Los Tigres Del Norte – La Granja

I love politics … and I love it when it is inserted as social commentary in works of art. Case in point … the latest single from the popular band, Los Tigres Del Norte, who hail from northern Mexico.

Los Tigres Del Norte are not new to the scene … they have been around since the late 60s and have been awarded multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy awards along the way. They specialize in corridos (ballads) and offer political/social commentary in many of their songs.

I remember explaining to Becky while we were in Barcelona, Spain who the band is and why they are famous. After listening to them … she fell in love with their accordion infused music. It is the lyrics that continue to amaze me.

In the latest single, La Granja, which means “farm” in Spanish seems to be an Animal Farm inspired, metaphorical critique of the current Mexican environment in a post Vicente Fox administration. The song does not shy from talking about the unstable, corrupt, violent and greedy political climate that affects the Mexican people.

I found it interesting that they decided to make their video animated and used animals to represent figures or persons responsible for the current plight that haunts Mexico. Perhaps, by making it cartoonish it appeals to a greater audience and minimizes the critique … making it more subtle for those not keen to the message … I do not know … what I do know is that it is a great song! Like anything that threathens the establishment it ends up being censored and the word on the street is that the Mexican Government has already banned the song from airplay on the radio stations in Mexico.

Before, I translate the lyrics though … I do have to give some background information on the protagonist and the cast members. It is important to understand who they represent to better comprehend the commentary. Understandably, I am not an expert in Mexican politics and must rely on my personal interpretations of contemporary news events to explain the song … in other words … you may see it differently and as such … no one is wrong. Please do share your perspective as it does help in the discussion.

The Cast:

• El Granjero – This is the “Farmer” who lives in “La Granja” or the farm. He represents the Mexican people and is the worker. He keeps the country running through hard labor and becomes a victim due to the drug trade.
• La Perra – This is the “dog” that is kept chained up … it represents insecurity caused by the political party PRI once they failed to control the “narco-state” that as political entity they held a monopoly on.
• Puerco (Puerquitos) – This is the “Piggys” and refers to “politicians” but those in particular from the PAN political party that rely on “pork” to enrich themselves much like in the United States. The difference between “porking” in Latin American and the U.S. is that money is set aside for a job like a road … let’s say $100,000.00 and only about $10,000.00 is actually spent on the construction … no one ever knows what happens to the other $90,000.00 … wink, wink … or is it oink, oink!
• El Zorro – This is the “fox” and is a direct representation of the former Mexican President Vicente Fox who belongs to PAN. Not much interpretation needed on this one.
• El Gavilán – This is the “hawk” that based on the context of the song I believe refers to Juan Camilo Mouriño Terrazo who was a PAN politician that died in November 2008 under unusual circumstances after the small plane that was carrying him crashed in an upscale-neighborhood, Las Lomas, as it was descending to land in Mexico City. Mouriño was the Secretary of the Interior for current President Felipe Calderon and was “in charge” of the “War on Drugs” in Mexico.
• Los Pollitos – These are the “chicks” who are a direct representation of the “press” and like little chicks they like to talk. 
• El Conejo – This is the “rabbit” and it can be interpreted to represent “drug dealers” or the “narco-state” in Mexico.

The Lyrics with my Translation:

Si la perra esta amarrada
If the dog is tied up
Aunque ladre todo el día
And it barks all day
No la deben de soltar
You should not let it go
Mi abuelito me decía
That is what my Grandfather would tell me
Que podrían arrepentirse
Those would regret it
Los que no la conocían
That did not know her

Por el zorro lo supimos
We found out from the Fox
Que llego a romper los platos
Who arrived to break plates
Y la cuerda de la perra
And the dog’s leash
La mordió por un buen rato
The Fox bit for a good while
Y yo creo que se soltó
And I believe it has been freed
Para armar un gran relajo
To create a big mess

Los puerquitos le ayudaron
The piggys helped out
Se alimentan de la granja
They feed themselves from the farm
Diario quieren más maíz
Daily they want more corn
Y se pierden las ganancias
And they lose the profits
Y el granjero que trabaja
And the farmer that works
Ya no les tiene confianza
Does not trust them anymore

Se cayó un gavilán
A hawk has fallen
Los pollitos comentaron
The chicks are asking
Que si se cayó solito
Did it fall by itself?
O los vientos lo tumbaron
Or did the winds bring it down?
Todos mis animalitos
All my animal friends
Por el ruido se espantaron
Were frightened by the noise

El conejo esta muriendo
The rabbit is dying
Dentro y fuera de la jaula
While inside and outside of the cage
Y a diario hay mucho muerto
And daily there are many dead
A lo largo de la granja
All over the Farm
Porque ya no hay sembradíos
Because there are no crops
Como ayer con tanta alfalfa
Like there was yesterday with so much hay.

En la orilla de la granja
On the edge of the Farm
Un gran cerco les pusieron
A big fence was built
Para que sigan jalando
So that they have to continue to work
Y no se vaya el granjero
And the farmer cannot leave
Porque la perra lo muerde
Because the dog is biting him
Aunque el no este de acuerdo
Even though he does not agree

Hoy tenemos día con día
Now we have day by day
Mucha inseguridad
More insecurity
Porque se soltó la perra
Because the dog has been unleashed
Todo lo vino a regar
And messed up everything
Entre todos los granjeros
Amidst all the farmers
La tenemos que amarrar
We have to tie her down.

What do you think? Did you get the same message I did? Did you like the song? Was it catchy? Let me know! Especially you Becky since you are in Mexico and can get an insider’s perspective better than I can.