Chilanga Banda
Thursday, December 27th, 2007Chilanga Banda
(Juan Jaime López; performed by Café Tacuba)
Check out the video here:
| Ya chole chango chilango, | Cut it out, chilango (guy from Mexico City). |
| ¡qué chafa chamba te chutas! | What a crappy job you have. |
| No checa andar de tacuche | Wearing a suit doesn’t suit you. |
| ¡y chale con la charola! | Your badge is no good. |
| Tan choncho como una chinche, | As fat as a flea, |
| más chueco que la fayuca, | As crooked as contraband, |
| con fusca y con cachiporra | With pistol and with billy club, |
| te pasa andar de guarura. | You dig working as a bodyguard. |
| Mejor yo me echo una chela | I’ll down a brew, |
| y chance enchufo una chava | And maybe pick up a girl. |
| chambeando de chafirete | Working as a driver, |
| me sobra chupe y pachanga. | I have drinks and parties to spare. |
| Si choco saco chipote | If I crash and bash it up. |
| la chota no es muy molacha | The cops don’t mind too much. |
| chiveando a los que machucan | Bribing those who crunch, |
| se va a morder su talacha. | They’ll like what they can clip. |
| De noche caigo al congal | At night, I hit the seedy clubs. |
| ‘No manches,’ dice la “Changa”, | “No way,” says the chick, |
| ‘A chorro de teporocho, | To the wasted guy’s ramblings. |
| en chifla pasa la pacha’. | Hurry up and pass the drink. |
| Coro: | |
| Pachucos, cholos y chundos | Pachucos, cholos and chundos |
| chichifos y malafachas | Pimps and ruffians |
| acá los chómpiras rifan | Here the thieves rule |
| y bailan tibiritabara | And dance tibiritabara (tropical music) |
| Mejor yo me echo una chela | I’ll down a brew |
| y chance enchufo una chava | And maybe pick up a girl. |
| chambeando de chafirete | Working as a driver, |
| me sobra chupe y pachanga. | I have drinks and parties to spare. |
| Mi ñero mata la bacha | My main man kills the roach |
| y canta La Cucaracha | And sings “La Cucaracha.” |
| su cholla vive de chochos | His head is filled with pills, |
| de chemo, churro y garnachas. | Glue, grass and garnachas. |
| Transando de arriba a abajo | Conning around town, |
| ¡ahi va la chilanga banda! | There goes the group of chilangos. |
| Chinchin si me la recuerdan, | Screw you if you screw me over. |
| carcacha y se les retacha. | Bounces off of me and sticks to you. |
Posted by SpanishPod101.com in Memoirs from Xalapa Mexico |
April 8th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
This is a pretty good attempt in English, perhaps the best I have found yet. However, there are a couple of issues with which I might be of some help.
First paragraph, first line, rather than “Cut it out” might better be, “I’ve had enough of you”.
The chorus, “Pachucos, cholos and chundos” is probably best translated as, “Mafias, Gangsters, and Robbers”, although that is pretty lose on my part.
Eigth paragraph, “Mi ñero mata la bacha”, the phrase, “mata la bacha” is slang for “smokes marijuana”. And “garnachas” are the produce sold in the streets of D.F., maybe Candy Apples would work loosely.
But I think a really good job in a difficult translation.
November 14th, 2008 at 12:12 am
thanks for the translation. I’ve been in love with this song for just the groove for a year. I’m glad the lyrics don’t disappoint.