Frijolero – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Molotov
• Album: Surco Records J.V.

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language is about understanding culture, and Molotov's 'Frijolero' is a crash course in the raw emotions of the US-Mexico border conflict. Through its blend of English and Spanish, you'll encounter a powerful dialogue on racism and identity. This song is special because it uses music to confront difficult truths head-on, making it an unforgettable way to learn about the social commentary embedded in language.

[English]

I'm fed up with being called a sombrero

So listen when I say

Don't call me beaner

And even if there's some respect, let's not stick our noses in

We never inflated the currency

Waging war on other countries

We pay our debt with oil or interest

Meanwhile, we don't know

Who gets to keep the money

Even if they make us famous for being sellers

Of the drugs we plant

You are the consumers

Don't call me gringo, you fuckin' beaner

Stay on your side of that goddamn river

Don't call me gringo, you beaner

Don't call me beaner, Mr. Asshole

I'll scare you for being racist and a jerk

Don't call me beaner, you fucking gringo jerk

Damn

Now I wish I had a dime for every single time

I've been stared down for being on the wrong side of town

And I'd be a rich man if I had that kind of chips

Lately I want to smack the mouths of these racists

You can imagine from the outside

Being a Mexican crossing the border

Thinking of your family while you pass

Leaving everything you know behind

You'd have to dodge the bullets

From a few rancher gringos

Will you still call me "good for nothing, wetback"?

If you had to start from scratch

Now, why don't you look down to where your feet are planted?

That U.S. soil that makes you take shit for granted

If not for Santa Ana, just to let you know

That where your feet are planted, would be Mexico

Right?

Don't call me gringo, you fuckin' beaner

Stay on your side of that goddamn river

Don't call me gringo, you beaner

Don't call me beaner, Mr. Asshole

I'll scare you for being racist and a jerk

Don't call me beaner, you fucking gringo jerk

...

Don't call me gringo, you fuckin' beaner

Stay on your side of the goddamn river

Don't call me gringo, you beaner

Don't call me beaner, Mr. Asshole

I'll scare you for being racist and a jerk

Don't call me beaner, you fucking gringo

(Fucking gringo, what?)

Asshole!

...

[Spanish]

Yo ya estoy hasta la madre de que me pongan sombrero

Escuche entonces cuando digo

No me llames frijolero

Y aunque exista algún respeto, no metamos las narices

Nunca inflamos la moneda

Haciendo guerra a otros países

Te pagamos con petróleo o intereses nuestra deuda

Mientras tanto no sabemos

Quién se queda con la feria

Aunque nos hagan la fama de que somos vendedores

De la droga que sembramos

Ustedes son consumidores

Don't call me gringo, you fuckin' beaner

Stay on your side of that goddamn river

Don't call me gringo, you beaner

No me digas beaner, Mr. Puñetero

Te sacaré un susto por racista y culero

No me llames frijolero, pinche gringo puñetero

Chingao

Now I wish I had a dime for every single time

I've gotten stared down for being in the wrong side of town

And a rich man I'd be If I had that kind of chips

Lately I wanna smack the mouths of these racists

Podrás imaginarte desde afuera

Ser un mexicano cruzando la frontera

Pensando en tu familia, mientras que pasas

Dejando todo lo que tú conoces atrás

Tuvieras tú que esquivar las balas

De unos cuantos gringos rancheros

¿Le seguirás diciendo "good for nothing, wetback"?

Si tuvieras tú, que empezar de cero

Now, why don't you look down to where your feet is planted?

That U.S. soil that makes you take shit for granted

If not for Santa Ana, just to let you know

That where your feet are planted, would be Mexico

¿Correcto?

Don't call me gringo, you fuckin' beaner

Stay on your side of that goddamn river

Don't call me gringo, you beaner

No me digas beaner, Mr. Puñetero

Te sacaré un susto por racista y culero

No me llames frijolero, pinche gringo puñetero

Don't call me gringo, you fuckin' beaner

Stay on your side of the goddamn river

Don't call me gringo, you beaner

No me digas beaner, Mr. Puñetero

Te sacaré un susto por racista y culero

No me llames frijolero, pinche gringo

(Pinche gringo, ¿qué?)

