CORRIDO OF THE MEXICAN HERO song lyrics
by Joel Sattler

every man can be a hero
and any man can be a slave
every man starts off at zero
but each of us ends in the grave

buried in the suit he was married
lined up against the wall and shot
he wasn't what they said he was
and he was what they said he was not

Villa was tougher than rattlesnakes
Zapata was blacker than black
they took whatever the hangman takes
and they never gave a cent back

the ferryman left the troops on the shore
because none had the coins for their eyes
when the Day of the Dead came around once more
the Devil dared the sun to rise

he was just a campesino
another man without a face
in the war with the angelinos
acquitted without a disgrace

but when captured there was no trial
and no recourse to a higher court
didn't bother to make a denial
but he sang though his time was short

he was singing when fired the volley
and he sang his very last breath
that war was nothing but folly
and his was an honorable death

every man can be a hero
and any man can be a slave
every man starts off at zero
but each of us ends in the grave

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