Keltoiband Música Celta - "Saint Patrick's Battalion" (David Rovics)

El Batallón de San Patricio fue una unidad militar compuesta por algunos cientos de irlandeses (y algunos otros extranjeros) que se unieron al Ejército Mexicano contra EE.UU. en la guerra de 1846-48 (donde México perdió la mitad de su territorio). Estos irlandeses habían llegado a EE.UU como inmigrantes y habían sido enrolados en su ejército a cambio de obtener la ciudadanía norteamericana. Fueron enviados a luchar contra México, donde pudieron ver la opresión que este país católico igual que ellos sufría por parte de una nación protestante y poderosa (tal como ellos mismos lo habían visto en su tierra natal de parte de los ingleses). Como ellos mismos siendo soldados eran maltratados y discriminados por los norteamericanos por ser católicos y extranjeros, terminaron solidarizando con los mexicanos y cambiándose de bando. Con cariño la gente los llamaba "Los San Patricio" y "los Colorados Valientes". Como México perdió, al final de la guerra fueron apresados, juzgados como desertores y una buena parte de ellos condenados a muerte. En México se los honra como héroes y su capitán, John Riley, es el que habla a través de esta canción... SAINT PATRICK BATTALION (letra y música original de David Rovics, arreglo Keltoiband, Santiago de Chile). My name is John Riley I'll have your ear only a while I left my dear home in Ireland It was death, starvation or exile And when I got to America It was my duty to go Enter the Army and slog across Texas To join in the war against Mexico It was there in the pueblos and hillsides That I saw the mistake I had made Part of a conquering army With the morals of a bayonet blade So in the midst of these poor, dying Catholics Screaming children, the burning stench of it all Myself and two hundred Irishmen Decided to rise to the call From Dublin City to San Diego We witnessed freedom denied So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion And we fought on the Mexican side, We formed the Saint Patrick Battalion And we fought on the Mexican side We marched 'neath the green flag of Saint Patrick Emblazoned with "Erin Go Bragh" Bright with the harp and the shamrock And "Libertad para Mexicana" Just fifty years after Wolftone Five thousand miles away The Yanks called us a Legion of Strangers And they can talk as they may But from Dublin City to San Diego We witnessed freedom denied So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion And we fought on the Mexican side, We formed the Saint Patrick Battalion And we fought on the Mexican side We fought them in Matamoros While their volunteers were raping the nuns In Monterey and Cerro Gordo We fought on as Ireland's sons We were the red-headed fighters for freedom Amidst these brown-skinned women and men Side by side we fought against tyranny And I daresay we'd do it again From Dublin City to San Diego We witnessed freedom denied So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion And we fought on the Mexican side, We formed the Saint Patrick Battalion And we fought on the Mexican side We fought them in five major battles Churobusco was the last Overwhelmed by the cannons from Boston We fell after each mortar blast Most of us died on that hillside In the service of the Mexican state So far from our occupied homeland We were heroes and victims of fate From Dublin City to San Diego We witnessed freedom denied So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion And we fought on the Mexican side From Dublin City to San Diego We witnessed freedom denied So we formed the Saint Patrick Battalion And we fought on the Mexican side, We formed the Saint Patrick Battalion And we fought on the Mexican side