¡Puñetero!

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
frijolero /fɾi.xoˈle.ɾo/ B2	noun - a derogatory term for a Mexican, often referring to their association with beans
gringo /ˈɡrɪŋ.ɡoʊ/ B1	noun - a foreigner, especially an American, in Latin America
racista /raˈsista/ B2	adjective - relating to or characterized by racism
deuda /ˈdew.ða/ B1	noun - a sum of money that is owed or due
familia /faˈmil.ja/ A1	noun - a group of individuals related by blood or marriage
guerra /ˈɡe.ra/ A2	noun - a state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country
petróleo /peˈtɾo.le.o/ B1	noun - a liquid fossil fuel obtained from underground reservoirs
balas /ˈba.las/ A2	noun - projectiles fired from a gun
susto /ˈsus.to/ B1	noun - a sudden shock or fright
moneda /moˈne.ða/ B1	noun - a system of money in general use in a particular country
consumidores /kon.su.miˈðo.res/ B2	noun - individuals who purchase goods and services for personal use
sembramos /semˈbɾa.mos/ B1	verb - to plant seeds in the ground
imaginarte /ima.xiˈnaɾ.te/ B2	verb - to form a mental image of something
cruzando /kɾuˈsan.ðo/ B1	verb - to cross over or go across

Key Grammar Structures

• Yo ya estoy hasta la madre de que me pongan sombrero

  ➔ Idiomatic Expression: Estar hasta la madre de

  ➔ The phrase "estar hasta la madre de" is a vulgar Spanish idiom meaning "to be fed up with" or "to be sick and tired of" something. Here, it emphasizes the speaker's extreme annoyance with being stereotyped (being given a sombrero).

• Escuche entonces cuando digo

  ➔ Subjunctive in adverbial clauses of time (when)

  ➔ Although less common, the subjunctive mood can be used in adverbial clauses of time with "cuando" when referring to a future or hypothetical event. While the indicative is more frequently used in contemporary speech, the subjunctive adds a nuance of uncertainty. "Escuche entonces cuando diga" (indicative) is also correct, but the subjunctive adds a slightly stronger emphasis on the speaker's intention or command.

• Mientras tanto no sabemos quién se queda con la feria

  ➔ Indirect question with 'quién'

  ➔ The phrase "quién se queda con la feria" is an indirect question. "Quién" asks "who" in this instance, but it's embedded within a larger statement: "no sabemos". This changes the sentence structure; it is no longer a direct question, so the verb follows normal sentence order.

• Aunque nos hagan la fama de que somos vendedores

  ➔ Subjunctive after "aunque" expressing concession

  ➔ When "aunque" (although, even if) introduces a clause expressing a hypothetical or unrealized concession, the subjunctive mood is used. The fact that they are *given* a reputation, which is questionable and not necessarily true, requires the subjunctive. If it was an established fact that they *were* sellers, the indicative would be used: "Aunque somos vendedores...".

• Podrás imaginarte desde afuera

  ➔ Future Simple to Express Probability or Conjecture

  ➔ The future simple ("podrás") isn't just for future events. It can also express probability or conjecture, especially in questions. Here, it suggests the speaker is wondering if the listener can imagine something, rather than stating it as a definite future event. A more direct/less speculative version would be, "Puedes imaginarte desde afuera".

• Si tuvieras tú, que empezar de cero

  ➔ Imperfect Subjunctive in Conditional Sentences (Type 2)

  ➔ This sentence uses the imperfect subjunctive ("tuvieras") in the *si* clause to express a hypothetical, unlikely, or unreal condition. This is a classic Type 2 conditional. It sets up an imaginary scenario and implies that starting from scratch is improbable.