United Farmworker songs

Subject: RE: United Farmworker songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Jul 09 - 06:46 PM

Take a look at this PDF file: The UFW: Songs and Stories Sung and Told by UFW Volunteers a very interesting document.

The California Department of Education has a PDF collection of UFW songs here (click).

-Joe-

Subject: RE: United Farmworker songs
From: GUEST,TJ in San Diego
Date: 07 Jul 09 - 11:59 AM

I grew up in the central San Joaquin Valley in the 1940's and 1950's. I knew and went to school with any number of children of migrant families, primarily from Mexico. We were in a sparsely settled rural area and I would often ride my horse or bicycle to visit them in their camps. The people I saw mainly worked for small farms and ranches and were generally well treated, though their camps were simple cottages, often with dirt floors, and there was no indoor plumbing. I often traded lunches with my friends; burritos or taquitos for a peanut butter and jelly or bologna sandwich. I did not recognize their situation as "squalor" at that age, though I was mindful of the lack of plumbing. We used an outhouse at our mountain cabin, so it was not that strange to me.

The people with whose cause Cesar Chavez was most concerned were employed by the large multi-thousand acre corporate farms on what was known as the "West Side" of the valley. There, especially, conditions were very spartan, hours and working conditions were frequently onerous and there was often little concern for the health or well-being of the workers. Exposure to pesticides was an especially cruel consequence of their field work.

If anyone wants to pursue this in depth, I would guess that Fresno State University, with its reputation for poetry and folklore, would have a trove of related materials for research. There is also a Fresno Folklore Society, many members of which grew up in the area and some of whom may perform songs and stories related to the legacy of Cesar Chavez. Their website is www.fresnofolklore.org.

Subject: RE: United Farmworker songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 07 Jul 09 - 12:10 AM

That's all well and good, but you'd have a lot more credibility if you used a name on your post. Otherwise, you sound like just another cowardly bigot.
Yes, one literal translation of "Viva la Raza" might be "Live the Race," but languages rarely translate literally, word-for-word. The meaning that people understand, is "Long Live the Working Immigrant People."

-Joe-

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See here (click):

What does "Viva la Raza" mean? Viva la raza is another phrase that is taken out of context and translated incorrectly by much of the racist anti-immigration people. Translated literally it means "Long live the race." However, that is not the real meaning. in Mexico, the term RAZA also means the people. Raza is also a term for mestizo or Mixed Indigenous and European people. Viva la Raza actually means "Long live the people". It is a term used in situations like when "Power to the people" is used in the US. In Mexico, the descendents of the Europeans still seem to be the ones in most of the positions of power. They are not the Raza. Raza means the people. Raza is not the Elite.

Also see the Los Angeles Times

Subject: "Viva La Raza" translates to "Long Live The Race."
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jul 09 - 11:47 PM

"Viva La Raza" translates to "Long Live The Race." Many MEChA operatives are College trained in "Ethnic Studies" to manipulate words and at taxpayer expense to boot.. They try to change the literal meaning of words because they need to be victims rather than honest brokers. They say it means "Long Live The People" but that would be "Viva La Gente." They want to make up words, convince us their words have special meaning and that we cannot use a literal translation. It's up to you to figure out their agenda and why they never say it in English, ever...."Many MEChA operatives are College trained in "Ethnic Studies" to manipulate words and at taxpayer expense to boot.. They try to change the literal meaning of words because they need to be victims rather than honest brokers. They say it means "Long Live The People" but that would be "Viva La Gente." They want to make up words, convince us their words have special meaning and that we cannot use a literal translation. It's up to you to figure out their agenda and why they never say it in English, ever.... Ask them to say it in English - and watch them turn blue instead.

Subject: RE: United Farmworker songs
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 11:29 AM

Surely the words of Tolpuddle Man could fit this subject? After all, they did start the Trade Union movement and were farm workers....

LTS

Subject: RE: United Farmworker songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 02:42 AM

Whoa! That is a definitely cool introduction at www.elteatrocampesino.com. I also found the Website of the United Farm Workers. So far, no UFW songbooks, but my quest continues. Thanks, Peter.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: United Farmworker songs
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 27 Mar 01 - 11:25 PM

Joe, a further net search revealed the El Teatro Campesino website and the e mail contact info of its founder, Luis Valdez. [e-mail] He's probably the best source for the lyrics your looking for.

-chanteyranger

Subject: RE: United Farmworker songs
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 27 Mar 01 - 11:14 PM

I would, but there are no lyric sheets with the record. Not being a Spanish speaker, I would no doubt butcher the lyrics if I tried to copy them down. The UFW released it on their "Thunderbird Records" label. A net search didn't produce the label, though, so I take it this is long out of circulation.

Subject: RE: United Farmworker songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Mar 01 - 03:16 AM

Thanks, Peter - I may take you up on that offer, if I ever get around to getting myself another turntable. Does that LP have lyrics you might like to post for us?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: United Farmworker songs
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 27 Mar 01 - 12:43 AM

Hi, Joe - I have an LP from the 60s released by the United Farmworkers on their own label, called "Viva La Causa! Songs And Sounds From The Delano Strike." I would be glad to lend it to you if you're going to be passing through the bay area. The contents are: Side I - Songs Of The Strike. 1. Ninos Campesinos, 2. Huelga En General. 3. Ay Pero Si, Pero No. 4. Corrido De Cesar Chavez. 5. La Peregrinacion. 6. Adelita. 7. Yo No Lo Tengo Miedo. 8. De Colores. 9. Llegando A Los Files. 10. Ser Como El Aire Libre.

