De Paisano a Paisano - A Critical Deconstruction

Friends, I make a bold declaration to you.  This month, for Hispanic Heritage Month, I will blast Los Tigres Del Norte from my IPOD wherever and whenever I am given the chance.  "Why?," You might ask.  "Never has a band or group captured the emotions, ways of thinking, and unique pain that is the Mexican immigrants in the United States like Los Tigres Del Norte has.  I am bored to death of Bono and U2 going on about starving children in Bufoo, Carajolandia.  They can sell Red IPODS and ask you to hold up cell phones at their 100/per ticket concerts, but how will that change anything.  Besides, I use T-Mobile, my screen will only stay lit for 2 seconds, and drain the hell out of my battery. 

     For this and many other reasons, I will play Los Tigres Del Norte.  Los Tigres Del Norte challenge everyone listening to their music, watching them on YouTube, and dancing at backyard BBQ's to listen, feel, and think about what is going on in thew world.  Below is a favorite of mine called De Paisano a Paisano.  Loosely translated it means "from nationalist to nationalist."  The song though, actually goes on to show there are more similarities than differences between we as a people.  The context of the title actually would be better interpreted as "From brother to brother."  More after the jump.

                                                                                                                                                                                  The lyrics are thought-provoking because they at first paint the picture the Mexican immigrant as a hero, smashing down obstacles and holding their head high.  They describe the immigrant plight as a life of wandering looking to provide a better life and a future for their children.  The second verse goes on to say that if this cray life should come to an end in a stange land, the singer wishes to be wrapped in his beloved Mexican flag and sung the national anthem of Mexico 10 times.  The singer also expresses a wish to be taken to his native soil rather than be buried elsewhere.  

The chorus is particularly telling because it is half battle cry half wail of lament for the current situation.  The chorus lays out many of the feelings that have been associated with the Mexican immigrant.  "From friend to friend, brother to brother, simply because we want to work.  they have warred with us, and patrolled borders, they cannot defeat us.  From brother to brother, friend to friend, to be a man means to cry.  How it hurts one's national pride to see my people cry out in lament."

The most important part of the song, is the Soliloquy, in which the singer outlines some of the ways in which the Mexican Immigrant has been mistreated.  The singer asks to speak to the boss of the establishment and in a played out argument, the singer asks who does the housecleaning and kitchen work, who kills themselves in construction jobs, while the boss is scolding, and shooting the breeze in his luxury home. 

Then, the singer turns to the listener and expresses anger over other injustices.  These examples are notable here because they are the common stories in our community.  That is to say, everyone knows SOMEONE who has been in this situation.  The singer talks about not getting paid for the back-breaking labor work immigrants do.  He sings about blistered and sore skin, being repaid with immigration raids as a paycheck  while the boss reaps all the hard work.  The singer then sings about how he wishes he could use this song to topple half-hearted border regulations, and unite the world under one single flag, as a single unified nation. 

The song then goes on to repeat the first to verses, but after the soliloquy, the verses take on new meaning.  The verses are now a song of hope.  A song in which people are just trying to get paid for the hard work they do, trying to provide a better tomorrow for their kids, and expressing pride in their native land.  These ideals do not seem so different across countries and continents do they?  The songs of Los Tigres Del Norte are all full of rich symbolism, and they challenge one to think that although things seem good, they are not good for everyone. 

Now, for my opinion.  I feel that it is very necessary for music like this to find regular play on your IPOD, cd player, or YOUTUBE, because its helps to know that its not just you fighting to better the plight of the immigrant.  It helps to know that the single Saturday afternoon you spend at the car wash to raise money for undocumented kids to go to college is making a difference.  The act of re-sending people emails about the DREAM act are important, because they add to the growing tide of people trying to make an positive impact for immigrant rights.  While Obama and the flailing Democrats dangle immigration reform as a carrot to motivate the Hispanic minority to vote democratic, and Republicans cast an unseeing eye yet again to the DREAM Act and the need for substantial changes, I get angrier.   The fact that no one asks where the monies and taxes paid by immigrants are not refunded or ever claimed as tax returns is astounding.  The fact that Bi-Lingual Education teaches 1/4th of the total yearly curriculum for English speaking students which is leading to a nation of ill prepared bilingual students, and slightly better prepared English speaking students. 

The fact that we all just sit back and wish for things to get better without doing anything is slowly killing my desire to help ANYONE.  Every day that Immigration Reform is not passed, amounts to turning a blind eye towards the injustices and crimes committed against the immigrant.  The fact that basic humans rights are given and taken on whims is not legal, fair, or even moral on the most basic of levels.  Do Something reader, even if its just play this damn song for someone.  Lets get started, lets make our impression felt.  Lets change the world instead of waiting others to change it for us. 

Jokey Jokemaker

DREAMer