Hi,

Q, that's not the only meaning I know for "composer", but the only one I know how to apply to writing a song. One of the articles does say something about his version being about "an indigenous revolt", but that's not what the the (Spanish) texts we know are about. It was, however, what the zarzuela El Cóndor Pasa was about, so maybe there's a mix-up here.

Jim, it's not the variation we're looking into, but the origin. This is just a century ago, and there clearly are records of what happened, but the secondary sources either didn't know the sources or are interpreting or describing them rather loosely. As a result, it turns out to be less then easy to find a description that appears precise enough to be trusted. It may still turn out that there are lyrics by Daniel Alomía Robles, but different ones from those we have here.
Regarding Bridge over troubled Water: It's a good LP, but though If I Could is probably the most famous version, it's probably not the best version, and in my opinion it's not the best piece on the LP either.

This is the version Armando Robles Godoy wrote after Paul Simons version:

Prefiero ser un cóndor que un gorrión
y volar sin soñar y sin canción.
Prefiero ser un árbol que una flor
y crecer sin temer y sin dolor.

Buscar sin encontrar jamás
sin descansar sin fe ni paz.
Partir y nunca regresar y así vivir
y así pasar.
Y así pasar.

Prefiero ser el beso que el amor
y olvidar sin llorar y sin rencor.
Prefiero ser la lluvia sobre el mar
y morir sin sufrir y sin cesar.

Buscar sin regresar jamás
sin encontrar sin fe ni paz.
Partir y nunca descansar y así vivir
y así pasar.
Y así pasar.

BFN
                                                                Mysha