Corrido De César Chávez
 
(Ballad of César Chávez)
 
(Rumel Fuentes) sung by Los Pingüinos del Norte
 

 

¿Que tienes tú, César Chávez? Que le has dado tú a la gente ¿Que los que andan agachados Ya levantaron la frente?   En sus pechos el cansancio Ojos tristes aparentes. Trabajo brutal del campo Esclaviza hasta la mente.   Hombres, niños y mujeres Con el sol en las labores Cuánto se gana el ranchero, Cuánto los trabajadores?   Para enriquecer patrones Hacer sudor en la frente. Para hacer ricos más ricos Se emprobece más la gente.   No les pedimos limosna Solo un pago mas decente. Les exige César Chávez Para ayudar a la gente.   Sin coraje y sin violencia Orgánisen sin tardar Pues si nosotros sembramos Pues hay que cosechar.

What's your secret, César Chávez? What have you given your people That those who are stooped over Have now raised their heads?   The weariness in their breasts Is reflected in sad eyes. The brutal work of the field Enslaves even the mind.   Men, children and women Labor beneath the sun How much does the rancher profit, How much do the workers get paid?   Sweat on the brow To enrich the bosses. For the rich to become richer The poor must be poorer.   We do not ask for charity Only a decent wage. So demands César Chávez For the benefit of the people.   Without anger or violence Organize without delay For if we sow the seed There will be something to reap.

 
Analysis
 
In this corrido of César Chávez, the focus is not on Chávez as an individual; rather it focuses on the movement itself. I think the propositionality of this corrido is to encourage the people join the movement. The corrido makes a distinction between the two types of people, Anglos and Mexicans. Indirectly it shows what Américo Paredes calls border conflict or more specifically the inter-racial tension between Mexicans and Anglos. Although there are no derogatory remarks when referring to Anglos as in other corridos, where they are commonly ridiculed for their love of sandwiches, or their fear of the Mexican, there is a still a difference in the attitude when referring to the two types people. The Anglos are being referred to in this corrido as the rich. Several times through the course of the corrido there are indications that the ranchers are profiting, while the Mexican men, women, and children are working beneath the hot sun. We can see this distinction when the corridista says in the stanza four, lines one and two, "of the sweat on the brow, to make the boss richer". He says, "For the rich to be richer, the poor must be poorer" The corrido also shows the bad conditions by explaining how the work enslaves even the mind. The corrido however, is not interested in trying to get pity from the audience, it is asking the border community to take participate in the huelga and stand up for their rights as their leader César Chávez has done. It alludes to the success that has been gained by the movement when it refers to the people in the first stanza that have raised their heads. I believe that the corrido is referring to the lettuce growers and the use of the short hoe that was eventually outlawed. The corrido wants the people to come together without anger or violence, but I believe that the corrido wants to arouse the people and show them that these labor practices are unfair and it is the ranchers who are profiting from the work of the Mexican. As the corrido says, "We do not ask for charity, only a decent wage."
 
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