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Sale sobrando

Lila Downs
Language: Spanish


Lila Downs

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Related Songs

Smoke (Acteal)
(Lila Downs)
El bracero fracasado
(Lila Downs)
Nothing But The Truth
(Lila Downs)


dal disco "Border - La Linea" del 2001

lila downs

"Aquí La Justicia Sale Sobrando"
by Sarah Ramirez
September 2002

"Sale Sobrando" also vocalizes a counterculture to modernity. Dense with messages, tropes of mexicanismos, cultural and national symbols, Downs critiques multiple contradictions and forms of oppression as well as repression. Lila Downs' aesthetic performance evokes emotion through song and is important to consider. She alters the sound of her voice at critical points and vocalizes nonverbal sounds to convey her message. As a result, her musical performance becomes another opaque vehicle participating in the politics of transfiguration. Downs conflates power relations, especially those inherent in modernity, with progress, transnational relations, and the contradictions within Mexican national identity and demands their critical attention.

The song begins with the Mexican foundation narrative "Los hombres barbados Vinieron por barco Y todos dijeron "mi Dios ha llegado."" Disputing the "discovery" of Ameríca, the song documents the encounter between the indigenous population and Spanish explorers in which the Spanish explorers were "welcomed" into Mexico. Beginning with these images, the first lines of the song bear a striking parallel to Gabino Palomares' song "Maldicíon de Malinche" which also deals with similar themes, but does so in a way that continues a masculinist legacy that blames Mexico's problem and crisis of identity on Malinche's legacy. Downs, however, takes a different approach to Mexico's identity "crisis." She directly aims her critique on modernization and modernity's homogenization of national identities. Specifically Downs' critique revisits the notions of the Mexican intellectual elite, who shortly after the Mexican Revolution began to conceptualize the Mestizo as the embodiment of a universal cosmic race that fused all races in Mexico into the Mexicano. They maintained that the Mestizo represented natural progression and the future of mankind. Mexican nationalism forged its national identity "myth" through the concept of mestizaje. Downs' desire to expose the contradictions of Mexican nationalism becomes further evident in the line: "Mexicanos al grito de guerra," the first line of the Mexican national hymn.

Although to some, violence directed toward native populations in Mexico and the violence inflicted on immigrants in the US seem like separate issues, Downs brings them together. She links them through the intricate web of exploitation inherent in modernity, progress, and transnational global capitalism. "Sale Sobrando" juxtaposes a series of commentaries, some which document actual events. The lines "En Chiapas mujeres y niños rezan/ machetes y balas con sangre bañar" evoke the Actéal, Chiapas murders of December 22, 1997. With many in church sanctuary, 45 Tzotziles people were killed — 21 of them women and 14 children; 25 more were injured and 5 were "disappeared." When Downs sings, "La migra y el border patrol/te agarran, y luego te dan su bendicíon," she highlights the United States' contradictory immigrant policy and its connection to an economy based on the exploitation of workers who cross the borders, are not welcomed, yet endure violent repression. "Bendicíon" has a double meaning; it is a physical act of blessing, but in this case it sarcastically refers to the beatings utilized by the border patrol. Downs use of "bendicíon" also bears witness and evokes historically violent forms of religious conversion, the complicity of religious institutions' non-intervention on the behalf of social justice, and, finally, critiques the way in which the perpetrators of violence are absolved of their crimes. After all, aren't they the guardians of the border, above all laws, sins, and trespasses? Through these examples, "Sale Sobrando" addresses how inequalities, produced through structures of power, resurface in other contact zones. In other words, Downs articulates how communal identities, as well as unequal power relations, are also (inter)national.

Countering what some perceive as stable mixed Mexican identities, Downs' experiences and examples present images that deconstruct the stability of this image. She reveals the problematic ways in which mestizaje simplistically seeks to eliminate traces of difference. While everyone: Indian, black, white, and mestizo form the Mexican nation, not everyone is an equal part of it. She conveys this internalized rejection of difference in her lyrics: "cuando mires no te va gustar, tu cara es morena y quieres ser guera y bien que te comes tu taco y memela," These lyrics dramatize what Inés Hernández-Ávila calls the "internalized racism of Indian hating that frames the mestiza consciousness and manifests itself with a shame and rage at being Indian," a situation Downs has had to personally overcome. The sarcastic mocking laugh that follows these lyrics serves to emphasize the ironic contradictions between the idealized concept of mestizaje and the unequal reality. Although mestizaje is seen as a way to fracture or fuse binaries, "Sale Sobrando" does not applaud mestizaje. Rather, it challenges the concept of mestizaje. In a firm tone, Downs scolds the mestizo who is made to answer to his complicity in this process of homogenizing erasures. "Mestizo haz de ser por tus vicios" is followed by a painful wail. These nonverbal sounds are strategically placed in the text to amplify her critique and message.

