Among their greatest hits -after their Three Souls era- "Triste Cancion" (based on Neil Young's "Like a Hurricane"), "Metro Balderas" (originally by Rodrigo Gonzalez), and "Piedras Rodantes" are probably the most known and have the quality of Anthems. Favorite bluesy songs such as "Oye Cantinero" and "ADO" belong to their Three Souls era, but are included in compilations and newer versions (from live concert recordings) abound.
Amarga Navidad
El Tri Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dos días antes de la navidad
Cuando en Los Altos de Chiapas
La sangre se derramó
Fué una masacre
Al estilo de la Santa Inquisición
Dicen que estaban orando
Eran ancianos y niños
Y también mujeres embarazadas
¿Porqué los asesinaron?
Nadie sabe la razón
Lo cierto es que
En el 68 en Tlatelolco
En el 95 en Aguas Blancas
Y en el 97 en Chiapas
Se ha manchado de sangre
Nuestra constitución
Han matado mucha gente
Y han abusado del poder
Con la vara que han medido
Con la misma serán medidos
The lyrics to El Tri's "Amarga Navidad" reflect on a massacre that took place in Los Altos de Chiapas, just two days before Christmas day. The song highlights the violent and tragic events that unfolded on December 22. The lyrics describe the victims: elderly, children, pregnant women, and all innocent. There is an air of confusion and disbelief in the song, as the singer questions the reason behind the atrocities: "Por qué los asesinaron? Nadie sabe la razón" (Why were they killed? No one knows the reason).
The singer goes on to point out that this is not the first time that the Mexican government has been responsible for the senseless killing of its people. He references other incidents of violence, including the 1968 Tlatelolco Massacre, the 1995 Agua Blanca Massacre, and earlier events in Chiapas. The final lines of the song serve as a warning to those in power, that they will face the same consequences for their actions. "Con la vara que han medido, con la misma serán medidos" (With the same stick they have measured, they will be measured).
Line by Line Meaning
Fue el veintidós de diciembre
On the twenty-second of December
Dos días antes de la navidad
Two days before Christmas
Cuando en Los Altos de Chiapas
When in Los Altos de Chiapas
La sangre se derramó
Blood was shed
Fue una masacre
It was a massacre
Al estilo de la Santa Inquisición
In the style of the Spanish Inquisition
Dicen que estaban orando
They say they were praying
Cuando la muerte les llegó
When death came to them
Eran ancianos y niños
They were elders and children
Y también mujeres embarazadas
And also pregnant women
¿Porqué los asesinaron?
Why were they killed?
Nadie sabe la razón
No one knows the reason
Lo cierto es que
What is certain is that
En el 68 en Tlatelolco
In 68 in Tlatelolco
En el 95 en Aguas Blancas
In 95 in Aguas Blancas
Y en el 97 en Chiapas
And in 97 in Chiapas
Se ha manchado de sangre
Our constitution has been stained with blood
Nuestra constitución
Our constitution
Han matado mucha gente
They have killed a lot of people
Y han abusado del poder
And they have abused their power
Con la vara que han medido
With the same stick they have measured
Con la misma serán medidos
They will be measured with the same
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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