'Que culpa tiene el tomate'

Subject: 'Que culpa tiene el tomate'
From: Irthlingz
Date: 31 Jul 20 - 01:38 AM

I think I understand the literal meaning of the lyrics of this folk song, 'Que culpa tiene el tomate' which originated during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). This version is by a Chilean group:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3clJISZWtg

I have posted the Spanish and my translation here:
https://irthlingz.com/que_culpa.html (There are also some chords and some modern environmentalist lyrics for those who might be interested.)

There are a two things in particular that I'm curious about:

1) In the second half of the first verse, it says that "four rogues" tread on the worker's wife. Does anyone have any idea who these four rogues are?

2) In the first half of the third verse, why do the mine bosses purchase a *Roman* woman to weigh the money they steal from the poor worker?

Thanks for any suggestions on this!

Michael

Subject: RE: 'Que culpa tiene el tomate'
From: Monique
Date: 31 Jul 20 - 02:10 AM

1- "four rogues" is just a way to say "some/a few" just the same way you say "I'll tell them a word or two".
2 - A "romana" is what you call a steelyard.

Subject: RE: 'Que culpa tiene el tomate'
From: Monique
Date: 31 Jul 20 - 02:22 AM

Michael, I hadn't read your translation before answering your question but you need to fix a couple of things...

Y viene un hijo de puta
y lo mete en una lata
y lo manda pa' Caracas.

...these "lo" refer to the tomato = And here comes a son of a bitch and (he) puts it in a can and (he) sends it to Caracas. Una "lata" is a can (tin), not a box (una caja).

"Señor" can mean "gentleman" but in this case it means "master".

Subject: RE: 'Que culpa tiene el tomate'
From: Monique
Date: 31 Jul 20 - 03:14 AM

Btw the song has other titles (Que la tortilla se vuelva / La hierba de los caminos) and is of Spanish origin so "tortilla" is Spanish omelette.
From there...
"The grass of the roads" is a theme that compiles verses that the republicans sang in the trenches during the civil war, from the first verse, which was appropriated by Corruco de Algeciras, singer of La Línea de la Concepción that made Manuel Vallejo himself cry the first time he heard him sing, up to the very popular "Let the rich eat bread and the rich eat shit." -Google translation.

Subject: RE: 'Que culpa tiene el tomate'
From: Irthlingz
Date: 04 Aug 20 - 10:22 PM

Thank you, Monique, for all the enlightenment! I have changed the English at https://irthlingz.com/que_culpa.html based on your comments.

Subject: RE: 'Que culpa tiene el tomate'
From: Monique
Date: 05 Aug 20 - 12:52 AM

You should also change the tense of the verbs of the 2nd part of the 2nd verse: "viene" = comes (3rd pers. sing. present tense), "mete" (ditto), "manda" ditto. "Came" would be "vino", "put" would be "puso" and "sent" would be "mandó".

Subject: RE: 'Que culpa tiene el tomate'
From: Irthlingz
Date: 08 Aug 20 - 12:13 AM

Done! And thanks again, Monique.

Subject: RE: 'Que culpa tiene el tomate'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Aug 20 - 01:43 AM

Subject: RE: 'Que culpa tiene el tomate'
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Aug 20 - 01:44 AM

I wonder if I can get that page to display here.

