La Adelita
Encyclopedia
"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.http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-21261094.html
"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 gunned down 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.
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
. It is the story of a young woman in love with a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
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
Limerence
Limerence is a term coined c. 1977 by the psychologist Dorothy Tennov to describe an involuntary state of mind which seems to result from a romantic attraction to another person combined with an overwhelming, obsessive need to have one's feelings reciprocated...
with a sergeant, as a popular myth goes.http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-21261094.html
"La Adelita" came to be an archetype of a woman warrior in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
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
Marisol Valles Garcia
Marisol Valles García is the former police chief of Praxedis G. Guerrero located in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua near the cities of Ciudad Juárez and Guadalupe. In March 2011, she was dismissed from her post after failing to show up for work...
, has been affectionately nicknamed 'La Adelita'. She was reportedly the only one brave enough to accept the position, after the previous chief was gunned down 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
Isaak Dunayevsky
Isaak Osipovich Dunayevsky was the biggest Soviet film composer and conductor of the 1930s and 1940s, who achieved huge success in music for operetta and film comedies, frequently working with the film director Grigori Aleksandrov...
, who wrote the songs for one of the best known soviet comedies Jolly Fellows (1934 film)
Jolly Fellows (1934 film)
Jolly Fellows , also translated Happy-Go-Lucky Guys and Moscow Laughs, is a 1934 Soviet musical film, directed by Grigori Aleksandrov and starring his wife Lyubov Orlova, a gifted singer and the first recognized star of Soviet cinema....
(Russian: Весёлые ребята Vesyolye rebyata). The soviet composer never mentioned the origins of his song.
Lyrics
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. |
