This past Cinco De Mayo, I promised songs and lyrics by Mexican American bands to help spread appreciation for this wonderful country that hopefully goes a little deeper than margarita-bingeing. So here’s La Bamba Rebelde by L.A. band Las Cafeteras, translated by yours truly. (Please note I do not own the rights to the any of this music, and I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to support musicians and artists by buying their work whenever you can.)
Scroll down for video, and enjoy!
“La Bamba Rebelde” — Las Cafeteras
Here’s the Rebel La Bamba.
Here’s the Rebel La Bamba,
And I’ll sing it to you because we are... Chicanos.
Because we are Chicanos, from East L.A.,
Yeah, get up now, get up now.
Yeah, get up now, get up now, get up right now,
I don’t believe in borders.
I don’t believe in borders;
I’ll cross them all,
I’ll cross them all,
I’ll cross them all!
Hey . . . Lie, lay lo lie, lay lo lie, ay!
It’s La Bamba, señores.
It’s La Bamba, señores,
That old melody that infuses our souls,
That infuses our souls with such happiness,
Yeah, get up now, get up now,
Yeah, get up now, get up now, get up right now,
I am no lowly deck hand.
I am no lowly deck hand;
I am the captain,
I am the captain,
I am the captain!
Please don’t cry now, my baby.
Please don’t cry now, my baby,
My people struggle against racist lawmakers,
Against racist lawmakers in Arizona,
Yeah, get up now, get up now.
Yeah get up now, get up now, get up right now,
I’m not with Immigration.
I’m not with Immigration,
And I’d never join,
I’d never join,
I’d never join!
See now, I’m from the Valley.
See now, I’m from that Valley called San Gabriel
Because that’s where we built it,
Because that’s where we built our whole family,
Yeah, get up now, get up now.
Yeah, get up now, get up now, get up right now,
I am no lowly deck hand.
I am no lowly deck hand;
I’m Chicano,
I’m Chicano,
I’m Chicano!
Hey . . . big shout out to the women!
Big shout out to the women of East L.A.
‘Cause they dance the La Bamba.
‘Cause they dance the La Bamba,
And I will, too,
Yeah, get up now, get up now,
Yeah, get up now, get up now, get up right now,
Just like our Zapatistas.
Just like our Zapatistas,
Oh, I will fight,
Yes, I will fight,
I’ll win the fight!
Oh, my gorgeous Chicana,
Oh, my gorgeous Chicana, the key to my heart,
Only you can possess it.
Only you can possess it, that key to my heart,
Yeah, get up now, get up now.
Yeah, get up now, get up now, get up right now,
I do not support war.
I do not support war,
And nor will I ever,
Nor will I ever,
No, nor will I ever!
Hey . . . lie, lay lo lie, lay lo lie, ay!
Oh, the lover I long for,
Yes, the lover I long for, he is a traveller,
And he plays me La Bamba.
Yes, he plays me La Bamba on his guitar,
Yeah, get up now, get up now.
Yeah, get up now, get up now, get up right now,
I don’t believe in borders.
I don’t believe in borders;
I’ll cross them all,
I’ll cross them all,
I’ll cross them all!
Oh, the beating, the beating,
Oh, the beating, the beating of all our hearts,
The La Bamba is ending.
The La Bamba is ending, it’s so heartfelt,
Yeah, get up now, get up now.
Yeah, get up now, get up now, get up right now
I don’t believe in borders.
I don’t believe in borders,
I’ll cross them all,
I’ll cross them all,
I’ll cross them all!
Hey!