La Cucaracha - a song that is much more than a roach story.

Every popular Latino song that permeates our culture has a story but few have the whimsical background and historical significance that matches the “La Cucaracha”, perhaps the oldest tune that Latino - and non-Latinos - alike can can easily sing, or whistle to.

[@usafa2000]

Man they had us singing this song in grade school music class with zero context!

[@igormerbach]

The original lyrics goes: the roach can't walk because she doesn't have marijuana to smoke!

[@guillenmanejando3831]

That's just a tiny part of the history....the tune started way back in the 1500"s

[@matthewmorrisdon5491]

La cocaracha, la cocaracha
Es el hijo de Presidente Biden.
No cierra la frontiera para
Que los càrteles lo elogien.
My new verse for the song

[@nerdy_kid_at_heart]

Not bad explanation of the origin of the song, but I'm afraid it's still not accurate. Not that I know much information on the origin, but what I do know is there are two versions of the song (that I know of). The version mentioned in the video is, I think, the more common one and perhaps one more family-friendly. Because the other version is about how the "Cucaracha" can no longer walk because "he doesn't have Marijuana to smoke".
Still, I've never heard about the origins of the song and how it's a reference to the revolution of Mexico. I really wish it went in depth of who these women were who followed their husbands into war, their contribution to the revolution, and why were they called "Cucarachas".
Also, it looks like an even earlier version of the song can be seen at 0:38 of the video. I paused it to read it, and it looks like it might even give a brief history of what these "Cucarachas" went through, maybe their struggles. After all, Corridos typically are songs that tell a story. So even the two versions I mentioned are not the only ones.
So nice video, but more and accurate info could've been given.

[@OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOq]

The women were hated, quick, resilient, and hard to kill, despite being smaller and weaker. Just like a cockroach.
-That’s my guess for the nickname.

[@victorsr6708]

It’s origins date back to Spain where the Spaniards (Christians) used the song to make fun of moors (Muslims. The song then was brought to Mexico and was popularized during the Mexican vs French Revolution and there were many versions created as a way to communicate and make fun of the current state of affairs. The song most of us know was created to make fun of Victoriano Hurta by Pancho’s Villa’s people. Huerta had cataracts and couldn’t see well and he was also a heavy drinker and smoked pot therefore he was very unstable on his feet “ya no puede caminar”

[@nerdy_kid_at_heart]

@@victorsr6708 Interesting! Even this I did not know. This song might have so much depth and history to it!

[@matthewszalkowski4719]

Latinos in Bakersfield used the la cucarach car horn to signal signal weed dealer to there car😊

[@nicolewalz9997]

Its def much older

[@TyrelErickson-sw8dn]

Marijuana mariguana Marijuana mariguana

[@hihihaha321]

Is that gus voice ??

[@iparipaitegianiparipaitegi4643]

Porque no tiene, porque le falta, marijuana que fumar. Because she misses, because se needs marijuana to smoke.

[@mocogalletano]

This song was composed after a Mexican revolutionary. Mexicans never refer to women as Cucarachas so that's completely wrong.
Women during the revolution were referred as ''las adelitas, las soldaderas, las rieleras or las coronelas'' .
Lastly Mexicans don't like to be called Latinos, as we by definition are not Latin but Hispanic.

[@matthewmorrisdon5491]

It was about weed.