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Veracruz Lyrics
I heard Woodrow Wilson's guns
I heard Maria crying
Late last night I heard the news
That was dying
Veracruz was dying
Someone called Maria's name
I swear it was my father's voice
Saying, "If you stay you'll all be slain
You must leave now - you have no choice
Take the servants and ride west
Keep the child close to your chest
When the American troops withdraw
Let Zapata take the rest"
I heard Woodrow Wilson's guns
I heard Maria calling
Saying, "Veracruz is dying
And Cuernavaca's falling"
Aquel dia yo jure (On that day I swore
Hacia el puerto volvere To the port I will return
Aunque el destino cambio mi vida Even though destiny changed my life
En morire In I shall die
Aquel dia yo jure On that day I swore)
I heard Woodrow Wilson's guns
I heard them in the harbor
Saying, "Veracruz is dying"
I heard Maria crying
Late last night I heard the news
That was dying
Veracruz was dying
I swear it was my father's voice
Saying, "If you stay you'll all be slain
You must leave now - you have no choice
Take the servants and ride west
Keep the child close to your chest
When the American troops withdraw
Let Zapata take the rest"
I heard Maria calling
Saying, "Veracruz is dying
And Cuernavaca's falling"
Hacia el puerto volvere To the port I will return
Aunque el destino cambio mi vida Even though destiny changed my life
En morire In I shall die
Aquel dia yo jure On that day I swore)
I heard them in the harbor
Saying, "Veracruz is dying"
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one of WZ's songs that can truly be called sad. Historical fiction usually prompts some of the best tracks from Warren. Its interesting how this can be taken almost 30 years later, with the irresponsibility of American troops in the middle east. When we leave, can we honestly expect that more people will not die? interesting...
This is not a historical fiction. It is based on the US occupation of Veracruz started in April of 1914 as a part of the response to the Tampico Affair. It occurs during the Mexican Revolution.
I'm unsure as to how Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata were affected by this 7 month occupation, but Zapata gets mentioned in the song.
The song is historical fiction (i.e. Maria, his father's voice, etc., etc.), the events he describes are not.
The song is historical fiction (i.e. Maria, his father's voice, etc., etc.), the events he describes are not.
Yet another historical fiction work from the genius that is Warren Zevon.
I read an essay written by a student who study abroad in Cuba. In history he said the teacher said north american imperialism so vehemently then would apologize to him - the American in the room.
It's someone's blog and hard to find. Pretty informative on what life is like in Cuba.
is based on the war between the USA and Mexico in 1842, where Mexico lost half of its territory and particularly on the site of the City of Veracruz that was bombed constantly for 7 days and nights in March 1842 and of course nothing has to see with the occupation of 1914
@IwanTheLordeLover Nice idea, but the characters of Woodrow Wilson and Zapata suggest a much later date than 1842 for the events that are the basis for this song…
@IwanTheLordeLover Nice idea, but the characters of Woodrow Wilson and Zapata suggest a much later date than 1842 for the events that are the basis for this song…
@BobbyNix This song is indeed about the 1914 occupation of Veracruz by US troops — hence the line about “Woodrow Wilson’s guns.” Wilson sent troops down to protect American business interests and because he disliked the military dictator who had recently seized power. This was but one of many imperialist moves by Wilson before the US got drawn into World War I.
@BobbyNix This song is indeed about the 1914 occupation of Veracruz by US troops — hence the line about “Woodrow Wilson’s guns.” Wilson sent troops down to protect American business interests and because he disliked the military dictator who had recently seized power. This was but one of many imperialist moves by Wilson before the US got drawn into World War I.
@Counterclockwerk It's about the US invasion and occupation of Veracruz during the Tampico incident in 1914, hence reference to Woodrow Wilson's guns - as he was the US President at the time. With the help of US Ambassador to Mexico (appointed by Taft, Wilson's predecessor), General Huerta had overthrown the government of Mexico in 1913 a year earlier, after which Wilson withdrew US recognition of the Huerta government. This sparked a three way civil war between Huerta, Zapata and Pancho Villa. The purpose of the Veracruz occupation was to interdict an arms shipment destined for Huerta - as part of...
@Counterclockwerk It's about the US invasion and occupation of Veracruz during the Tampico incident in 1914, hence reference to Woodrow Wilson's guns - as he was the US President at the time. With the help of US Ambassador to Mexico (appointed by Taft, Wilson's predecessor), General Huerta had overthrown the government of Mexico in 1913 a year earlier, after which Wilson withdrew US recognition of the Huerta government. This sparked a three way civil war between Huerta, Zapata and Pancho Villa. The purpose of the Veracruz occupation was to interdict an arms shipment destined for Huerta - as part of a US Arms Embargo imposed some months earlier. The arms were being shipped by a US businessman in an illegal defiance of the US embargo with the help of a Russian arms dealer in Mexico. That mission was accomplished at Veracruz and Tampico, even though the arms were eventually delivered in Puerta a few weeks later. On the heels of this, the US almost invaded again during WWI when the German Imperial government offered to help Mexico regain territory ceded in the Mexican-American War during the 1840's if they invaded the US, should the US enter WWI (against Germany and Austria) - the infamous Zimmerman Telegram that was intercepted by the British (Germany admitted it was authentic hoping to intimidate Wilson). Mexico rebuffed the Germans and the action was averted. What gets lost in this era was the active, overt German Imperial effort to incite a war between Mexico and the US, with a series of incidents involving espionage and sabotage of US arms depots - to distract the US from the European war. The Tampico incident played a significant role in convincing the Mexican government to rebuff Germany's offer.
@Counterclockwerk Woodrow Wilson wasn\'t born until the 1850s. They\'re "his guns" in the song. It\'s obviously about 1914.
@Counterclockwerk Woodrow Wilson wasn\'t born until the 1850s. They\'re "his guns" in the song. It\'s obviously about 1914.
@Counterclockwerk and others are clearly right about 1914. But why does Maria need to flee with the servants. Assuming she needs to flee from Zapata because she is "wealthy". "Let Zapata have the rest" Zevon sings. Thought?
@Counterclockwerk and others are clearly right about 1914. But why does Maria need to flee with the servants. Assuming she needs to flee from Zapata because she is "wealthy". "Let Zapata have the rest" Zevon sings. Thought?