Lyr. Add: Mi Carro Ford (My Ford Car)
(New Mexico, c. 1930)

1.
Tengo mi carro paseado
el que no lo ha exprimentado
no lo puede hacer andar.
Cuando yo tomo el asiento
lo hago correr por el viento,
si es posible, hasta volar.

2. Tiene los fenders gastados,
la cachuca es compasión
ajuerado el rediétor,
quebrada la trasmisión.

3.
Ayer al mediodía
le quité la batería,
la tenia puesta al revés
Le prendí fuego a mi bacha,
y monté en mi *cucaracha,
y me fuí volado en tres.

4.
Cuando iba en el camino
al momento se murió.
Yo le buscaba a aquel carro,
no le hallaba más que sarro,
entre las bandas de low.

5.
Y allá topé un amigo
que diera su parecer;
-Quíteme este espantajo,
lléveselo muy abajo,
donde no lo vuelva a ver.-

1.
It's a banged up car I'm driving;
One who has not long been striving
Can't begin to make it run.
But when I'm behind the wheel-oh,
Like a bird I make it feel-oh,
Or a shot fired from a gun.

2.
It has fenders that are dented,
And the top will shed no rain;
Radiator's very holey,
The transmission is a pain.

3.
At about the hour of noon, I
Filled the batt'ry, none too soon,
And the cables I restored;
Then my cigarette I lighted,
Got aboard and quite delighted,
On three cylinders off I roared.

4.
I had just begun my ride,
When the engine up and died,
So the motor I inspected,
Found it worse than I expected-
Only dirt and muck inside.

5.
But a friend of mine was passing,
And he gave me this advice:
Take that scarecrow far away,
Hide it from the light of day;
It was never worth the price.

A Relación.
"In the song "Mi Carro Ford," the singer makes fun of his old model T Ford, and lists the parts of the automobile which are out or repair- the fenders, the top, the radiator, the transmission, the battery and the clutch.
The musical form is interesting. It consists of two three-measure phrases in 4/4 time, of which the second is merely a sequence of the first but with different cadential ending.
The three-measure phrases in turn consist of only two elements, the first (one measure in length) being literally repeated to form the second, while these two are balanced by the new element of the third, a variant of the first two, which is only one measure in length. This gives each phrase a curious appearance of not being completed. The form of each phrase may be described as A, A, B. To be sung humorously."
*Cucaracha is a common name for a cigarette in southwestern Spanish.
Music has been sent to Joe Offer, if anyone is interested.

John Donald Robb, 1954, "Hispanic Folk Songs of New Mexico," pp. 78-83, full sheet music. The University of New Mexico Press. Most of the songs in the book are in more correct, but often 17th century, Spanish.

This song reminded me of my first car, which I bought for $5 from a herder, at age 12, when I was out fishing. A chassis with a seat was about the sum of it.