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Mexicanos, al grito de guerra\n\n\n
Mexicanos, al grito de guerra ( Mexicans, to the cry of war!) is the Mexican national anthem.
In 1853, President Antonio López de Santa Anna announced a competition to write a national anthem. The competition offered a prize for the best poetic composition worthy of representing a truly patriotic anthem. A deadline of twenty days was set.
Francisco González Bocanegra, a talented poet, was at first not interested in participating in the competition. He argued that writing love poems involved very different skills from the ones required to write a nation's anthem. His fiancée, Guadalupe González del Pino (Pili) – with undaunted faith in her fiancé's poetic skills and unsatisfied with his constant refusals to participate in spite of constant prodding from her and from their friends – decided to take measures. Under false pretenses, she lured him to a secluded bedroom in her house, locked him in, and refused to let him out until he produced an entry for the competition. After four hours of fluent, albeit forced inspiration, Francisco was able to regain his freedom by slipping his creation out under the door. His submission won the competition unanimously.
Later, in August 1854, music written by Spain-born Jaime Nunó, a military band inspector, was chosen. The anthem was officially adopted on Independence Day, September 16 of that same year. The inaugural interpretation was directed by Jaime Nunó himself and sang by soprano Balbina Steffenone and tenor Lorenzo Salvi. Francisco González Bocanegra and Guadalupe González del Pino (Pili), now married, also attended this event.
The fact that it was written by a Mexican poet and composed by a Spanish musician makes it the more nostalgic, for it symbolizes the cultural blend that created this country. It is regarded as one of the most beautiful national anthems, along with the French national anthem La Marseillaise and the former Soviet Union (1922-1944) national anthem The Internationale.
- Lyrics by Francisco González Bocanegra, music by Jaime Nunó.
(Stanza IV is no longer sung, since it refers to Antonio López de Santa Anna, who lost public favor after the country's defeat in the Mexican-American war.)
Coro:
Mexicanos al grito de guerra
\nel acero aprestad y el bridón.
\nY retiemble en sus centros la tierra,
\nal sonoro rugir del cañón.
\n¡Y retiemble en sus centros la tierra,
\nal sonoro rugir del cañón!
\n |
Chorus:
Mexicans, at the cry of war,
\nGrasp the steel and the bridle,
\nAnd let the earth's core tremble
\nTo the roar of the cannon.
\nAnd let the earth's core tremble
\nTo the roar of the cannon!
| | Estrofa I
Ciña ¡oh Patria! tus sienes de oliva
\nde la paz el arcángel divino,
\nque en el cielo tu eterno destino
\npor el dedo de Dios se escribió.
\nMas si osare un extraño enemigo
\nprofanar con su planta tu suelo,
\npiensa ¡oh Patria querida! que el cielo
\nun soldado en cada hijo te dio.
\n |
First Stanza
Oh Fatherland! may your brow be wreathed with the olive
\nBy the divine archangel of Peace
\nFor in heaven, your eternal destiny
\nhas been written by the finger of God.
\nBut if a foreign enemy should dare
\nTo profane your ground with his step,
\nThink, oh beloved Fatherland! that heaven
\nGave you a soldier in each son.
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Estrofa II
En sangrientos combates los viste
\npor tu amor palpitando sus senos,
\narrostrar la metralla serenos,
\ny la muerte o la gloria buscar.
\nSi el recuerdo de antiguas hazañas
\nde tus hijos inflama la mente,
\nlos recuerdos del triunfo tu frente,
\nvolverán inmortales a ornar.
\n |
Stanza II
In bloody combats you have seen them,
\nLove for you beating in their breasts,
\nSerenely facing the shrapnel,
\nAnd seeking death or glory.
\nIf the memory of the ancient exploits\nOf your sons inflames the mind,
\nThe memory of triumph will become
\nImmortal to crown your brow.
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Estrofa III
Como al golpe del rayo la encina,
\nse derrumba hasta el hondo torrente,
\nla discordia vencida, impotente,
\na los pies del arcángel cayó.
\nYa no más, de tus hijos la sangre,
\nse derrame en contienda de hermanos;
\nsólo encuentre el acero en sus manos
\nquien tu nombre sagrado insultó.
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Stanza III
As the lightning bolt blasts the oak
\nInto the deep torrent,
\nVanquished and impotent discord
\nFell at the feet of the archangel.
\nMay the blood of your sons never again
\nBe spilled in fights between brothers;
\nMay only he encounter the steel in their hands
\nWho has insulted your sacred name.
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Estrofa IV
Del guerrero inmortal de Zempoala
\nte defiende la espada terrible,
\ny sostiene su brazo invencible,
\ntu sagrado pendón tricolor.
\nÉl será del feliz mexicano
\nen la paz y en la guerra el caudillo.
\nporque él supo sus armas de brillo
\ncircundar en los campos de honor.
