Adios Hermanos
Paul Simon Lyrics

It was the morning of October 6th, 1960
This line simply sets the time and place of the beginning of the story.

I was wearing my brown suit
The singer mentions his attire to provide a visual description of himself for the reader.

Preparing to leave the house of D.
The singer is getting ready to leave the house of someone called D.

Shook some hands then adios Brooklyn amigos
The artist says goodbye to his Brooklyn friends.

Maybe some of them had hopes of seeing me again
The artist reflects on the possibility of never seeing his friends again.

Some even said that my judge Judge Gerald Culkin
Some of the singer's friends talked about the judge who would preside over his case.

Wouldn't play it by the book
They speculated that the judge wouldn't follow the rules or would be biased in some way.

Maybe let us off the hook
They hoped that the judge would be lenient and let them avoid punishment.

But wooo I knew better
The artist expresses his doubts about the positive outcome his friends hoped for.

Salvador
The artist switches to talking about someone called Salvador.

Afraid to leave the projects
Salvador is afraid to leave his own neighborhood.

To cross into another neighborhood
Salvador is afraid to go to a different neighborhood.

The blancos and the nigger gangs
Salvador is afraid of the white and black gangs in other neighborhoods.

Well they'd kill us if they could
Salvador fears violence from the gangs in other neighborhoods.

Aurea & Women
The singer switches to talking about a group of women and someone called Aurea.

Angel of Mercy, people are suffering
The women call out for mercy for people who are suffering all over the world.

Spanish children are taught on their knees to believe
The women point out the religious indoctrination of Spanish children.

All over the island tonight
The suffering is occurring everywhere, even in the singer's immediate surroundings.

Mothers weep, sisters grieve
The women describe the sorrow and grief experienced by those affected by suffering.

Sal
The artist switches back to talking about someone called Sal.

Well, I entered the courtroom, state of New York
Sal begins to describe his experience in the New York courtroom.

County of New York, just some spic
Sal describes himself as a 'spic' or derogatory term for a Hispanic person.

They scrubbed off the sidewalk
The authorities attempted to erase any physical evidence of Sal's presence.

Guilty by my dress
Sal suggests that he was unfairly judged according to his appearance.

Guilty in the press
Sal bemoans the fact that he was found guilty in the media.

Let the Capeman burn for the murders
Sal refers to a person called the Capeman who was sentenced to death for committing murder.

Salvador
The singer switches back to talking about someone called Salvador.

The 'Spanish boys' had their day in court room
Salvador comments on the fact that Hispanic people are commonly treated unfairly in courtrooms.

And now it was time for some fuckin' law and order
Salvador sarcastically acknowledges the supposed intentions of the justice system.

"The electric chair
Salvador quotes the judge's statement about sentencing to death by electric chair.

For the greasy pair?"
Salvador comments on how the judge referred to him and his friend as 'greasy pair'.

Said the judge to the court reporter
Salvador describes the procedure of the judge's statement to the reporter in the courtroom.

Angel of Mercy, well people are suffering
The group of women reappear, calling out for mercy for those who are suffering.

A Spanish boy could be killed every night of the week
Salvador states that it's common for a Hispanic person to be killed every night of the week.

But just let some white boy die
Salvador comments on the difference in treatment and media attention when a white person is killed as opposed to a Hispanic person.

And the world goes crazy for blood--latin blood
Salvador suggests that the world has an inherent bias against Latin people and reacts disproportionately when violence is perpetrated against them.

I don't lie when i speak
Salvador emphasizes the truth of his statements about the unequal treatment of Latin people in society.

Sal & Salvador
Both Sal and Salvador are mentioned, suggesting that their narratives coexist and connect in some way.

Well they shackled my hands
Sal recounts being physically restrained in the courtroom.

A heavy belt around my waist to restrain me
Sal provides additional detail to emphasize the severity of his punishment.

And they shackled my legs
Sal continues to describe his physical restraints.

Hernandez, the "Umbrella Man" chained beside me
Sal describes someone called Hernandez who was chained next to him during transportation.

Then we rode that black mariah trough the streets of Spanish Harlem
Sal and Hernandez were transported through the streets of their own neighborhood.

Calling old friends on the corners
Sal describes reaching out to his old friends for support.

Just to lay our prayers upon them
Sal refers to the act of sharing emotional support with his friends during a difficult time.

Crying adios pisanos, adios
Sal says goodbye to his friends in Spanish, likely because they are all Spanish speakers themselves and it adds an emotional component to their goodbyes.

Adios pisanos, adios
Sal repeats his farewell message in Spanish to drive home the emotional weight of their parting.