\

¿Qué culpa tiene el tomate? 1) La hierba de los caminos, la pisan los caminantes. La hierba de los caminos, la pisan los caminantes.   Y a la mujer del obrero, la pisan cuatro tunantes de esos que tienen dinero. Y a la mujer del obrero la pisan cuatro tunantes de esos que tienen dinero.   2) ¿Qué culpa tiene el tomate que está tranquilo en la mata? ¿Qué culpa tiene el tomate que está tranquilo en la mata?   Y viene un hijo de puta y lo mete en una lata y lo manda pa' Caracas. Y viene un hijo de puta y lo mete en una lata y lo manda pa' Caracas.   3) Los señores de la mina han comprado una romana. Los señores de la mina han comprado una romana.   Para pesar el dinero que toditas las semanas le roban al pobre obrero. Para pesar el dinero que toditas las semanas le roban al pobre obrero.   4) ¿Cuándo querrá el Dios del cielo que la tortilla se vuelva? ¿Cuándo querrá el Dios del cielo que la tortilla se vuelva?   ¿Que la tortilla se vuelva, que los pobres coman pan, y los ricos mierda, mierda? ¿Que la tortilla se vuelva, que los pobres coman pan, y los ricos mierda, mierda? ¿Que la tortilla se vuelva, que los pobres coman pan, y los ricos mierda, mierda?	What Guilt Has the Tomato? The grass of the roads, on that tread the travellers. The grass of the roads, on that tread the travellers. And the worker's wife, on her tread some rogues of the kind that have money. And the worker's wife, on her tread some rogues of the kind that have money. What guilt has the tomato that is there quiet on the vine? What guilt has the tomato that is there quiet on the vine? And there comes a son of a bitch and puts it in a can and sends it to Caracas. And there comes a son of a bitch and puts it in a can and sends it to Caracas. The bosses of the mine have bought a steelyard. The bosses of the mine have bought a steelyard. To weigh the money that they all weeks steal from the poor worker. To weigh the money that they all weeks steal from the poor worker. When will it please the God of the Heavens that the tortilla turns over? When will it please the God of the Heavens that the tortilla turns over? That the tortilla turns over, that the poor eat bread, and the rich shit, shit? That the tortilla turns over, that the poor eat bread, and the rich shit, shit? That the tortilla turns over, that the poor eat bread, and the rich shit, shit?
live in Em
la hierba de los caminos la pisan los caminantes y a la mujer del obrero ya no la pisa mas nadie porque se hizo guerrillera the grass of the roads is trodden by walkers and the worker's wife is no longer stepped on by anyone because she became a guerrilla
Intro: Cm - Gm - Dm7 Gm7-G9 - Cm - Gm - Dm7 Gm x 2 Gm Cm Gm El hombre debe a la tierra / lo que la tierra le brinda Gm Cm Gm El hombre debe a la tierra / lo que la tierra le brinda Cm A# D7 G Pero saquea y saquea, la va dejando finita, reseca y llena de pena Cm A# D7 Gm Pero saquea y saquea, la va dejando finita, reseca y llena de pena Cm - Gm - Dm7 Gm Gm Cm Gm Las avionetas volando / mientras la soja florece Gm Cm Gm Las avionetas volando / mientras la soja florece Cm A# D7 G Y el Glifosato maldito, te va picando la sangre y el corazón se estremece Cm A# D7 Gm Y el Glifosato maldito, te va picando la sangre y el corazón se enfurece Cm - Gm - Dm7 Gm/SOL/7-G/9 - Cm - Gm - Dm7 Gm x 2 Gm Cm Gm Qué culpa tiene el tomate / que está tranquilo en la mata Gm Cm Gm Qué culpa tiene el tomate / que está tranquilo en la mata Cm A# D7 G si viene un hijo de puta, y lo mete en una lata y lo manda pa' Caracas. Cm A# D7 Gm si viene un hijo de puta, y lo mete en una lata y lo manda pa' Caracas. Cm - Gm - Dm7 Gm7-G9 - Cm - Gm - Dm7 Gm x 2 Gm Cm Gm Cuándo querrá el Dios del cielo / que la tortilla se vuelva Gm Cm Gm Cuándo querrá el Dios del cielo / que la tortilla se vuelva Cm A# D7 G que la tortilla se vuelva, que los pobres coman pan y los ricos mierda, mierda. Cm A# D7 Gm que la tortilla se vuelva, que los pobres coman pan y los ricos mierda, mierda. Cm - Gm - Dm7 Gm7-G9 - Cm - Gm - Dm7 Gm x 2

Subject: RE: 'Que culpa tiene el tomate'
From: Mysha
Date: 08 Aug 20 - 02:33 PM

'Let the rich eat bread and the rich eat shit." -Google translation.'

Let the POOR eat bread and let the rich eat shit. (My own translation, though my Spanish could be better.)

Bye
Mysha

Subject: RE: 'Que culpa tiene el tomate'
From: Monique
Date: 10 Feb 24 - 06:27 AM

Translation of the first two verses of the version in the table above;

Man owes to the earth what the earth gives him
But he punders and plunders, he leaves it very thin, parched and full of troubles/problems

The light aircrafts fly while the soybean is blooming
And the cursed Glyphosate rots your blood and your heart weakens
And the cursed Glyphosate rots your blood and your heart gets wild