta de plata
hasta las viejas se van,
creyendo que en otra casa
no faltan tortilla y pan.


Y en esto no tengo duda,
muy bien lo pueden hacer,
es más fiel un perro amigo
que una traidora mujer.


Pero al fin que por allá
muy al pelo se vacila,
con esas gueras grandotas
que les gusta la maquila.


No pierdo las esperanzas
cunado venga de regreso,
vendré de todo bombín
y con el cuello muy tienso.


Para enamorar a una rica
y darle bien la canción,
de esas de la enagua corta
que enseñan el zancarrón.


Qué dicen? Amigos, vamos,
por allá es la pura miel,
se toma buena cerveza
y se come en el hotel.


Qué dicen? Gorras de maíz,
no quieran usar tejano,
los convido a trabajar
con el Gringo americano.

No crean que soy pretencioso
ni tampoco fanfarrón,
de trabajar muy barato,
me duele mucho el pulmón.


Aquí no hemos de hacer nada,
tómenlo por experiencia,
porque el dinero se esconde
por nuestra falta de ciencia.


Me duele hasta el corazón
dejar me Patria querida,
adios, mi padre y mi madre,
ya les doy mi despedida.


Adios, México lucido
con su hermosa Capital,
ya me voy, ya me despido,
no te volveré a mirar.


Adios, muchachas hermosas,
adios, todos mis amigos,
regresaré de Fifi,
portando muy buen abrigo.

Advice to the Northerners


Now you can cease your crying
get your ticket money together,
all of you young men
who love the north(U.S.A.).


Get your luggage ready
start preparing yourselves,
brush well your hat
so you can cross illegally.


Because if you cross the bridge
your bones are going to creak,
you cannot cross free
they charge you sixteen pesos.


Bathe well even with lye
to get that dirt off,
don’t get a bad reputation
with those pretentious Gringos.


Now you will be lunching
and eating good ham,
because here in our land
you can’t even buy pants.


Take your old lady too
don’t go with your mouths wide open,
because the blondes over there
don’t fall in love with poor guys.


Let’s go to the United States
to earn good money,
because the “Big-footed ones,”
need workers.


Because the rich here
don’t stimulate employment,
with the land distribution
they were put to read.


Things are going to the devil
the rebellion is over,
what is increasing here
are thieves by the bushel.


Friends, let us go up north
don’t waste time thinking about it,
if there is no money for the train fare
we will go walking.


Come on you guys
don’t give up,
come on in step by step
it is time to work.


Let us go wear jackets
which we’ve never worn before,
pure silk shirts
as well as good quality shoes.


Here even if we work hard
we are always naked,
over there in foreign land
we shall look like Senators.


Now, my friend we have gone
to cross the Border,
it does not matter if they say
that we are stray dogs.


Can’t you see that our country
is worse than hell,
everything is noise and talk
and food nowhere.


Because there is no money
the women are leaving,
thinking that in another house
they will not lack tortillas and bread.

And in this I have no doubts
they can very well do it,
a dog is a more faithful friend
than a treacherous woman.


But in the final analysis over there
one can have a real good time,
with those big blondes
chat like contracted workers.


I don’t lose hope
that when I come back,
I shall be dressed as a dandy
and with a stiff collar.


To court a rich girl
and sing her well a song,
those with short shirts
who show off their bony legs.


What do you say friends, shall we go?
Over there it’s pure honey,
one drinks great beer
and can eat at the hotel.

What do you say straw hats?
Don’t you want to wear a Texan hat?
I invite you to work
with the American “gringo”.


Don’t think I am a pretentious one
or a braggart,
from working so cheap
my lungs hurt me so.


Her we shall not make much
take it from experience,
because money hides from us
due to our lack of science.


Even my heart aches so
to leave my beloved country,
good-bye my father and mother
I bid you my farewell.


Good-bye illustrious Mexico
with its beautiful capital,
I am leaving, farewell
I shall never see you again.


Good-bye beautiful girls
good-bye to all my friends,
I shall return a dandy
wearing a fine coat.

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The next corrido is called "Los norteños". This is a song that expresses strong disagreement with those who immigrate to the north(U.S.) and portays the life of the Mexican that comes back to Mexico and some lost friendships and connections he once had.

 

Los Norteños

Ay yo no me voy de mi patria
pa' los Estados Unidos
mejor de perro en mi tierra
que ser gato de los gringos.


Ay esos que se van pa’l norte
Y dejan a su mujer,
De pronto escriben seguido, diciendo que han de volver.


