La Calaca (Lady Death)
Be careful gentlemen,
because death’s ready and waiting
in the Cemetery of Dolores
she has a little space
for composers,
for a journalist or two,
lawyers and doctors,
everyone’s on her list
Tuku, tuku, tiki, taka
Death is awfully cheeky
when we least expect it
we kick the bucket,
I escaped from her once
but she almost caught me
The coward sees danger and runs,
the brave fight back and die,
that’s why there’s so few of us left
Death doesn’t show her true colors
nor does she make any distinction
she takes the poor and the rich
with their millions all the same,
one goes in a golden casket,
the other in just his underwear
and as time passes
both their skulls end up bald
Tuku, tuku, tiki, taka
Death is awfully cheeky
the weak and the powerful (must die),
no one escapes from death
we all have the same end
on a bedroll or in a suitcase
Well, why did you all leave me by myself
if you know that I’ll misbehave?
I knew of a merchant
who was good at swindling his clients,
things that were worth five
he sold them for twenty,
but he died suddenly
from the cold, poor man
he was sent to hell
so the devil could “warm him up”
Tuku, tuku, tiki, taka
Death is awfully cheeky
all the rich folk
grab them by their ties
despicable usurers
that latch on like ticks
Yes, sir, death follows no law
the same thing that kills the Pope
also takes the king
The laborer earns his bread
with the sweat of his brow
so that his children can eat
though not enough,
while many opportunists
live breaking the law
earning what they want
by acting like idiots
Tuku, tuku, tiki, taka
Death is awfully cheeky
I ask that you all forgive me
if I’ve made it worse
although they’re very similar
a bullock and a cow aren’t the same thing
I don’t ask Hunger for bread
nor Death for chocolate
Life’s balance is very uneven,
there’s few that earn much
and many who don’t earn anything
the labor of the working man
has no compensation
with the minimum wage
there isn’t even enough for bus fare
Tuku, tuku, tiki, taka
Death is awfully cheeky
if you know the Devil
beg him not to be so thankless,
(tell him) to make the cost of living
lower for the rest of us
Be careful gentlemen,
those of you who are voting
here come the elections
and it’s manipulators,
each party says
that you should vote for them
and that from here on out
we’ll be living like kings
Tuku, tuku, tiki, taka
Death is awfully cheeky
and here comes another president
to play for us the maraca
he’ll promise so many things
but all he’ll give us is…
Tuku, tuku, tiki, taka