Corridos are distinguished by a
narrative structure1, that includes—
- Singer’s initial address to the audience
- Location, time, name of main character
- Importance of main character
- Message
- Main character’s farewell
- Composer’s farewell
Most corridos share the following
thematic and structural elements. The subject matter of corridos includes, but
is not limited to: gun fights, social justice issues, betrayed romance, wars,
and horse races. A main character is usually featured who may be heroic,
tragic, villainous, or conflicted. The narrative discourse features2 shaping corridos are as follows:
- Fate (anticipation, omen, chance)
- Pursuit (plans, coercion, chase, escape) v Challenge (ridicule, offense, defiance, provocation)
- Confrontation (duel, battle, attack)
- Defeat (capture, imprisonment, sentence, execution, death)
- Judgment (reflection, deduction, advice, experience, lamentation)
- Farewell (memory, nostalgia, reputation)
Songs and Lyrics
from
Drug Smuggling and Betrayal
Salieron de San Isidro,
procedentes de Tijuana, traían las llantas del carro repletas de yerbamala; eran Emilio Varela y Camelia, la tejana. - - - - - They left San Isidro, starting out in Tijuana, with the car tires filled with "evil weed." They were Emilio Varela and Camelia the Texan.
Pasaron por San Clemente,
los paró la emigración; les pidió sus documentos, les dijo: "¿De dónde son?" Ella era de San Antonio, una hembra de corazón. - - - - - When they passed through San Clemente, immigration agents stopped them, and demanded their papers, asking: "Where are you from?" She was from San Antonio, a real woman with a heart.
Una hembra, si quiere a un hombre,
por él puede dar la vida, pero hay que tener cuidado si esa hembra se siente herida: la traición y el contrabando son cosas incompartidas. - - - - - When a woman loves a man, she will give up her life for him, but you have to watch out if the woman is feeling hurt. Betrayal and drug smuggling are two things that don't mix.
A Los Angeles llegaron,
a Hollywood se pasaron, en un callejón oscuro las cuatro llantas cambiaron, ahí entregaron la yerba y ahí también les pagaron. - - - - - They arrived in Los Angeles, going straight to Hollywood; and in a dark alley they changed the four tires. They delivered the weed and got paid right then and there.
Emilio dice a Camelia:
"Hoy te das por despedida, con la parte que te toca tú puedes rehacer tu vida, yo me voy pa' San Francisco con la dueña de mi vida". - - - - - Emilio then told Camelia: "Think of this as your farewell. With your share you can get a new start in life. I am going to San Francisco with the love of my life."
Sonaron siete balazos,
Camelia a Emilio mataba; la policía sólo halló una pistola tirada, del dinero y de Camelia nunca más se supo nada. - - - - - Seven shots were heard as Camelia killed Emilio. The police found only a gun left on the ground. Camelia and the money were never seen again.
The Draft of 1918
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