Monday, April 23, 2012

Song of the Day: Tres Veces Mojado - A Wetback Three Times Over



Lyrics, with my translation:


Cuando me vine de mi tierra El Salvador

(When I came from my country El Salvador)

Con la intención de llegar a Estados Unidos

(With the intention of going to the United States)

Sabía que necesitaría más que valor

(I knew that I would need more than courage)

Sabía que a lo mejor quedaba en el camino

(I knew some of the best fall along the way)

Tres fronteras las que tuve que cruzar

([There are] three borders I had to cross)

Por tres países anduve indocumentado

(Through three countries I walked undocumented)

Tres veces tuve yo la vida que arriesgar

(Three times I took my life into my hands)

Por eso dicen que soy tres veces mojado

(Because of this they say that I am a wetback three times over)



En Guatemala y México cuando cruce

(In Guatemala and Mexico when I crossed)

Dos veces me salve me hicieran prisonero

(Twice I was saved, they took me prisoner)

El mismo idioma y el color les reflectioné

(I have the same language and color as they do)

Como es posible que me llamen extranjero

(How can they call me a foreigner?)



---

Spoken:

En Centroamérica dado su situación

(In Central America there exists a situation)

Tanto política como económicamente

(As much plitical as economic)

Ya para muchos no hay otra solución

(There are many who have no other option)

Que abandonar su patria tal vez para .

(But to leave their countries, sometimes forever.)

El mexicano da 2 pasos y ahí esta

(A Mexican takes two steps, and there they are)

Hoy lo echan y al siguiente día está de regreso.

(Today they expell him, and the next day he's back..)

Es un lujo que no me puedo dar

(That's a luxury I do not have)

Sin que me maten o que me lleven preso...

(Without being killed or taken prisoner..)

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Es lindo México pero cuanto sufrí

(Mexico is beautifiul, but how much have I suffered)

Atravesarlo sin papeles es muy duro

(To cross it withhout papers is very hard)

Los 5 mil kilómetros que recorrí

(5 thousand kilometers I have crossed)

Puedo decir que los recuerdo uno por uno.

(I can say that I remember every single one.)

Por Arizona me dijeron cruzaras

(They told me to cross in Arizona)

Y que me aviente por el medio del desierto..

(And then they abandoned me in the middle of the desert..)

Por suerte un mexicano al que llamaban Juan

(Luckily a Mexican named Juan)

Me dio la mano que si no estuviera muerto.

(Gave me a hand, so I am not dead.)

Ahora que al fin logre la legalización

(Now at last I seek legal status)

Lo que sufrí lo he recuperado con creces..

(I have recovered from all that I suffered in my crossings..)

A los mojados les dedico mi canción

(To all the wetbacks dedicate my song)

Y los que igual que yo son mojados tres veces..

(To those who like me are betbacks three times over..)


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2 comments:

  1. Wicked good stuff brother ...makes me miss you and the times that we could sit around and comfortably spiral into what all that meant
    mc

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Matty. You know I owe you two an email, one I hope to get off this coming week. We've got yet some more comfortable spiraling coming in the near future, you know. My love to the girls.

    ReplyDelete