Side II - 1. Sounds Of The Strikers. 2. El Plan De Delano.

The description of the record on the liner notes:

"Side One: Songs Of The Strike: This recording was made on the 300 mile march, in the town of Thornton on the Sacramento river. The selections were completed in a later recording session in Delano with the director of the Teatro Campesino, Luis Valdez, and Agustin Lira with Carolina Franco (pictured here with Felipe Cantu who wrote several of the songs). Valdez and Cantu are from Delano, Carolina is from Earlimart in the strike zone and Lira is from Parlier, a farm worker town in Fresno County, California. The Teatro Campesino of which they form a part is a travelling troupe which propagandizes for the strike and shows the daily reality of the strikers' lives with a humor and freshness that is both compelling and beautiful. All the songs except two are original songs from the strike, written by Valdez, Lira, or Cantu. These two, Adelita and De Colores, belong to the heritage of the Mexican people in California. Adelita is the trditional song of the Mexican Revolution; De Colores is a Catholic Cursillista hymn.

Side Two: Sounds Of The Strikers: The Delano strikers are the stars of an epic which they began in their long march across California. It is a story which will not end until the thousands and thousands of workers throughout the southwest are organized into strong democratic unions. The sounds of tramping feet, the songs and cheers, the words of hope and bitterness, were recorded on the pilgrimage between Lodi and West Sacramento. The recording is an authentic witness to the spirit of a whole people. The second section is a reading of a portion of the now-famous plan of Delano at a farm worker meeting. The plan is, to the farm workers of the United States, exactly what the Declaration Of Indepence was to colonial America."

Subject: RE: United Farmworker songs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 05:58 PM

For the record, I'm including links to the threads on

• De Colores
• No Nos Moveran

These threads give some extraordinary background information. That's only four songs. Surely, there were more than four good songs that came out of those early, heady days of the UFW. I'm sure the UFW used Woody's Pastures of Plenty and Deportee. Can anybody give us more?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: ADD: SOLIDARIDAD PA SIEMPRE
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 04:47 AM

SOLIDARIDAD PA' SIEMPRE

Lievaremos en la sangre la grandeza sindical
No tendra  poder mas grande el laborismo Mundial.
Companero, si eres debil con tu fuerza individual
Busca la unidad gremial.

Coro
Solidaridad pa' siempre,
Solidaridad pa' siempre,
Solidaridad pa' siempre,
Con lafuerza sindical.

Mas quel oro atesorado es el poder sindical;
Es mas fuerte que una armada y mejor que un arsenal.
Crearemos nueva vida en el campo laboral
Con la fuerza sindical.

En toda nuestra Tierra luchan por su Libertad;
Todos que trabajan quieren ya vivir en Paz.
Y por eso, Companeros, nos tenemos que juntar
Con solidaridad.

Vamonos Companeros por los derechos a pelear,
Con el Corazon en alto y con Fe en la Unidad;
Las olas del Mar La injusticia va a inundar
Con solidaridad.


(Spanish Version of "Solidarity Forever")
Tune: "Battle Hymn of the Republic."

-Joe Offer-

Subject: ADD: Huelga en General
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 04:02 AM

Dick Holdstock asked me for lyrics for United Farmworkers songs, including "No Nos Moveran" and "Huelga en General." I gave him a link to the "No Nos Moveran" lyrics in a thread at Mudcat, and he already knows "De Colores." I found "Huelga en General" at a Los Lobos site (click). It sounds interesting, but I can't completely understand the lyrics. Can anybody give us a translation, and give us background information on the song?
Any other UFW songs you can suggest?
-Joe Offer-

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Huelga en General
(Luis Valdez-Baldemar Gomez)

Hasta México ha liegado
La noticia muy alegre
Que Delano es diferente
Pues el pueblo ya está en contra
Los rancheros y engreidos
Que acababan con la gente
Y como somos hermanos
La alegria compartimos
Con todos los campesinos

Viva la revolución!
Viva nuestra asociación!
Viva Huelga en General!

El dia ocho de septiembre
De los campos de Delano
Salieron los filipinos
Y despues de dos semanas
Para unirse a la batalla
Salieron los mexicanos
Y juntos vamos cumpliendo
Con la marcha de la historia
Para liberar el pueblo

Viva la revolución!
Viva nuestra asociación!
Viva Huelga en General!
Viva la huelga en el fi!
Viva La Causa en la historia!
La raza llena de gloria
La victoria va cumplir!

Nos dicen los patroncitos
Que el trabajo siempre se hace
Con bastantes esquiroles
Y de Nuevo León Y Tejas
Han traido sin verguenzas
Muertos de hambre por frijoles
Pero hombres de la raza
Se fajan y no se rajan
Mientras la uva se hace pasa

Viva la revolución!
Viva nuestra asociación!
Viva Huelga en General!

Ya saben los contratistas
Que ni caro ni barato
Compraran nuestros hermanos
Pero como es bien sabido
Que para mantener familias
Mas sueldos necesitamos
Ya esta bueno, companeros
Como dice Cesar Chavez
"Esta huelga ganaremos!"

Abajo los contratistas!
Arriba nuestros huelguistas!
Que se acabe el esquirol!
Viva la huelga en el fi!
Viva La Causa en la historia!
La raza llena de gloria
La victoria va cumplir!
Viva la huelga en el fi!
Viva La Causa en la historia!
La raza llena de gloria
La victoria va cumplir!

Liner Notes From the CD:
Huelga en General

The farmworkers and their struggle have inspired numerous songs. The song perhaps most closely identified with the first general strike in 1965 is Huelga en General (General Strike)