La Cucaracha
Martin Bogan and Armstrong Lyrics

When a fellow loves a maiden
If a man loves a woman but she doesn't feel the same way, it's like a bald man finding a comb on the road - useless.

The cucaracha, the cucaracha, doesn't want to travel on
The cockroach doesn't want to move because it lacks cannabis to smoke.

Because she hasn't, oh no, she hasn't marihuana for to smoke.
The cockroach can't move forward because it doesn't have marijuana to smoke.

All the maidens are of pure gold;
Unmarried women are valuable, like gold.

All the married girls are silver;
Married women are valuable, though not as much as gold (silver instead).

All the widows are of copper,
Widows are less valuable than married or unmarried women (copper).

And old women merely tin.
Elderly women are least valuable (tin).

My neighbor across the highway used to be called Doña Clara,
My neighbor across the street went by the name Doña Clara, but may have a different name tomorrow if she's still alive.

And if she has not expired likely that's her name tomorrow.
Assuming she's still living, she'll still likely be called Doña Clara tomorrow.

All the girls up at Las Vegas are most awful tall and skinny,
The girls in Las Vegas are extremely thin and tall.

But they're worse for plaintive pleading than the souls in Purgatory.
Despite their appearance, the girls in Las Vegas are less likely to give sympathy than souls in purgatory.

All the girls here in the city don't know how to give you kisses,
The girls in this city don't know how to properly kiss.

While the ones from Albuquerque stretch their necks to avoid misses.
In contrast, the girls from Albuquerque are skilled kissers who dodge bad kisses by moving their necks.

All the girls from Mexico are as pretty as a flower
Mexican girls are beautiful, like flowers.

And they talk so very sweetly,
Mexican girls have sweet voices.

Fill your heart quite up with love.
Their sweet voices are so endearing that they make men fall in love.

One thing makes me laugh most hearty, Pancho Villa with no shirt on
The thought of Pancho Villa without a shirt is comical and amusing to the artist.

Now the Carranzistas beat it because Villa's men are coming.
Carranza's forces are fleeing because they fear Villa's soldiers.

Fellow needs an automobile if he undertakes the journey
To make the trip to the location where Zapata conducted the famous convention, a car is necessary.

To the place to which Zapata ordered the famous convention.
The location where Zapata conducted the famous convention is where the artist is referring to.