El Mayor

The Major

El Mayor

The man was always madeEl hombre se hizo siempre
Of all kinds of stuffDe todo material
From fancy mansionsDe villas señoriales
Or the rough side of townO barrio marginal
Every era was a pieceToda época fue pieza
Of a jigsaw puzzleDe un rompecabezas
To climb the slopePara subir la cuesta
Of the great animal kingdomDel gran reino animal
With one black handCon una mano negra
And another white as deathY otra blanca mortal

Mortal ingredientsMortales ingredientes
Built up the majorArmaron al mayor
Light of landownersLuz de terratenientes
And of revolutionY de revolución
Skill of the swordplayDestreza de la esgrima
Events like a prisonerSucesos como un preso
Amalia left behindAmalia abandonada
By the bullet, the shamePor la bala, la vergüenza
Love. Or a firing squadEl amor. O un fusilamiento
An old tale shaped his goodbyeUn viejo cuento modelaron su adiós

Riding onVa cabalgando
The major with his woundEl mayor con su herida
And the more deadlyY mientras más mortal
The cut, the more alive it isEl tajo es más de vida

Riding onVa cabalgando
On a written palmSobre una palma escrita
And from a distanceY a la distancia
Of a hundred years, he rises againDe cien años resucita

Trotting on the foamTrota sobre la espuma
Followed by a seaSeguido por un mar
Of blacks with machetesDe negros en machete
And without chains, he orders his hornY sin encadenar ordena a su corneta
The call to slaughter and a century awayEl toque de a degüello y a un siglo de distancia
He sings our song and with a strong throatEntona nuestra canción y con recia garganta
He sings, scaring away the curseCanta, espanta lejos la maldición

Riding onVa cabalgando
The major with his woundEl mayor con su herida
And the more deadlyY mientras más mortal
The cut, the more alive it isEl tajo es más de vida

Riding onVa cabalgando
On a written palmSobre una palma escrita
And from a distanceY a la distancia
Of a hundred years, he rises againDe cien años resucita