Performance by Los Palomares de Ojinaga,
Presidio, TX 11/02/97
Comp. Santiago Tercero
Videotaped field recording by Prof. James Nicolopulos 

   

      

         
Pasaron por Providencia
ya venían de Santa Elena,
donde les habían pagado
treinta kilos de la buena,
Manuel Valdez y Martín
sufrieron terrible pena.
         
Por el camino donde iban 
los estaban esperando
no faltó quien les dijera
y se fueron separando
Martín se sube a la troca,
Manuel la llevaba arreando.
         
Llegó el momento esperado
ya estaban los enemigos.
se formó una balacera
y cayeron tres tendidos,
después también a Martín
le pegó uno en los sentidos.
         
Agarraron a Martín
y le esculcaron su ropa,
no le consiguieron nada
y le abrieron la cabeza
porque tenían que cumplir
las órdenes de la mafia.
         
Martín López se llamaba
y le apodaban "El Shorty"
era un hombre muy afamado
en la Hacienda de Orientales,
y también fue respetado
por agentes judiciales.
         
De la mafia y del destino
nunca nadie se ha escapado,
el que anda por mal camino
debe de andar bien armado,
pero a Manuel y a Martín
la mafia los ha matado.
         
         

      
      

         
They had passed through Providensia
And were now coming from Santa Elena
Where they had been paid
For thirty kilos of the good stuff,
Manuel Valdez and Martin
Suffered a terrible punishment.
         
On the road they were traveling
The assassins were waiting for them,
A passer-by warned Shorty and his driver,
So the tow men separated:
Martin got back in the bed of the truck,
While Manuel continued driving in the cab.
         
The appointed moments arrived,
The enemies leapt out of hiding,
There was a hail of bullets
And three bodies fell on the ground,
Afterward Martin, too
Caught a bullet through his brain.
         
They grabbed Martin
And searched his clothes,
They didn't find anything,
So they split open his head,
Because they had to carry out 
The orders from the Mafia.
         
Martin Lopez was his name
But they called him "Shorty,"
He was a well known man
At the Hacienda de Orientales,
And he was also respected by 
The state police and federal agents.
         
From the Mafia nor from fate,
No one has ever escaped,
He who chooses the path of evil
Had better go well armed.
But as for Manuel and Martin,
The Mafia has killed them.
      
   



[back to martin "el shorty" lopez bio]