La Cucaracha
Louis Armstrong His Orchestra Lyrics

When a fellow loves a maiden And that maiden doesn't love him, It's the same as when a bald man Finds a comb upon the highway.
Loving someone who doesn't love you back is pointless and fruitless, much like finding a comb when you're already bald.

The cucaracha, the cucaracha, Doesn't want to travel on Because she hasn't, Oh no, she hasn't Marihuana for to smoke.
The cucaracha (cockroach) refuses to move because it doesn't have any marijuana to smoke, implying the importance of addiction and an escape from reality.

All the maidens are of pure gold; All the married girls are silver; All the widows are of copper, And old women merely tin.
Women are categorized by their marital status and age, with each category equated to a type of metal, perhaps reflecting societal attitudes towards women during the time period.

My neighbor across the highway Used to be called Doña Clara, And if she has not expired Likely that's her name tomorrow.
The artist reflects on the mortality of their neighbor, jokingly implying that she'll keep the same name even in death.

All the girls up at Las Vegas Are most awful tall and skinny, But they're worse for plaintive pleading Than the souls in Purgatory.
The girls in Las Vegas are tall and thin, but difficult to deal with, even worse than souls in Purgatory, painting an unflattering picture of the people in the town.

All the girls here in the city Don't know how to give you kisses, While the ones from Albuquerque Stretch their necks to avoid misses.
Girls in the city are bad at kissing, while those from Albuquerque are better at dodging kisses, expressing frustration or disappointment with women and romance.

All the girls from Mexico Are as pretty as a flower And they talk so very sweetly, Fill your heart quite up with love.
Girls from Mexico are beautiful and charming, making the singer fall in love with them, perhaps idealizing Mexican culture and women.

One thing makes me laugh most hearty Pancho Villa with no shirt on Now the Carranzistas beat it Because Villa's men are coming.
The artist finds humor in imagining Pancho Villa without a shirt, but then shifts to military conflict, highlighting the violence and political turmoil of the time period.

Fellow needs an automobile If he undertakes the journey To the place to which Zapata Ordered the famous convention.
To attend the convention, the artist implies that a car is necessary, emphasizing the significance and importance of the event and the legacy of the revolutionary leader Zapata.