La Cucaracha

"La Cucaracha" ("The Cockroach") is a traditional Spanish language folk song of the genre known as a "corrido", that became popular in Mexico during the Mexican Revolution.

Origins

The ultimate origin of "La Cucaracha" is unsettled, but it gained its greatest popularity during the Mexican Revolution of the early 20th century. However, the song is mentioned in 1883, and possibly as early as 1818. Although it is speculated that it may be of Spanish origin, there is no reliable source for this, nor does the song appear in any other Latin American country.

Lyrics

The lyrics consist of independent verses, often improvised. It is similar to Yankee Doodle, The Burning of the School or On Top of Old Smoky. One typical and most familiar verse is as follows:

:La cucaracha, la cucaracha:Ya no puede caminar:Porque no tiene, porque le falta:Marihuana que fumar.

English

:The cockroach, the cockroach:Can't walk anymore:Because it doesn't have, because it's lacking :Marijuana to smoke

The reference to marijuana arose during a period of time---approximately the time of the Mexican Revolution---when the word "cucaracha" was also a slang term for marijuana or a marijuana cigarette stub (hence the term "roach" in American slang).

Another Example:

:La cucaracha, La cucaracha :Ya no puede caminar:Porque no tiene, porque le falta:Una pata para andar

English:

:The cockroach, The cockroach :Can't walk anymore:Because it doesn't have, because it's lacking:A leg to walk

Another example:

:La cucaracha, la cucaracha:Ya no puede caminar:Porque no tiene, porque le falta:La patita principal.

English

:The cockroach, the cockroach:Can't walk anymore:Because it doesn't have, because it's lacking:The front leg

In contexts where the mention of marijuana would be unsuitable, limonada que tomar ("lemonade to drink") or las patitas de atrás' ("its hind legs") are frequently substituted for the last line. This preserves both story and, in the Spanish version, meter.

:Cuando uno quiere a una (When a man loves a woman):Y esta una no lo quiere, (but she doesn't love him back):Es lo mismo como si un calvo (it's like a bald man):En calle encuentre un peine. (finding a comb in the street)

:Mi vecina de enfrente (my neighbor across the street):Se llamaba Doña Clara, (used to call herself Doña Clara):Y si no hubiera muerto (and if she hasn't died):Así se llamaría. (That's what she would call herself)

During the Mexican Revolution, rebel and government forces alike invented political lyrics. In some versions, the cockroach is President Victoriano Huerta, who was a notorious drunk, and considered a villain and traitor due to his part in the death of revolutionary President Francisco Madero. They may include lines like:

:En el norte vive Villa:En el sur vive Zapata:Lo que quiero es venganza:Por la muerte de Madero

(English)

:In the north lives Villa,:In the south lives Zapata:What I want is revenge:For the death of Madero

In Francisco Rodríguez Marín's book "Cantos populares españoles", published in 1883, he records several verses that deal with the "Reconquista" wars against the Moors in Spain: :De las patillas de un moro :tengo que hacer una escoba, :para barrar el cuartel :la infantería española. (English) :From the sideburns of a Moor :I must make a broom :to sweep the quarters :of the Spanish infantry

Media

ome of the performers of the song

*Louis Armstrong (1935)
*Bill Haley & His Comets (1966) - as "La Cucaracha a Go-Go"
*Doug Sahm
*James Last (1999)
*Lila Downs (2004)
*Les Negresses Vertes
*Zebda
*Charlie Parker
*Speedy Gonzales
*Los Lobos
*The Gipsy Kings
*Slowpoke Rodriguez
*The Wiggles
*Charlie & The Jives
*Kumbia Kings
* The Gumm Sisters, featuring Judy Garland
*Mills Brothers

External links

* [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010727.html What are the words to "La Cucaracha"?] on The Straight Dope
* [http://www.almademexico.com.mx/lacucaracha.htm Version] with several references to the Mexican Revolution
* [http://ctgr.free.fr/ZNC/002/index.html complete lyric ]
*Sheet Music for Wind Orchestra: [http://www.sheetmusic.ru/others/other-804.pdf Parts] & [http://www.sheetmusic.ru/others/other-804-p.pdf Scores]