My Brother the Gun
Mariachi El Bronx Lyrics
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We woke on Spanish clouds of dirt
But if they only knew
The places we'd been to
Into the desert night I ride
My brother by my side
But tomorrow we'll be gone
Mi hermano la pistola
But tomorrow we'll be gone
We left our families for dead
The kids still sleeping in their beds
The sea swearing as it grew
The wind confessing as it blew
But if they only knew
The places we'd been to
Into the desert night I ride
My brother by my side
Mi hermano la pistola
But tomorrow we'll be gone
Mi hermano la pistola
But tomorrow we'll be gone
Mi hermano la pistola
But tomorrow we'll be gone
Mi hermano la pistola
But tomorrow we'll be gone
Mi hermano la pistola
But tomorrow we'll be gone
Mi hermano la pistola
But tomorrow we'll be gone
But tomorrow we will be gone
The opening lines of Mariachi El Bronx's song "My Brother the Gun" evoke a sense of mystery and danger, as if the singer and the gun he's carrying are barely real, mere phantoms moving across the earth. The verse is filled with vivid imagery, painting a picture of a journey through a Spanish landscape, with the gun by the singer's side like a faithful companion. The pre-chorus reveals a sense of secrecy, with the singer suggesting that if "they" only knew the places they'd been to, there would be consequences. This sense of danger is underscored by the chorus, which repeats the phrase "mi hermano la pistola" (my brother the gun) over and over, as if to emphasize how integral the weapon has become to the singer's identity.
The second verse deepens the sense of foreboding, with the singer implying that he and his accomplice have left their families behind, perhaps by choice, perhaps because of some danger that necessitated flight. There's a sense of resignation in the lines "But if they only knew/The places we'd been to," as if the singer knows that his actions have hurt those he loves but doesn't see any other way forward. The final repetition of the chorus adds to the sense of finality, as the singer predicts that "tomorrow we'll be gone," leaving the listener to ponder where they might be headed and what might happen when they get there.
Line by Line Meaning
We rode like ghosts across the Earth
We traveled quietly and almost invisibly across the terrain.
We woke on Spanish clouds of dirt
We arrived at our destination quietly as if waking up from a dream.
But if they only knew
If others knew the experiences we've had...
The places we'd been to
...the different places we have traveled to...
Into the desert night I ride
...I continue to travel alone into the dark night of the desert.
My brother by my side
But I am accompanied on this journey by my trusted gun, which I see as a sibling.
Mi hermano la pistola
My brother the gun
But tomorrow we'll be gone
But our time together will be fleeting and temporary.
We left our families for dead
We abandoned our loved ones and left them behind, possibly forever.
The kids still sleeping in their beds
The children were unaware of the danger their family faced and remained in their slumber.
The sea swearing as it grew
The ocean's waves grew larger and more violent, appearing to express its anger or frustration.
The wind confessing as it blew
The wind was almost confessing or revealing secrets as it blew around us.
But tomorrow we will be gone
Our time to walk this earth together will be very limited.
Contributed by Leo G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.