Chapter 4: The U.S. - Mexican War in San Diego

CLARÍN DE CAMPAÑA (The Triumph of Battle) - Transcript

Collected during the War of the American Intervention, 1847. English text: Arthur Kevess. This is a transcript of the full song. The .wav file is only a partial recording.

Spanish text

Mientras tengan licor las botellas,
hagamos con ellas más dulce el vivir, (coro)
recordando que tal vez mañana
clarín de campaña nos llame a morir. (coro)

Mientras tengan perfume las flores,
olviden dolores y vengan a amar, (coro)
recordando que tal vez mañana
clarín de campaña nos llame a morir. (coro)

Mira Muerte, no seas inhumana
no vengas mañana, déjame vivir; (coro)
recordando que tal vez mañana
clarín de campaña nos llame a morir. (coro)

Vengan, vengan, muchachas hermosas,
vendid presurosas, que vengan a amar; (coro)
recordando que tal vez mañana
clarín de campaña nos llame a morir. (coro)

English Translation

While there's wine in our glass let's be merry,
Forget pain and worry, forget how we sigh. (repeat)
For tomorrow the cannon may thunder,
Tomorrow the trumpets may call us to die. (repeat)

Lovely girls in mantillas and laces,
Come share our embraces and love us tonight, (repeat)
For tomorrow the cannon may thunder,
Tomorrow the trumpets may call us to die. (repeat)

Listen, Death, I have heard all about you,
I can do without you, so pas me right by, (repeat)
For tomorrow the cannon may thunder,
Tomorrow the trumpets may call us to die. (repeat)

People say, though the body is mortal,
The soul through its portal to heaven takes flight, (repeat)
For tomorrow the cannon may thunder,
Tomorrow the trumpets may call us to die. (repeat)

From Irwin Silber, Earl Robinson. Songs of the Great American West. Dover Publications, 1995. 63. ©Dover Publications. Used with Permission.

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