¡Ay, qu? laureles tan verdes!
¡Qu? rosas tan encendidas!
Si piensas abandonarme mejor quitame la vida;
Alza los ojos a verme
Si no estás comprometido.

Eres mata de algodón
Que vives en el capullo;
Ay, qu? tristeza me da
Cuando te llenas de orgullo
De ver a mi corazón
Enredado con el tuyo!

Eres rosa de castilla
Que sólo en mayo se ve
Quisiera hacerte un invite,
Pero la verda no s?
Si tiene quién te lo evite,
Mejor me separar?

Por "ai" va la despedida,
Chinito por tus quereres
La perdición de los hombres
Son las benditas mujeres;

Y aqu? se acaban cantando
Los versos de los laureles.

This ranchera is a standard for all
mariachis and dates back to the 1920's
or 1930's. It is supposed to have been
written by Consuelo Velásquez; it was
common, especially during the Mexican
Revolution in 1910, for women to write
songs and include the couplets that men
customarily used. This would explain the
line, la perdición de los hombres son las
maldites mujeres (cursed women), in the
original version. L.R.

The Laurels

written by Jos? López

Ay, how green the laurels are!
What fiery roses!
If you're thinking of leaving me better
to take away my life;
Lift your eyes to look at me
If you are not engaged to be married.

You are a sprig of cotton
That lives in the bud;
Ay, what sadness I feel
When you fill yourself with haughtiness
Upon seeing my heart
Entangled with yours!

You are a rose from Castille
That can only be seen in May
I would like to invite you,
But in truth I don't know
If there is someone in the way
Better that I go away.

So goes the farewell
Chinito, to your affections
The Blessed women
Are the ruin of men;
And here ends the singing
Of the verses of the laurels