Los Laureles

¡Ay, qu? laureles tan verdes!

¡Qu? rosas tan encendidas!

Si piensas abandonarme mejor quitame la vida;

Alza los ojos a verme

Si no estás comprometido.

Eres mata de algodón

Que vives en el capullo;

Ay, qu? tristeza me da

Cuando te llenas de orgullo

De ver a mi corazón

Enredado con el tuyo!

Eres rosa de castilla

Que sólo en mayo se ve

Quisiera hacerte un invite,

Pero la verda no s?

Si tiene quién te lo evite,

Mejor me separar?

Por "ai" va la despedida,

Chinito por tus quereres

La perdición de los hombres

Son las benditas mujeres;

Y aqu? se acaban cantando

Los versos de los laureles.

This ranchera is a standard for all

mariachis and dates back to the 1920's

or 1930's. It is supposed to have been

written by Consuelo Velásquez; it was

common, especially during the Mexican

Revolution in 1910, for women to write

songs and include the couplets that men

customarily used. This would explain the

line, la perdición de los hombres son las

maldites mujeres (cursed women), in the

original version. L.R.

The Laurels

written by Jos? López

Ay, how green the laurels are!

What fiery roses!

If you're thinking of leaving me better

to take away my life;

Lift your eyes to look at me

If you are not engaged to be married.

You are a sprig of cotton

That lives in the bud;

Ay, what sadness I feel

When you fill yourself with haughtiness

Upon seeing my heart

Entangled with yours!

You are a rose from Castille

That can only be seen in May

I would like to invite you,

But in truth I don't know

If there is someone in the way

Better that I go away.

So goes the farewell

Chinito, to your affections

The Blessed women

Are the ruin of men;

And here ends the singing

Of the verses of the laurels