Cipriano Almenteros
Ismael Miranda Lyrics
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Allá por el mes de Enero
En las llanuras del Piame
Cayó Cipriano Armenteros
Asi fué
El pueblo se reunió a ver
Escoltado por las tropas
Que el cabo Flores mandaba
La gente al verlo caído
De él reía y burlaba
Armenteros en silencio
Solo miraba y callaba.
Los hombres del bandolero
Al rescate se lanzarón
Por Calidonia pasarón
Temprano de madrugada
Emeterio y Pascual Gomez
Desfilaban en vaguardia
Mederos llevaba el centro
Y Facundo en la retaguardia.
La banda atacó e' sorpresa
Al galopes sus caballos
La tropa dormia en defensa
Los españoles confiados
Cuando empezó el tiroteo
Quedó Armenteros salvado
Así lo cuentan los viejos
Así se fugó Cipriano.
Y dicen que andan buscando
A los que de él se rierón
En el pellejo de esa gente
Mi hermano estar yo no quiero
Y tiembla la tierra,se escapó Armenteros.
Las ventanas estan cerradas
No se abren ni pordinero
Todas las puertas trancadas
Ay con la llave del miedo.
Por Calidonia pasarón
Temprano de madrugada
Mira tu si metian miedo
Que ni los gallos cantaban.
Estan corriendo los blancos
Estan corriendo los negros
Esta rezando to' el mundo
Ay prendiendo buque en los pueblos.
Por los lagos de Veraguas
Me dicen que lo vieron
El sol escondía sus rayos
Por temor al bandolero.
Ismael Miranda's song "Cipriano Armenteros" is a narrative verse about the life and death of a man named Cipriano Armenteros. The song starts by telling the story of how and when Armenteros fell, back in 1806 in the planes of Piame. The song then describes how Armenteros was taken as a prisoner and escorted back by the troops under the command of cabo Flores. The people who witnessed the event were laughing and mocking Armenteros. However, he remained silent and composed.
The narrative then changes its tone as some men from Armenteros' gang tried to rescue him. They attacked the troops while they were asleep and freed Armenteros. The song ends with a warning to those who disrespected Armenteros, they might be hunted down for their actions. The song describes the fear that Armenteros instilled in the people, to the point that even the sun was afraid to show its rays when he was around.
The song can be interpreted in many ways, one of them reflecting the struggles and resistances of the colonized peoples against the colonial powers. Armenteros, in this interpretation, stands as a symbol of resistance to oppression, and his gang tries to fight for his freedom as a way to express their defiance to those who subjugated them. The song also shows how fear can be an instrument of power and control. Armenteros becomes a ghostly presence, a source of terror, and the people around him become powerless and paralyzed.
Line by Line Meaning
En mil ochocoientos seis
In 1806
Allá por el mes de Enero
Back in the month of January
En las llanuras del Piame
In the plains of Piame
Cayó Cipriano Armenteros
Cipriano Armenteros fell down
Asi fué
So it happened
El pueblo se reunió a ver
The people gathered to see
Cuando preso regresaba
When he was returned as a prisoner
Escoltado por las tropas
Escorted by the troops
Que el cabo Flores mandaba
Commanded by Corporal Flores
La gente al verlo caído
People, upon seeing him defeated
De él reía y burlaba
Laughed and mocked him
Armenteros en silencio
Armenteros, in silence
Solo miraba y callaba
Only looked and stayed quiet
Los hombres del bandolero
The bandit's men
Al rescate se lanzarón
Launched a rescue operation
Por Calidonia pasarón
They passed through Calidonia
Temprano de madrugada
Early in the morning
Emeterio y Pascual Gomez
Emeterio and Pascual Gomez
Desfilaban en vaguardia
Marched at the front
Mederos llevaba el centro
Mederos was in the middle
Y Facundo en la retaguardia
And Facundo was at the back
La banda atacó e' sorpresa
The gang attacked by surprise
Al galopes sus caballos
Galloping on their horses
La tropa dormia en defensa
The troops were asleep while defending
Los españoles confiados
The confident Spaniards
Cuando empezó el tiroteo
When the shooting began
Quedó Armenteros salvado
Armenteros was saved
Así lo cuentan los viejos
As the old folks tell it
Así se fugó Cipriano
That's how Cipriano escaped
Y dicen que andan buscando
And they say they're looking for
A los que de él se rierón
Those who laughed at him
En el pellejo de esa gente
In the skin of those people
Mi hermano estar yo no quiero
I don't want to be in their place
Y tiembla la tierra,se escapó Armenteros.
And the earth trembles, Armenteros escaped.
Las ventanas estan cerradas
The windows are closed
No se abren ni pordinero
Not even for a penny
Todas las puertas trancadas
All doors locked
Ay con la llave del miedo.
The key of fear.
Por Calidonia pasarón
They passed through Calidonia
Temprano de madrugada
Early in the morning
Mira tu si metian miedo
Oh, they were really scary
Que ni los gallos cantaban.
Not even the roosters crowed.
Estan corriendo los blancos
The whites are running
Estan corriendo los negros
The blacks are running
Esta rezando to' el mundo
Everyone is praying
Ay prendiendo buque en los pueblos.
And lighting fires in the towns.
Por los lagos de Veraguas
By the lakes of Veraguas
Me dicen que lo vieron
They say they saw him
El sol escondía sus rayos
The sun hid its rays
Por temor al bandolero.
Out of fear of the bandit.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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