El corrido del AB 1634

The N.Y. Times once again examines “Mexican immigrant culture,” and in the interests of solidarity I have composed a corrido about AB 1634. Because it’s our way.

A corrido is a little bit like a twelve bar blues in that you can add syllables somewhat irrespective of meter and yes, that means I can squeeze in as many syllables as I like. ¡Es mi corrido!

But the best thing about a corrido is that you don’t need a good singing voice to sing one. In fact, it adds a certain cachet if you sing like a hinge.

In the immortal words of Chalino Sánchez, “No canto, ladro.” [I don’t sing, I bark.]

El corrido del AB 1634
[sung to the melody of some corrido or another ]

Voy a cantar un corrido
De un político sencillo,
Su ambición ha causado
Un enojo explosivo.

Como un Anti-Noé,
Él quería esterilizar
A cada animal doméstico,
“Por su propio bienestar.”

Pero, para sorpresa suya
Los animales se movilizaron
Y en masa los perros y gatos
Hasta Sacramento marcharon.

Y le dijeron en voz unida,
“Tu proyecto no es solución
No vas a ayudar a nadie
Sino causar nuestra perdición.

“Si quieres defender a los gatos
Y a los perros callejeros
Mejor adoptar a unos “pit bulls”
Antes que castrar a todos los perros.

“Mejor ofrecerte de voluntario
En la perrera – y en vez de legislar,
Seguir el ejemplo de Maddie’s Fund
Para lograr el No-Matar.

“No necesitamos leyes malas
Que sólo producen división.
Trabajar juntos, unidos
Es encontrar la solución.”

Senadores, ya me despido,
Ya se acaba mi canción.
Ojalá que ustedes me escuchen,
Que mi canto es oración.

¡No al AB 1634!

[I’m going to sing a corrido about a simple politician whose ambition caused outrage. Like an Anti-Noah, he wanted to sterilize all domestic animals “for their own good.” But to his surprise, the animals mobilized and marched on Sacramento. And they said in one voice, “Your bill isn’t a solution --- it won’t help anyone and will only cause our downfall. If you want to defend cats and homeless dogs, it would be better if you adopted some pit bulls before neutering everything. It would be better if you volunteered at a shelter – and instead of making laws, you should follow the example of Maddie’s Fund to reach your goal of No-Kill. We don’t need bad laws that only cause division. Working together, united, is the way to find a solution. Senators, I’ll say farewell now, my song is finished. I hope you’re listening to me, because this song is an entreaty.]

I'm keeping the day job.