el rojo – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: beto quintanilla

Lyrics & Translation

Step into the world of Mexican norteño music with Beto Quintanilla's "El Rojo." This corrido offers a vivid narrative, showcasing the storytelling tradition of the genre and providing insight into cultural themes. Learn about the life of Rogelio Rodríguez through its powerful lyrics and distinctive musical style.

[English]

If they hear me talk about El Rojo, I won't speak of colors

I'm talking about a brave man from Ejido Las Flores

Mero Ocampo, Tamaulipas, known as a man

...

Ejido Flores Magón, La Mora, and La Muralla

Where Rogelio strolls and makes silence echo

El Tigre and Puerto Virgen stick close to their crew

He loves his guns and gets excited by the shots

Women are his passion, even if he dies in their arms

He loves danger, walking arm in arm with death

His name is Rogelio Rodríguez, everyone calls him El Rojo

Up north in North Carolina, he does as he pleases

One day he'd like to die for a pair of pretty eyes

...

He made his money quick, but I don't think it's easy

Jails and graves are full of fools

Who thought earning money was just a quick score

...

He drives a black Suburban and a double cab

...

It's a four-wheel drive that really turns heads

From California to North Carolina, he carries them all

His cousins Emerson Salas and also Lupillo Olvera

Send them greetings crossing borders far and wide

The Tijerina brothers cruise around Reynosa

His brother Ricky Rodriguez, El Rojo, inseparable

They give each other life, fear no one

By the good, they're friends; who knows about the bad

Brave as a beast, El Rojo has his reputation

The day I die, let them play his bellados (bravest songs)

Just furious corridos, and bury me with my guns

...

[Spanish]

Si me oyen hablar del Rojo, yo no hablaré de colores

Hablo de un hombre valiente de allá de ejido Las Flores

Mero Ocampo, Tamaulipas reconocido como hombre

Ejido Flores Magon, La Mora y la Muralla

Donde se pasea Rogelio y hace sonar la metralla

El Tigre y Puerto Virgen no se aparta de su escuadra

Le gustan mucho las armas y le excitan los balazos

Su gusto son las mujeres, aunque muera entre sus brazos

Le gusta mucho el peligro, con la muerte andar del brazo

Él es Rogelio Rodriguez todos le apodan El Rojo

Allá en Norte Carolina todo lo hace a sus antojos

Le gustaría un día morirse por unos bonitos ojos

Gano rápido el dinero pero fácil no lo creo

La cárcel y los panteones están llenas de borregos

Que pensaron que un topón era ganarse el dinero

Trae una Suburban negra y una de doble cabina

Es una cuatro por cuatro la que le hace más esquina

En California las carga hasta Norte Carolina

Sus primos Emerson Salas y tambien Lupillo Olvera

Hay les manda este saludo atravesando fronteras

Los hermanos Tijerina en Reynosa se pasean

Su hermano Ricky Rodriguez del Rojo es inseparable

Se dan la vida uno al otro y no le temen a nadie

Por la buena son amigos y por la mala quién sabe

Valiente como una fiera El Rojo tiene su fama

El día que yo me muera que me toquen con la banda

Puros corridos bravíos y me entierren con mis armas

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
hablar /aˈβlaɾ/ A2	verb - to speak
colores /koˈloɾes/ A2	noun - colors
hombre /ˈom.bɾe/ A2	noun - man
valiente /balˈjen.te/ B1	adjective - brave
ejido /eˈxi.ðo/ B2	noun - communal land used for agriculture
magón /maˈɣon/ B2	noun - a surname or related to the Mexican revolutionary movement
reconocido /re.ko.noˈsi ðo/ B2	adjective - recognized
armas /ˈaɾ.mas/ B1	noun - weapons
balazos /baˈla.sos/ B2	noun - gunshots
mujeres /muˈxeɾes/ A2	noun - women
peligro /peˈli.ɣɾo/ B1	noun - danger
muerte /mweɾ.te/ B1	noun - death
fiera /ˈfje.ɾa/ B2	noun - wild animal (fierce or untamable)
fama /ˈfa.ma/ B2	noun - fame, reputation
bandera /banˈde.ɾa/ B2	noun - flag
arma /ˈaɾ.ma/ B2	noun - weapon
corridos /koˈri.ðos/ B2	noun - corridos (a type of Mexican ballad or narrative song)

Key Grammar Structures

• Yo no hablaré de colores

  ➔ Future tense with 'hablaré' indicating a prediction or future action.

  ➔ The use of the **future tense** ('hablaré') shows a promise or prediction about what will happen.

• Le gustan mucho las armas

  ➔ Impersonal verb construction with 'le gustan' indicating liking or preference.

  ➔ 'Gustan' is used with indirect object pronouns to express liking or preferences.

• Hay les manda este saludo atravesando fronteras

  ➔ Use of 'hay' (there is/are) as an existential phrase, and the verb 'manda' in present tense.

  ➔ 'Hay' introduces the existence of something, and 'manda' is a present tense verb meaning 'sends' or 'marshals'.

• Sus primos Emerson Salas y tambien Lupillo Olvera

  ➔ Use of 'y' (and) to coordinate nouns in a list, with 'también' indicating addition.

  ➔ 'Y' connects multiple nouns, and 'también' adds another element to the list.

• Su hermano Ricky Rodriguez del Rojo es inseparable

  ➔ Use of possessive pronoun 'su' and descriptive phrase with 'es' (is) to identify relationship.

  ➔ 'Su' indicates possession, and 'es' (is) links the subject to its description.

• Puros corridos bravíos y me entierren con mis armas

  ➔ Use of 'y' (and) to connect nouns, with imperative verb 'entierren' for commands.

  ➔ 'Y' links nouns, and 'entierren' is a command in the imperative mood telling to bury the speaker with arms.