La Adelita

Depiction of «adelitas», or Soldaderas, of the Mexican revolution.

"La Adelita" is one of the most famous corridos (folk songs) to come out of the Mexican Revolution. It is the story of a young woman in love with a sergeant who travels with him and his regiment.

The song is supposed to be based on a real-life character, the identity of whom, however, has not been yet established beyond doubt. Some claim her real name was Altagracia Martínez, also known as Marieta Martínez, while others maintain she was, in fact, Adela Velarde, who actually took part in military action in the capacity of nurse, not out of infatuation with a sergeant, as a popular myth goes.[1]

"La Adelita" came to be an archetype of a woman warrior in Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. An Adelita was a soldadera, or woman soldier, who not only cooked and cared for the wounded but also actually fought in battles against Mexican government forces. In time the word adelita was used for all the soldaderas, who became a vital force in the revolutionary war efforts.

The term La Adelita has since come to signify a woman of strength and courage. The 20-year old police chief of Práxedis G. Guerrero, Marisol Valles Garcia, has been affectionately nicknamed 'La Adelita'. She was reportedly the only one brave enough to accept the position, after the previous chief was killed by a drug cartel.

The music of "La Adelita" was adapted (without greater changes as a main theme of whole picture) by Isaak Osipovich Dunayevsky, who wrote the songs for one of the best known soviet comedies Jolly Fellows (1934 film) (Russian: Весёлые ребята Vesyolye rebyata). The soviet composer never mentioned the origins of his song.

Lyrics

Adelita in the Historical Museum of the Mexican Revolution.

En lo alto de la abrupta serranía acampado se encontraba un regimiento y una moza que valiente los seguía locamente enamorada del sargento.	In the heights of a steep mountainous range a regiment was encamped and a young woman bravely follows them madly in love with the sergeant.
Popular entre la tropa era Adelita la mujer que el sargento idolatraba que ademas de ser valiente era bonita que hasta el mismo Coronel la respetaba.	Popular among the troop was Adelita the woman that the sergeant idolized and besides being brave she was pretty that even the Colonel respected her.
Y se oía, que decía, aquel que tanto la quería: Y si Adelita se fuera con otro la seguiría por tierra y por mar si por mar en un buque de guerra si por tierra en un tren militar.	And it was heard, that he, who loved her so much, said: If Adelita would leave with another man I'd follow her by land and sea if by sea in a war ship if by land in a military train.
Y si Adelita quisiera ser mi esposa y si Adelita ya fuera mi mujer le compraría un vestido de seda para llevarla a bailar al cuartel.	If Adelita would like to be my wife If Adelita would be my woman I'd buy her a silk dress to take her to the barrack's dance.

External links

• Artist's conception of La Adelita