"Sale Sobrando" closes with calling into question notions of justice. While tourists and foreigners, privileged in easily crossing the border, are able to go to Mexico, she sees their efforts as in vain. "What do they worry for — human rights?" Downs asks. She responds, "Justice here is good for nothing." Justice, as she has sung, only applies to certain individuals who conform to the nationalist rhetoric of mestizaje.


Sarah Ramirez is a doctoral candidate in Modern Thought and Literature at Stanford University.
Los hombres barbados vinieron por barco
y todos dijeron mi Dios ha llegado
ahora pa'l norte se van los mojados
pero no les dicen, welcome hermanos.

Si el dolar nos llama la raza se lanza
si el gringo lo pide al paisa le cuadra
los narcos, la migra y el border patrol
te agarran, y luego te dan su bendición.

En Chiapas, mujeres y niños rezando
machetes y balas, con sangre bañaron
la patria su sangre al progreso ha clamado
pero esa es tu raza que sacrificaron.

El indio, el negro, el mestizo, el güerito
todos manifiestan al México lindo
pero, dónde fue la justicia y la pena?
si sangre que corre en el limbo se queda.

La sangre que corre por los sacrificios
mestizo has de ser, por tus vicios.
No vayas muy lejos y mírate al espejo
porque cuando mires no te va a gustar
tu cara es morena y quieres ser güera
y bien que te comes tu taco y memela

Ay yay ay yay, canta y no llores porque cantando
se alegra México lindo, los corazones.

Mexicanos al grito de guerra cantamos
pero a la montaña ni locos nos vamos
turistas y extraños, se acercan en vano
pa' que se preocupan? derechos humanos
si aquí la justicia sale sobrando

Contributed by Marcia - 2007/11/15 - 10:32




Language: English

Versione inglese dal sito ufficiale
GOOD FOR NOTHIN’

The bearded men came on boats
and everyone said, “the gods have come”
now the ‘wetbacks’ go up north
but nobody says, “welcome brothers”

If the dollar calls us the “raza” keeps goin’
if the ‘gringo’ asks for it, it suits the ‘paisa’
the narcs, and the border patrol catch you,
and then give you their blessing

In Chiapas, women and children were praying
machetes and gunshots stained
the fatherland, has claimed it’s blood from progress
but those people, who’ve been sacrificed are your same race.

The indian, the black, the ‘mestizo’, the whiteish one.
They all march to ‘beautiful Mexico’
but where did justice and shame go?
If bloodbaths go to limbo

The blood that runs from sacrifices,
it had to be youand your habits, ‘mestizo’
Don’t go too far and look in the mirror
because when you look you won’t like what you see
Your face is dark, but you want to be white,
but you really like your tacos and tortillas

Ay yay ya yay, sing and don’t cry
because hearts are contented,
beautiful Mexico, by singing

We sing, Mexicans, to the call of war
but we’re not crazy enough
to go to the mountains
tourists and foreigners come here in vain
what do they worry for – human rights?
if justice here is good for nothing

Contributed by DonQuijote82 - 2011/10/19 - 10:02




Language: Italian

Traduzione italiana di Lorenzo Masetti
BASTA E AVANZA

Gli uomini barbuti arrivarono con le navi
E tutti dissero "è arrivato il mio dio"
adesso verso il nord vanno i mojados [1]
pero non gli dicono, welcome hermanos

Se il dollaro ci chiama la "raza" [2] si lancia
se il gringo lo chiede, il "paisa" [3] fa comodo
i narcos, la migra [4] e il border patrol
ti beccano e poi ti danno la loro benedizione

In Chiapas, donne e bambini pregavano
machete e pallottole, macchiarono di sangue
la patria, il loro sangue ha invocato il progresso
però questa è la tua razza che è stata sacrificata.