\n |
Stanza IV
The terrible sword of the immortal
\nwarrior of Zempoala defends you,
\nAnd his invisible arm sustains
\nYour sacred tricoloured flag.
\nHe will be in peace and war
\nThe leader of the joyous Mexican,
\nBecause he surrounded his weapons
\nWith brilliance in the fields of honour.
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Estrofa V
Guerra, guerra sin tregua al que intente
\nde la Patria manchar los blasones,
\nGuerra, guerra, los patrios pendones
\nen las olas de sangre empapad.
\nGuerra, guerra. En el monte, en el valle,
\nlos cañones horrísonos truenen,
\ny los ecos sonoros resuenen
\ncon las voces de ¡Unión! ¡Libertad!
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Stanza V
War, war without truce upon him who means
\nTo sully the blazon of the Fatherland;
\nWar, war! Soak our homeland's flags
\nIn the waves of blood.
\nWar, war! In the mountains and the valley,
\nThe dreadful cannons thunder,
\nAnd the deafening echoes resound
\nThe cries of Union! Liberty!
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Estrofa VI
Antes, Patria, que inermes tu hijos,
\nbajo el yugo su cuello dobleguen,
\ntus campiñas con sangre se rieguen,
\nsobre sangre se estampe su pie.
\nY tus templos, palacios y torres
\nse derrumben con hórrido estruendo,
\ny sus ruinas existan diciendo:
\nDe mil héroes la Patria aquí fue.
\n |
Stanza VI
O Fatherland, before your unarmed sons
\nBend their necks under the yoke,
\nYour countrysides will be watered with blood
\nAnd in blood will be their footprints.
\nAnd your temples, palaces, and towers
\nWill fall with terrible thunder,
\nAnd their ruins shall live to say,
\n"This was the fatherland of a thousand heroes."
| | \nEstrofa VII
Si a la lid contra hueste enemiga,
\nnos convoca la trompa guerrera,
\nde Iturbide la sacra bandera,
\nmexicanos, valientes seguid.
\nY a los fieles bridones les sirvan
\nlas vencidas enseñas de alfombra;
\nlos laureles del triunfo den sombra
\na la frente del Bravo Adalid.
| \nStanza VII
If to the struggle against a hostile host
\nThe warrior trumpet calls us,
\nThe sacred banner of Iturbide,
\nO Mexicans, follow valiantly.
\nAnd to the faithful war horses,
\nLet the vanquished ensigns be a carpet;
\nLet the laurels of triumph give shade
\nTo the forehead of the great captain.
| | Estrofa VIII
Vuelva altivo a los patrios hogares,
\nel guerrero a cantar su victoria,
\nostentando las palmas de gloria
\nque supiera en la lid conquistar.
\nTornaránse sus lauros sangrientos
\nen guirnaldas de mirtos y rosas,
\nque el amor de las hijas y esposas,
\ntambién sabe a los bravos premiar.
\n | \nStanza VIII \nLet the warrior return proud to his native home
\nTo sing his victory;
\nWaving the palms of glory
\nThat he captured in the fight.
\nLet his bloody laurels turn
\nTo garlands of myrtle and roses,
\nWhich the love of daughters and wives
\nAlso award to the brave.
| | \nEstrofa IX
Y el que al golpe de ardiente metralla,
\nde la Patria en las aras sucumba,
\nobtendrá en recompensa una tumba
\ndonde brille, de gloria, la luz.
\nY, de Iguala, la enseña querida
\na su espada sangrienta enlazada,
\nde laurel inmortal coronada,
\nformará de su fosa una cruz.
| \nStanza IX \nAnd he who, to the burning shrapnel's stroke
\nFalls in the altars of the Fatherland,
\nWill in reward obtain a tomb
\nWhere the light of glory shines.
\nAnd with Equality, the beloved ensign
\nLaced to his bloody sword,
\nCrowned with immortal laurel,
\nHe will make a cross of his grave.
| | \nEstrofa X
¡Patria, Patria! tus hijos te juran
\nexhalar en tus aras su aliento,
\nsi el clarín, con su bélico acento,
\nlos convoca a lidiar con valor.
\n¡Para ti las guirnaldas de oliva!
\n¡Un recuerdo para ellos de gloria!
\n¡Un laurel para ti de victoria!
\n¡Un sepulcro para ellos de honor!
| \nStanza X \nFatherland, Fatherland! Your sons swear
\nTo breathe out their breath on your altars,
\nIf the clarion with its warlike tone
\nCalls them to struggle with valour.
\nFor you the garlands of olive!
\nFor them a memory of glory!
\nFor you a laurel of victory!
\nFor them a tomb of honour!
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In curret time, the chorus, stanza I and chorus repeat are sung in official events, as a rule. \nIn radio and T.V. transmitions, at 6:00 am and 12:00 am, the anthem can be hearded in a chorus, stanza I, chorus, stanza X and chorus recorded version.\nThe official form of the anthem is the first mencionated.
Category:National anthems |
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