Adelita – English Lyrics

• By: Bruce Springsteen

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the rich history and culture behind Bruce Springsteen's 'Adelita,' a moving tribute to the women who fought in the Mexican Revolution. This unique song, with its blend of folk and mariachi influences, offers a glimpse into a fascinating period of history and a chance to appreciate Springsteen's exploration of border stories and cultural identity.

[English]

In the High Sierras, camped were the soldiers

And a young soldada who valiantly fought

Side by side with Francisco Villa

Adelita

Far from my home now, a Texacan soldier

It's not for fortune or risk to the battlefield I fight

I fell in love with Adelita with my very soul

We'll stand in arms this night

She said, "Johnny, if I should die in battle

And my body be left in the Sierranea

My love, my love, in God's name

Fight on, and remember me

That my blood will not have been spilled in vain"

On horseback, a carbine full and at her side

Over her blouse, cartridges filled her bandoleras

Side by side, into battle we rode, Villistas

My Adelita

We met the enemy in the Zamoran mountains

From their bullets, many of our soldiers died

And wounded, I lay fallen with my comrades

As Adelita stood above us

Firing her rifle 'til the gunpowder turned her hand black

And the sky was blue, 'neath the cannon the earth trembled

Watched as a bullet pierced my love's side

She fell amidst the brothers and sisters

Smoke and empty sky in her eyes

Adelita, my love, Adelita, my wife

Adelita, my comrade, my life

They'll remember your name when freedom fills the Sierranea

I'll remember the warmth of your skin against mine

...

I lay in the mountains with the campesinos

My mind at peace from the vows I've made

I know I'll never see Texas again

Your portrait I carry deep in my breast pocket

My rifle firing into the campaña, I ride with you 'round my heart

Protected from this death by beauty

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
soldier /ˈsoʊldʒər/ A1	noun - a person who serves in an army
fight /faɪt/ A1	verb - to take part in a battle or war
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - a deep affection for someone
battle /ˈbætəl/ A2	noun - a fight between armed forces
valiantly /ˈvæliəntli/ B2	adverb - in a brave and courageous manner
comrade /ˈkɒmreɪd/ B1	noun - a fellow soldier or friend
bandoleras /ˌbændəˈlɛrəz/ C1	noun - a belt or strap for carrying cartridges
pierced /pɪrst/ B2	verb - to make a hole in something
campesinos /ˌkæmpəˈsiːnoʊs/ C1	noun - peasant farmers
carbine /ˈkɑːrbaɪn/ B2	noun - a short lightweight rifle
trembled /ˈtrɛmbləd/ B1	verb - to shake or quiver
vain /veɪn/ B2	adjective - without success or result
wounded /ˈwuːndɪd/ A2	adjective - injured or hurt
portrait /ˈpɔːrtrət/ B1	noun - a painting or photograph of a person
campaign /kæmˈpeɪn/ B2	noun - a series of military operations

Key Grammar Structures

• In the High Sierras, camped were the soldiers

  ➔ Inversion of subject-verb order for emphasis

  ➔ The typical order is 'The soldiers camped in the High Sierras'. The inversion here puts emphasis on the location.

• Side by side with Francisco Villa

  ➔ Prepositional phrase indicating accompaniment

  ➔ 'Side by side with' clearly shows the speaker fought alongside Francisco Villa.

• It's not for fortune or risk to the battlefield I fight

  ➔ Double negative for emphasis

  ➔ 'Not for fortune or risk' strongly emphasizes that the speaker's motivation is not material gain or adventure.

• She said, 'Johnny, if I should die in battle...'

  ➔ Subjunctive mood expressing a hypothetical situation

  ➔ 'If I should die' indicates a possibility, not a certainty. The subjunctive mood is used for hypothetical or uncertain situations.

• Firing her rifle 'til the gunpowder turned her hand black

  ➔ Gerund phrase as the subject of the sentence

  ➔ 'Firing her rifle' is the subject performing the action described in the sentence.

• They'll remember your name when freedom fills the Sierranea

  ➔ Future tense with 'will' for prediction

  ➔ 'They'll remember' expresses a prediction about the future, using 'will' to indicate certainty.

• Protected from this death by beauty

  ➔ Passive voice for emphasis on the state

  ➔ The focus is on the state of being protected, not on who or what is doing the protecting.