L'indio, il nero, il meticcio, il bianco
tutti marciano per il Mexico Lindo,
però dov'è finita la giustizia e il dolore
se il sangue che scorre rimane nel limbo

Il sangue che scorre per i sacrifici
deve essere meticcio, per i tuoi vizi.
Non andare molto lontano e guardati allo specchio
perché quando guardi non ti piacerà
il tuo viso è scuro, e vorresti essere bianca
ma come ti piacciono i tuoi tacos e la tortilla

Ahi ahi ah ahi, canta e non piangere perché cantando
Messico lindo, si rallegrano i cuori [5]

Messicani, al grido di guerra cantiamo [6]
però in montagna non ci andiamo, non siamo mica matti
turisti e stranieri si avvicinano invano
di che si preoccupano? diritti umani
se qui la giustizia basta e avanza
[1] i "bagnati" cioè i messicani che tentano di raggiungere gli Stati Uniti attraversando a nuoto il Rio Bravo

[2] termine per indicare tutti i popoli ispanoamericani

[3] messicano che vive negli USA

[4] polizia messicana che controlla la frontiera

[5] citazione della celebre Cielito Lindo

[6] primo verso del bellicosissimo inno nazionale messicano

Messicani, al grido di guerra
preparate l'acciaio e la briglia,
e tremi nel suo nucleo la terra
al sonoro ruggire del cannone.

2018/6/20 - 22:55


Per completezza di informazione, aggiungerei che il brano è tratto dal disco "Border - La Linea" del 2001. Un CD dedicato espressamente ai migranti messicani e allo spirito di chi attraversando la frontiera (la linea, appunto) ha lasciato la vita. Ricordo che ad accompagnare la multiforme voce di Lila Downs c'è un gruppo composto da musicisti provenienti da Messico, Paraguay, Stati Uniti, Argentina, Canada e Cuba.

Flavio Poltronieri - 2018/6/21 - 07:39


grazie Flavio. Ce l'ho quel disco ed è molto bello. L'ho riascoltato ieri sera e mi è venuta voglia di tradurre questa canzone, viste anche le ultime notizie sulle brillanti idee di Trump in materia di immigrazione. Se vuoi dare un'occhiata alla traduzione, ogni suggerimento è benvenuto.

Lorenzo - 2018/6/21 - 09:03


Ciao Lorenzo, buona la tua traduzione.

Volevo solo aggiungere un paio di cose, per miglior comprensione,

La terza strofa fa riferimento al massacro di Acteal, Chenalhó, Los Altos de Chiapas, 22 dicembre 1997. Quel giorno, quasi alla vigilia di Natale, un gruppo paramilitare legato al partito al potere (il PRI) attaccò gli aderenti ad una cooperativa cristiana e pacifica, Las Abejas, mentre erano raccolti in preghiera e ne trucidarono 45, donne, vecchi e bambini, a colpi di fucile e di machete. L'aggressione avvenne al culmine di settimane di minacce e di scontri, senza che la forza pubblica intervenisse per fermare la mattanza annunciata. Anzi, gli aggressori, tutti conosciutissimi nella zona, avevano ricevuto le armi direttamente dall'esercito.
Bisogna ricordare che Las Abejas non era nemmeno un'organizzazione legata all'EZLN... Al proposito si veda la canzone Smoke (Acteal), sempre della grande Lila Downs.

Nella quarta strofa c'è invece il riferimento ad una canzone che è di fatto l'inno nazionale messicano non ufficiale, "México lindo y querido", scritta da Chucho Monge e resa immortale nell'interpretazione di Jorge Negrete, negli anni 40.

Saluti

B.B. - 2018/6/21 - 09:37


Bravo Lorenzo. Bastasse la cancion ranchera. Bastasse la voce che canta, urla e sussurra, timida e impetuosa. Bastasse la lunga e struggente nenia del Rio Grande. Figlia di Allen Downs, professore e operatore cinematografico, scoto/americano e di Anita Sanchez, cantante e cabarettista messicana, Lila è nata a Heroica Ciudad de Tlaxiaco nella regione di Oaxaca (Sierra Madre del Sud) e si è laureata all'università del Minnesota in canto e antropologia. Adesso mi hai fatto venir voglia di riascoltare Perro Negro: corre, salta, brinca.....

Flavio Poltronieri - 2018/6/21 - 17:48




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