LA 701 – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Tito Double P, Luis R Conriquez

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the rhythmic world of 'corridos bélicos' with 'LA 701.' This song is a perfect gateway to learning modern Mexican slang and the specific vocabulary used in regional music, offering a unique glimpse into contemporary cultural expressions through its fast-paced lyrics and powerful instrumentation.

[English]

Truly, Joaquín is deeply missed

And even though he's not here, his legacy remains strong

I didn't get to say goodbye, but I send you all a hug from here

I didn't see this coming, but now that I'm here, where do I go from now?

But that's how life is; tell everyone to be careful out there

Badiraguato, the mountains where he grew up, at the La Tuna ranch

Along the narrow paths, he had caves built to his size

Puente Grande was the place, how could anyone forget that famous escape

And years ago, trying to kill him, they took out a priest instead

When the old man partied, the 701 was always tucked in his belt

Great rhythm for dancing, he had a good step with a blonde girl

Plenty of security all around the place, relaxed and safe

Under the command of Cholo Iván, all ex-military, more armored than a wall

Let's head to Culiacán, compa Tito Double P, old man

Keep it up, compa Luis R

Cheerful and in love, he left seeds across several ranches

The eldest is Archivaldo, along with his brother and those from Jesús María

A few others here and there not mentioned, but they are still family

Edgar is going to look after them; I'll pray for him, a hug to the one above

Great friendships, but very few stood by me during the wars

Comadres everywhere, but in my absence, one switched sides

One federal agent was all it took to end up locked up here

If I had wanted to settle, my Cholo Iván would have executed him

With this, I say goodbye to my friends, my ranch, and my mother

Play some beautiful corridos, those old-school ones, like my compadre's

...

[Spanish]

De verdad, cómo hace falta Joaquín

Y aunque no está aquí, bien firme el legado

Y pues ya no me pude despedir, pero desde aquí les mando un abrazo

Esta no la vi venir, mas ya estoy aquí, ¿ahorita para dónde me hago?

Pero la vida es así, les mando decir que se anden con cuidado

Badiraguato, la sierra donde creciera, en el rancho La Tuna

Caminos entre veredas, tenía sus cuevas hechas a su estatura

Puente Grande fue el lugar, cómo olvidar esa famosa fuga

Y varios años atrás, por quererlo matar, se llevaron un cura

Cuando el viejo se enfiestaba siempre fajada la 701

Buen ritmo pa la bailada, buen paso daba con una pelo rubio

Bastante seguridad por todo el lugar, relajado y seguro

Al mando del Cholo Iván, puro exmilitar, más blindado que un muro

Vámonos pa Culiacán, compa Tito Doble P, viejo

Y ánimo, compa Luis R

Alegre y enamorado, por varios ranchos dejó varias semillas

El mayor es Archivaldo, junto a su hermano y los de Jesús María

Uno que otro más por ahí sin mencionar, pero igual son familia

Edgar me los va a cuidar, le he de rezar, un abrazo hasta arriba

Amistades de grandeza y pa las guerras muy pocos me llegaron

Compadres por donde quiera, pero en mi ausencia uno cambió de bando

Un agente federal bastó nomás pa estar aquí encerrado

Por no querer arreglar, mi Cholo Iván lo hubiera fusilado

Ya con esta me despido de mis amigos, de mi rancho y mi madre

Toquen corridos bonitos, de esos viejitos, como el de mi compadre

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
legado le-ga-do B2	noun - legacy
firme fir-me B1	adjective - steady, firm, resolute
sierra sie-rra A2	noun - mountain range
veredas ve-re-das B2	noun - paths, trails
fuga fu-ga B2	noun - escape
enfiestaba en-fies-ta-ba C1	verb - to party
fajada fa-ja-da B2	adjective - tucked in (referring to a gun)
ritmo rit-mo A2	noun - rhythm
blindado blin-da-do B2	adjective - armored
semillas se-mi-llas A2	noun - seeds
ausencia au-sen-cia B2	noun - absence
bando ban-do B2	noun - side/faction
agente a-gen-te A2	noun - agent
encerrado en-ce-rra-do B1	adjective - locked up/imprisoned
fusilado fu-si-la-do C1	verb - to execute by firing squad

Key Grammar Structures

• De verdad, cómo hace falta Joaquín

  ➔ Impersonal 'hacer falta'

  ➔ "hace falta" is used here to express the absence or missing of someone.

• Y pues ya no me pude despedir

  ➔ Preterite tense of reflexive verbs

  ➔ "pude" (poder) + "despedir" (reflexive infinitive) indicates a completed action in the past.

• mas ya estoy aquí, ¿ahorita para dónde me hago?

  ➔ Idiomatic usage of 'hacerse' (to head to/move)

  ➔ In this context, "para dónde me hago" means "where should I go" or "where do I head now?"

• les mando decir que se anden con cuidado

  ➔ Subjunctive mood in a command/warning

  ➔ "se anden" (andar) is in the subjunctive because it is an indirect command or advice.

• tenía sus cuevas hechas a su estatura

  ➔ Past participle as an adjective

  ➔ "hechas" describes the state of the caves, functioning as an adjective modifying "cuevas".

• por quererlo matar, se llevaron un cura

  ➔ Infinitive construction after 'por'

  ➔ "por" followed by the infinitive "querer" explains the motive or cause for the action.

• cuando el viejo se enfiestaba

  ➔ Reflexive verb in the Imperfect tense

  ➔ "se enfiestaba" describes a habitual action or state in the past.

• Edgar me los va a cuidar

  ➔ Periphrastic future (Ir + a + infinitive)

  ➔ "va a cuidar" expresses a plan or certainty about the future.