The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #5940   Message #1107648
Posted By: Q (Frank Staplin)
02-Feb-04 - 05:57 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Adelita
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Adelita
Adelita, a little more information for you.
Frances Tour, in "A Treasury of Mexican Folkways," says that she has been told by men who fought in Villa's army that Adelita actually existed. She says "Some girls of good family became soldaderas of their own accord, while others were carried off by officers." The song came from Durango.

This very free translation better fits "Adelita," as given in the Spanish versions above, by Joe Offer and others. It follows the song as recorded by Carmen Mendizabal (late 1930s-early 1940s). From Tour, pp. 411-413, with sheet music.

Lyr. Add: Adelita

On the heights of an abrupt ridge,
Where a regiment was camping,
A valiant young girl followed it
Because she was in love with a sergeant.

Favorite among the troops was Adelita,
The woman idolized by the sergeant,
Because besides being brave she was pretty,
And even the Colonel respected her.

And it is related that he said how much he loved her:

If Adelita were to go with another,
He would follow her tracks without rest;
If by sea, in a war boat,
If by land, in a military train.

Yes, Adelita must be my wife,
Yes, Adelita must be my woman,
Adelita, Adelita of my soul,
Adelita of my heart.

If Adelita wished to be my wife,
If Adelita were my woman,
I would buy her a silk dress,
To take her to dance at the barracks.

Adelita, for God's sake I beg you
To calm the fire of this my passion,
Because I adore you and love you devotedly
And for you my faithful heart suffers.

Here the first verse is repeated,
which is the refrain.

The bugle of battle calls out to war,
The brave knight leaves to fight,
Streams of blood shall flow,
Let no tyrant ever govern!

And if perchance I die in battle
And my body remains in the Sierra,
Addelita, for God's sake I beg you,
To weep for me with your eyes.

The following seems to be a better version of the first verse:

En lo alto de una abrupta serranía
donde estaba y acampado un regimiento,
una joven que valiente los seguía
porque estaba enamorada de un sargento.

Mexican friends tell me that moza has disrespectful connotations, never used to refer to nice upper class girls; joven is preferred (a young girl or young man).
Serranía is the usual spelling.