Como muy buenos maridos
Allá van de lavaplatos
lo que en su casa no hicieron
Ay cuando vuelven a su patria
Cuentan, allá hay mucha plata
Y llegan gastando dinero.


Ay con dólares en la bolsa
Y con relój en la canilla
También traen radios a veces
Los sigue su palomilla.


Es mas el ruido que nueces
Llegan a traer sus coches
Con clima acondicionado,
Ay las muchachas los admiran
se creen de tantas mentiras
De esos que vienen norteados.


Ay los primeros quince días
Yo los admiro también
pero antes que llegue el mes
De ellos pienso al revés.


Ya ni quien las hable bien
primero empeñan todito
y luego piden prestado
ay ya no tienen ni un amigo
y andan como el peor mendigo
y en la bolsa ni un centavo.


Ay luego quieren conseguir
para irse pa’l otro lado
dicen mi patrón me espera
pero todo es puro engaño.

Antes de llegar el año
dejan hijos pata a raiz
y ellos se van de rait
ay que si llegan a volver
la vieja los hizo buey
y hallan hijos de mas.


Ay yo me voy para el norte
ni llendo a barrer dinero
recuerden Don Cacahuate
no trajo ni pa’ un petate
llego durmiendo en el suelo.

 

The northerners

Ah, I am not leaving my country
for the United States
better to be dog in my land
than to be the “gringos” cat.


Ah, those who go to the north
and leave their woman
all of a sudden write often
saying that they will return.


Like very good husbands
they go over there to be dishwashers
doing what they don’t do at home
ah, when they return to their country
they say, there is a lot of money over there
and arrived spending money.


ah, with dollars in their bags
and with a watch on the wrist
they also bring radios, sometimes
their friends follow them.


It makes more noise than walnuts
they bring their car
with air conditioning climate
ah, the girls admire them
they believe so many lies
from those that come from the north.


Ah, the first fifteen days
I to admire them
but before the month arrived
I believe the opposite.


No one speaks to them well
first they pawned everything
and later ask to borrow
ah, they don’t have at least one friend
and now they are worst off than a homeless
and in their pocket less than a penny.


Ah, later they want to find
someway to go to the other side
they say my boss is waiting
but everything is pure deceit.


Before the year arrives,
they leave their children (pata a raiz)
and they leave (de Rait)
ah if they ever return
the old lady made them ox
they find more children.


Ah, I am not going to the north
not even to sweep money
remember Don Cacahuate
he didn't bring enough for a mat of straw
he arrived sleeping on the floor.

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The last corrido is called "El lavaplatos" . This song is about an immigrant who wants to become a star so he moves Hollywood. This corrido is humorous because the traveler ends up as a dishwasher.
El Lavaplatos

Soñaba en mi juventud
de ser estrella del cine
y entre tantos yo me vine
a conocer Hollywod.


Un dia muy desesperado,
por tanta revolución.
me cruce para este lado
sin pagar la immigración.


Que basilada, ay que patada
me cruce sin pagar nada.
Que basilada, ay que patada
Me cruce sin pagar nada.


En la carrucha mendada
se rajaron mas de cuatro
y yo pues como aguantaba
mejor me fui a lavar platos.


Es el trabaja decente
que lo hacen muchos chicanos
aunque con la agua caliente
se inchan un poco las manos.


Y arrepentido y arrepentido
estoy de haberme venido.
Y arrepentido y arrepentido
estoy de haberme venido.


Adios sueños de mi vida,
adios estrellas del cine
vuelvo a mi patria querida
mas pobre de lo que vine.


Nos despedimos, adios paisanos
porque ahora si ya nos vamos.
nos despedimos, adios paisanos
porque ahora si ya nos vamos.

The Dishwasher

I used to dream in my youth
of becoming a movie star
and with the hordes I came up north
to discover Hollywood.


One day while I was so desperate
because of the revolution
I crossed over to this side
without paying the immigration.


How ridiculous, what a kick
I crossed without paying anything.
how ridiculous, what a kick
I crossed without paying anything.


In the covered cart
more than four backed out
and since I could take it
I became a dishwasher.


It’s the decent job
that a lot of Chicanos have
even though the water is very hot
and ones' hands get swollen.


And I regret, I regret
having come over here
and I regret, I regret
having come over here.


Goodbye life’s dreams
goodbye movie stars
I'm returning to my land
poorer than I arrived.


We bid goodbye, goodbye civilians
because today we’re really leaving
we bid goodbye, goodbye civilians
because today we’re really leaving.

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