Mendoza was born into a musical family in Houston, Texas. She learned to sing and play stringed instruments from her mother and grandmother. In 1928, as part of the family group Cuarteto Carta Blanca, she made her first recordings for the OKeh company in San Antonio. In the early thirties, Mendoza came to the attention of Manuel J. Cortez, a pioneer of Mexican-American radio broadcasting. Her live radio performances set the stage for her recordings for the Blue Bird label in 1934.
One of her recordings, "Mal Hombre", became an overnight success, and led to an intensive schedule of touring and recording. After World War II, Mendoza recorded for all the major Mexican-American record labels. One of the relatively few songs she personally wrote, and a personal favorite, was "Amor Bonito", dedicated to her husband. Lydia Mendoza continued performing and recording until slowed by a stroke in 1988. In 1982, she became the first Texan to receive a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship. In 1999, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts.
Many of her recordings are still available including those issued by DLB Records a Texas-based label specializing in South Texas Spanish language music and Arhoolie Records, a California-based label specializing in the release of regional forms of American music.
Lydia Mendoza died on December 20, 2007, in San Antonio, Texas, at the age of 91. She is interred at San Fernando Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.
A Texas Historical Commission Marker number 16BX04 was approved for Lydia Mendoza's grave in February 2016.
Mal hombre
Lydia Mendoza Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cuando tú casualmente me encontraste
Y a merced a tus artes de mundano
De mi honra el perfuma me llevaste
Luego hiciste conmigo lo que todos
Los que son como tú con las mujeres
Por lo tanto no extrañes que yo ahora
En tu cara te diga lo que eres
Mal hombre
Tan ruin es tu alma que no tiene nombre
Eres un canalla Eres un malvado
Eres un mal hombre
A mi triste destino abandonada
Entable fiera lucha con la vida
Ella recia y cruel me torturaba
Y más débil al fin cai vencida
Tú supiste a tiempo mi derrota
Mi espantoso calvario conociste
Te dijeron algunos
Ve a salvarle
Y probando quien eres
Te reíste
Mal hombre
Tan ruin es tu alma que no tiene nombre
Eres un canalla Eres un malvado
Eres un mal hombre
Poco tiempo después en el arroyo
Entre sombras mi vida defendía
Una noche con otra
Tú pasaste
Que al mirarme sentí que te decía:
¿Quién es esa mujer?
¿Tú la conoces?
Ya la veras respondiste
Una cualquiera
Al oír de tus labios el ultraje
Demostrabas también
Lo que tú eras
Mal hombre
Tan ruin es tu alma que no tiene nombre
Eres un canalla Eres un malvado
Eres un mal hombre
Lydia Mendoza's song "Mal hombre" describes the story of a young woman who met a man that took advantage of her innocence and honor. The lyrics begin by depicting the woman as a young girl when she met the man; he manipulated her with his worldly ways and stole her purity. The song accuses the man of mistreating the singer, along with all other women who are subjected to his hurtful behavior. The chorus of the song highlights the man's wickedness and depravity by calling him a "mal hombre," meaning "bad man."
As the song progresses, it is revealed that the singer was left to struggle on her own, after being abandoned by the man. She fought against a harsh and cruel life but was ultimately defeated. The man, who knew of her suffering, did nothing to help her, proving once again his lack of character. The song features a shift in perspective towards the latter half, where the singer sees the man again in a dimly lit alleyway. She is hurt by his hurtful words, and he continues to prove his malevolence by referring to her as a "cualquiera," meaning a nobody.
Overall, Lydia Mendoza's song "Mal hombre" serves as a commentary on toxic and abusive masculinity, regarding men who exploit women for their own selfish desires. The lyrics of the song condemn such behavior and call out those who act in this manner.
