header by Emerson Taymor, 2005
2. The Conquest
Los Cuatezones, "General Francisco Villa" (1965)
Francisco Villa was born with Mexican courage, to help the poor against the rule of tyrants.
Villa left Parral to defend his cause. That's why the federal forces called him a bandit.
Villa, with a friend, routed out fifty men, with his pistol in his hand and his .30-.30 rifle.
What a sharp mind Villa had, he was never indecisive. He captured the heaviest stronghold at La Pila hill.
The people of Camargo will tell you, the ones who were there. They'll tell you how many baldies fell before crossing the bridge.
What a heavy combat Villa has set up. The first signal was a red bandana.
"Come on, Pascual Orozco, didn't you say you were the toughest? But at the battle of Reyames you ran like a hare."
The one-armed Obregon shouted "I'll lose everything here! They've wiped out my Yaqui indians at El Guaje ranch."
Poor federal soldiers who defended Torreon. Fighting against Villa's forces was like stopping a hurricane.
Los Hermanos Chavarria, "Pancho Villa" (c. 1950)
Our Mexico, February 23, Carranza let the Americans cross over: 2000 soldiers, 500 airplanes, looking for Villa, set to kill him.
Venustiano tells the Americans: "If you are brave and know how to hunt down men, I'll let you search for Villa, but you will also have to face death."
The soldiers, sergeants, and officers began trembling mounted on their horses. They fear the Sierra of Chihuahua where they might run into Pancho Villa.
The soldiers were tired up in the mountains looking for Villa, and not able to find him. The he passes by in an airplane and from up there waves to them.
When they saw the fluttering flag with the stars that Villa had painted all the airplanes made the same mistake. They landed and Villa caught them.
Pancho Villa no longer rides a horse, and his people don't ride anymore. He is now the owner of various airplanes and he rents them on very easy terms.
Trio Gonzalez, Adelita (1919)
Adelita is the name of the ungrateful one, the one who owned my love. Don't ever think that I would forget her or exchange her for another woman.
If Adelita wanted to be my wife, if Adelita were to be my woman, I would buy her a silk dress and take her to the barracks to sleep with me.
If Adelita were to leave with another, I'd follow in her footsteps endlessly. On an airplane, on a warship, even on a military train.
Now the bugle is calling me, a brave warrior to battle. The blood will run in torrents, but I will never forget you.
If by chance I should die in battle and my body be left on the land, Adelita, by God I beg you to cry for me with those eyes of yours.
Adelita, by God I beg you, please never betray me. You know my love is yours, as is all of my heart.