The Depression years


Before the 1930’s Mexican immigration had its peaks and had been encouraged by agribusiness and railroad concerns, a definite change occurred in the 1930’s”(Herrera-Sobek p.130). There was a large amount of Mexican immigrants being deported because of the repatriation pressures of 1929-1939. The following corridos “el Desesperado" and “los emigrantes” are corridos that humorously tells some tales of the Mexicans during the depression.

The first corrido is called "el desesperado"and it tells the story of a man who wants to go back home because he is tired of picking oranges. Many people in this time in the Depression found themselves having do difficult unenjoyable jobs.

 

 

 

 

 

El desesperado


Yo ya estoy desesperado;
ay de tanto trabajar
y andar pizcando naranjas
ya me voy a enaranjar.
M
e vine de Piedras negras.

Muy chiflado y muy contento,
y le dije a mi viejita:
No te apures, pronto vuelvo.
hemos pasado Louisiana.
Alabama y otros más;
le pregunto yo al Coral:
¿cuanto falta pa’ llegar?

Me contesta el catarrín:
-no te vayas a agüiitar
no te apures, camarada
que el sancho se va a rayar.

Al decir estas palabras
nos pusimos a pensar
Y le dije yo a Ramón
¿Como ves esta caray?

con nosotros iba armando,
con el Flaco y otros más
hasta el dueto los pingüinos
que empezaron a cantar.

al cantar esas canciones,
yo me pongo a recordar
-¡ay mi amado Piedras Negras
¿cuando habré de regresar?

Son mil ochocientas millas,
ni les quiero recordar,
Y hasta que no llegue a Piedras,
del carro no he de bajar.

Ya con ésta me despido,
diosito me ha de ayudar
voy corriendo las cien millas
pues pronto quiero llegar.

 

 

The desperate Man


Now I’m really desperate;
Ay, from working so hard
And going around picking oranges!
now I'm going to turn orange!

I came from Piedras Negras
Very foolish and very happy,
And I told my old lady:
“Don’t worry, I’ll be back soon.”
We’ve passed through Louisiana,
Alabama and some other states;
I ask El Coral:
“How much more ‘til we get there?

Catarrin answers me:
“Don’t get all shook up”
Don't worry, buddy;lover boy
Is going to really make out.”

Having said these words,
We all fell to thinking,
And I said to Ramon:
“What do you think of this damn mess!”

Armando was riding with us,
Along with el Flaco and some others,
Even the duet Los Pinguinos,
Who began to sing.

As I sing these songs,
I start to remember:
“Ay, my beloved Piedras Negras!
When will I ever get back?

It’s 1,800 miles,
I don’t even want to remind you,
And until I get back to Piedras
I wont even get out of this car.

With this I bid farewell,
Me dear god will surely help me;
I’m doing a hundred mile an hour.
I really want to get home soon.

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The next corrido is called "Los Emigrantes" and this song tells of the perils of living in the U.S. illegally. One had to be married to legally stay in the country. sometimes even if one was married the immigration officers would throw you in jail and deport you anyway. This song was written as a warning against breaking any immigration laws.
 

Corrido de la emigración

 

Miami es la población
Que se haya muy atrasada;
Pues llegó la emigración
Cuando menos se esperaba


Se oyen no más las quejas
De todos sin distinción
Hombre, niños y viejas
Todos van a la prisión.


Sí tú no estás bien casado
No te sirve el pasaporte;
Te llevan los del condado,
A dormir allá en la corte.


Llevan las mujeres solas
Y algunas que no la son,
Pobrecitas amapolas
Que cortó la emigración


Con la mano en la cintura
Se paran á investigar
Como si fueran el cura
Cuando te va á confesar.


Yo voy á dar un consejo
á todo joven soltero,
Que se mire en este espejo
Aquí en suelo extranjero.


Que arregle su pasaporte,
No viva amancebado
Porque va á dar á la corte
Siendo al final deportado.


En el Globe, las mujeres
Aclaman á cristo rey,
Se olvidan de sus deberes
Y algunas violan la ley.


Si tú quieres ser feliz,
Cuando el Bravo hayas pasado
Muéstrele á esta país
Que sus leyes no has violado


Si antes has hecho cerveza
Y has vivido de alambique
Hoy te rascas la cabeza
No tienes ni que te explique.


Así, paisanos queridos,
En México los espero
Y allá todos reunidos
En aquel suelo sincero.


Labraremos nuestro suelo
Y olvidemos esta angustia
Bajo aquel bendito cielo,
Protejamos nuestra industria.


Por fin llegó ya la era
De que me arrastrara el viento,
Adiós México de afuera,
Ya me voy para el de adentro.


Ya con esta me despido,
Rasa de mi estimación
Sin poder dar al olvido
Que me echó la emigración.

 

Song of Immigration Officers

 

Miami is the town
Which has suffered many reverses;
For the emigration arrived
When it was least expected


You hear only the complaints
Of all without distinction;
Men, children and old people
All have to go to prison.


If you are not legally married,
A passport is of no use to you
The country authorities will take you
To sleep there in the jail.


They take away the single women,
And sometimes those who are not;
Poor little poppies;
Cut down by emigration.


With hand on the belt they pause
To make the investigation
As though it were the priest
About to hear confession.


I am going to give advice
To every young bachelor
Let him look in this mirror
Here on this foreign soil.


Have your passport in order;
do not live with a mistress
Because you’ll land in jail
And at last you’ll be deported.


In Globe, although the women
Acknowledge Christ the king
They forget their religious duties
And some of them break the law.


If you want to be happy
When you have crossed the Bravo
Show this country clearly
That you have not broken its laws.


If you used to make beer
And operate a still,
Just scratch your head
And don’t admit anything.


Thus, dear countrymen.
I await you in Mexico,
And there we’ll be reunited
In that true country.


We will till our own soil
And forget our misery here;
Under that blessed sky
Let us protect our own industry.


At last the time has come
For the wind to carry me away
Goodbye, Mexicans in exile,
Home to old Mexico I go.


And so I take my leave,
Race that I told in esteem,
Without being able to forget
That emigration deported me.

 

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