Costa Rica Folk Music – El cadejo
As an attorney I have written many articles for WeLoveCostaRica.com – however, today I write about a whole different subject than legal stuff: Costa Rican folk music.
The other day I was having a glass of single malt with Scott Oliver; one thing led to another and, blame it on the Scotch, I ended up telling Scott about the lyrics of the song “El Cadejos”. (Pronounced CA – like in California -, DE – like in Delaware -, JO – like in Santa´s Jo-jo-jo – and the final “S”)
It is an old Costa Rican folk song, composed by Manuel Obando, but made popular by Lorenzo “Lencho” Salazar, one of the best known folklore musicians of Costa Rica in the past century. He is still alive, however, with faulty health after a car accident.
“El Cadejos” is some type of devilish creature, that — as per the song — looks like a vicious dog, and that appeared only to those who dare to walk those lone dark trails under the influence of more than a few shots of “guaro”, the local red-eye liquor.
¿Wouldn’t that be more of a tale made up by the association of angry wives?
Whatever the origin, old timers use to tell stories about “El Cadejos”.
In my conversation with Scott, I tried to recall from my childhood memories, when, for the fun of it, I used to play “Lencho´s” vinyl LP at the house of a great-uncle who had the original recording from the 50’s. I came up with some of the phrases of the song, but forgot some others. That was not the bad part, what proved to be really difficult (mainly after the second glass of single malt) was trying to translate the lyrics into English.
Back home, some days later, I remembered CD produced as homage to Lencho by a group of young Costa Rican rock musicians , which – of course – included “El Cadejos”, with the transcript of the lyrics and all.
So here it goes, the letter in it’s Spanish slang, with an attempt to translation, you can even sing along with this version by Pato Barraza:
| Me jui pa´la cantina que´s que a traer un diario y me encontré a Camilo que aun trago me invitó | I went to the saloon, with the excuse to buy the food, I found my friend Camilo who invited me for a drink |
| Mechazo tras mechazo salí bien jumitico, la una de la de mañana daban en un reloj | Shot after shot all night, I left completely drunk, the clock chimed 1am when I finally left |
| Del otro lao´ del puente pasando el río Virilla, coji pa´la otra orilla, a una necesidá | Over the river Virilla, at the other side of the bridge, I went to the other shore to relieve myself |
| De pronto yo vide´ algo como un zagüate negro de ojos como tizones y mirada infernal | Suddenly I saw something like a black vicious dog, with eyes like burning logs and an infernal gaze |
| Pelaba los colmillos el condenao pizuicas y se oían las cadenas en el hojarascal | The SOB devil showed his teeth and you could hear the noise of the chains in the dry leaves |
| Me encomendé a Tatica y salí sin pantalones como semilla e- guaba pensando que iba atrás | I prayed to God Almighty and left without my pants, running like hell while thinking he was behind |
| Y con la lengua ajuera me fui llegando a casa del susto que llevaba no les podía ni hablar | With my tongue hanging out I barely made it home, so scared I almost could not speak |
| Se me aflojó la panza y medio tataretas con unas cuantas tuzas sali para el solar | I got a runny stomach, and feeling pretty dizzy, with some corn cobs at hand I rushed to the back yard |
| Pa´ terminar el cuento yo les voy a contra pero el que ve al Cadejos no vuelve a trasnochar | Folks to end the story I tell you that he who sees Cadejos not ever stay up partying late again |
Now for some help with the Tico slang:
Diario = daily food
Mechazo = a shot of a strong liquor
Jumo, Jumar, Jumarse = get drunk. Jumititico is the superlative of being “jumo”
Vide = See. A wrong use of the verb conjugation “ví”
Zagüate = mix breed dog
Condenado = it is used instead of “s.o.b”
Pizuicas = Devil
Hojarascal = Hoja means leave, this use is the layer of dry leaves that covers the ground in the country.
Tatica = God. Slang in Costa Rica substitutes father for “tata”, so “Tatica Dios” would be a familiar way to call God the Father.
Como semilla e´ guaba = Guaba is a fruit of a tall three, whose seed is covered in a white sleeky cover, which is what you can eat, however it is hard to grab the seeds and usually they just “jump” out the fingers at a considerable speed. So, it means run like hell.
Tataretas = dizzy, with trembling legs.
Tuza = corn cob.
Solar = back patio, where the old hole in the ground toilets used to be.
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Andrew Makarik
to@welovecostarica.comAndrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.
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