Line by Line Meaning
Era yo una chiquilla todavía
I was still a young girl
Cuando tú casualmente me encontraste
When you stumbled upon me
Y a merced a tus artes de mundano
And through your worldly ways
De mi honra el perfuma me llevaste
You took away my honor
Luego hiciste conmigo lo que todos
Then you did with me what all
Los que son como tú con las mujeres
Who are like you with women
Por lo tanto no extrañes que yo ahora
So don't be surprised that now I
En tu cara te diga lo que eres
In your face tell you what you are
Mal hombre
Evil man
Tan ruin es tu alma que no tiene nombre
So wretched is your soul that it has no name
Eres un canalla Eres un malvado
You're a scoundrel, You're a villain
A mi triste destino abandonada
Abandoned to my sad fate
Entable fiera lucha con la vida
Fought a fierce battle with life
Ella recia y cruel me torturaba
It, harsh and cruel, tortured me
Y más débil al fin cai vencida
And weaker, I finally fell defeated
Tú supiste a tiempo mi derrota
You knew my defeat in time
Mi espantoso calvario conociste
You knew of my horrific ordeal
Te dijeron algunos Ve a salvarle
Some told you to go save me
Y probando quien eres Te reíste
And proving who you are, you laughed
Poco tiempo después en el arroyo
A short time later, in the creek
Entre sombras mi vida defendía
Amidst the shadows, I defended my life
Una noche con otra Tú pasaste
One night after another, you passed by
Que al mirarme sentí que te decía:
And upon looking at me, I felt like you said:
¿Quién es esa mujer? ¿Tú la conoces?
Who is that woman? Do you know her?
Ya la veras respondiste Una cualquiera
You responded, You'll see her, just a random one
Al oír de tus labios el ultraje
Upon hearing the outrage from your lips
Demostrabas también Lo que tú eras
You also showed what you were
Mal hombre
Evil man
Tan ruin es tu alma que no tiene nombre
So wretched is your soul that it has no name
Eres un canalla Eres un malvado
You're a scoundrel, You're a villain
Eres un mal hombre
You're a bad man
Lyrics © SAN ANTONIO MUSIC PUBLISHER, BMG Rights Management
Written by: LYDIA MENDOZA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@wanderreis
Mal Hombre
Lydia Mendoza
Era yo una chiquilla todavía
Cuando tú casualmente me encontraste
Y a merced a tus artes de mundano
De mi honra el perfuma me llevaste
Luego hiciste conmigo lo que todos
Los que son como tú con las mujeres
Por lo tanto no extrañes que yo ahora
En tu cara te diga lo que eres
Mal hombre
Tan ruin es tu alma que no tiene nombre
Eres un canalla Eres un malvado
Eres un mal hombre
A mi triste destino abandonada
Entable fiera lucha con la vida
Ella recia y cruel me torturaba
Y más débil al fin cai vencida
Tú supiste a tiempo mi derrota
Mi espantoso calvario conociste
Te dijeron algunos
Ve a salvarle
Y probando quien eres
Te reíste
Mal hombre
Tan ruin es tu alma que no tiene nombre
Eres un canalla Eres un malvado
Eres un mal hombre
Poco tiempo después en el arroyo
Entre sombras mi vida defendía
Una noche con otra
Tú pasaste
Que al mirarme sentí que te decía:
¿Quién es esa mujer?
¿Tú la conoces?
Ya la veras respondiste
Una cualquiera
Al oír de tus labios el ultraje
Demostrabas también
Lo que tú eras
Mal hombre
Tan ruin es tu alma que no tiene nombre
Eres un canalla Eres un malvado
Eres un mal hombre
@MARTA4THERAPY
I played a live recording of her singing to my 90 year old patient who used to go watch her live as a child in a tent at some San Antonio West Side location regularly set up for her. It was priceless to witness how she was transported!
@carolinebarbosa6288
That's so cool of you
@jonathanbatchelor8248
Thank you so much for sharing this!!.. that's amazing
@emmigalvanflores2482
Excelente tema. Es increíble que nunca lo haya escuchado.
Apenas el día de hoy la descubrí en la excelente seríe de Gullermo del Toro "CABINET OF CURIOSITIES".
1934...😱.... Más o menos la época en que nació mi abuelita..
@trinawaynemccrory1623
My Grandmother 97 year young
She was sick one day went to see her and played some Lydia for her ...oh boy the joy in her eyes and her voice came alive .She remembers her word and sang right along with her....made me tear up.
Grandma was a singer back in her days she said they would give her quarters fir her singing ine day a man told her mom that he wanted to have her sing all over the world..but unfortunately my grandmother was shot down cause she had to clean and help with her sibblings......
I'll never forget that story.
@margafrantz4406
Similar story w my grandmother. Terrible how their dreams were shot down 😢
@Mack91175
I just randomly stumbled on this .. it's one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard even I I dont understand the lyrics .. wow
@skantiloak
She gave her love to a man when she was a young woman, he did to her what he does to every woman and just used her/cheated etc. She is calling him evil for what he did to her
@markr4619
supposedly an old folk song she was learned working with her father on the railroads or picking cotton and fruits. They call her the Meadowlark of the Border
@biscuitfoot1257
She is actually my great aunt her voice is so beautiful