In 1928, he became the leader of Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, an ensemble from Jalisco begun by his father in 1898. In the 1930s the group moved to Mexico City, and Vargas, along with Rubén Fuentes, became pivotal composers in the evolution of the genre. Silvestre and the Mariachi Vargas made dozens of recordings and starred in many films through the 1960s. He died in 1985, and his grave site became a popular place of pilgrimage on the date of his death. In 1997, a museum dedicated to Silvestre was established in Jalisco.
Son to Gaspar Vargas and Marcela Vázquez. Like most children from this age he studied only up to the 3th grade of primary school, but from than on showed interest in music and with 13 began to play the violin interpretations of "La Joaquinita", "El Limoncito", "La Adelita", "Honor y Gloria" and "El Diablito". This love of music came from his father after he had founded the Mariachi Vargas, included Don Gaspar (director & guitarist), Manuel Mendoza (harp), Lino Quintero y Refugio Hernández (Violin). Played together for the first time on 15th September 1898 to celebrate the anniversary of the Mexican independence.
Allá en el rancho grande
Silvestre Vargas Lyrics
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Allá donde vivía
Allá en el rancho grande is a classic Mexican folk song that is often sung at festive occasions in Mexico. The song is a nostalgic tribute to a simpler, happier time, and the lyrics evoke images of a peaceful rural life. The first lines of the song are "Allá en el Rancho Grande/Allá donde vivía." (Translation: "There, in the big ranch/There where he lived"). These lines establish the setting of the song, which is a ranch in the countryside.
The remainder of the song goes on to describe the idyllic life enjoyed by the singer and his loved one on the ranch. The singer describes the beauty of the landscape, the animals grazing in the fields, and the simple pleasures of life in the countryside. The song is a celebration of the tranquility and happiness that can be found in rural life, and it has become an anthem of sorts for Mexican traditionalism.
Overall, Allá en el rancho grande is a beautiful and moving song that captures the essence of Mexican rural life. It is often played at weddings, quinceañeras (traditional fifteenth birthday celebrations for girls), and other festive occasions, and it continues to be beloved by people of all ages.
Line by Line Meaning
Allá en el rancho grande
In that big ranch over there
Allá donde vivía
Where he used to live
Había una rancherita
There lived a little ranch girl
Que alegre me saludaba
Who greeted me happily
Que alegre me saludaba
Who greeted me happily
Desde la puerta de su rancho
From the door of her ranch
Desde la puerta de su rancho
From the door of her ranch
Yo la miraba y pensaba,
I looked at her and thought,
Yo la miraba y pensaba,
I looked at her and thought,
Esa rancherita es mia,
That little ranch girl is mine,
Que alegre me saludaba
Who greeted me happily
Así me paso pensando,
That's how I kept thinking,
En la puerta de su ranchito
At the door of her little ranch
Allá en el rancho grande
In that big ranch over there
Allá donde nací
Where I was born
Hay de todo en la barranca,
There's everything in the ravine,
Coyotes, viboras y changos,
Coyotes, snakes and monkeys,
Coyotes, viboras y changos,
Coyotes, snakes and monkeys,
Y hasta se oye el ruido
And you could even hear the noise
De un pequeño arrollo,
Of a small stream,
De un pequeño arrollo,
Of a small stream,
Que entre las piedras serpentea
That snakes through the rocks
Allá nomás de la punta,
Just around the corner,
Donde se oye un cantarito
Where you can hear a jug singing
Allí nomás de la punta,
Just around the corner,
Se van juntando los ranchos,
The ranches come together there,
Se van juntando los ranchos,
The ranches come together there,
Y hasta parece mentira,
And it almost seems like a lie,
Tan bonito que allí es mi rancho
How beautiful my ranch is there
Y por eso entre cantares,
That's why with songs,
Mi dolor siento y mi alivio
I feel both pain and relief
Mi dolor siento y mi alivio,
I feel both pain and relief,
Porque tengo muchas penas,
Because I have many sorrows,
Pero también tengo amores
But I also have loves
Allá en el rancho grande
In that big ranch over there
Allá donde vivía
Where he used to live
Contributed by London D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.