Corrido de Daniel Fernandez

Annotation — Mexican-American / Hispanic Songs

"Corrido de Daniel Fernandez" (Del Valle # DE-830) - as above, a Mexican-American Corrido about Daniel Fernandez, the first Mexican American soldier awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for service in Vietnam. The official Medal of Honor citation read: "Fernández demonstrated indomitable courage when the patrol was ambushed by a Viet Cong rifle company...an enemy grenade landed in the midst of the group...Fernández vaulted over the wounded sergeant and threw himself on the grenade as it exploded, saving the lives of his 4 comrades at the sacrifice of his life".1234 This song is very similar to El corrido de Daniel Fernandez / The Ballad of Dan Fernandez performed by Los Reyes de Albuquerque, also written by Roberto Martinez. It was released in McAllen, Texas, USA. The song is a patriotic tribute, noting that Fernandez "was New Mexican", and a "valiant soldier from our state", who died "because of the love of his homeland". It contained the interesting line, "New Mexico, don't twist your shoulder" (meaning to give the cold shoulder) - perhaps a reference to discrimination faced by Hispanic Americans, despite having fought and died for the US. The narrator goes on to note that Fernandez was born in a small village in New Mexico, but died in Vietnam: "grew up in the city of Los Lunas, and he died in the Vietnamese sun". Transcription and translation by Joel Garcia.Songs about Daniel Fernandez: Los Reyes de Albuquerque - El corrido de Daniel Fernandez / The Ballad of Dan Fernandez Los Reyes de la Frontera - Corrido de Daniel Fernandez / Besos y Caricias Eddy Harrison - Danny Fernandez Los Coyotes del Río Bravo - Daniel Fernández Sources1Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund: DANIEL FERNANDEZ↩2Wikipedia: Daniel Fernandez↩3history.army.mil: Vietnam a l (archived copy)↩4rattler-firebird.org (archived copy)↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs

"Corrido de Daniel Fernandez" (Del Valle # DE-830) - as above, a Mexican-American Corrido about Daniel Fernandez, the first Mexican American soldier awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for service in Vietnam. The official Medal of Honor citation read: "Fernández demonstrated indomitable courage when the patrol was ambushed by a Viet Cong rifle company...an enemy grenade landed in the midst of the group...Fernández vaulted over the wounded sergeant and threw himself on the grenade as it exploded, saving the lives of his 4 comrades at the sacrifice of his life".1234This song is very similar to El corrido de Daniel Fernandez / The Ballad of Dan Fernandez performed by Los Reyes de Albuquerque, also written by Roberto Martinez. It was released in McAllen, Texas, USA. The song is a patriotic tribute, noting that Fernandez "was New Mexican", and a "valiant soldier from our state", who died "because of the love of his homeland". It contained the interesting line, "New Mexico, don't twist your shoulder" (meaning to give the cold shoulder) - perhaps a reference to discrimination faced by Hispanic Americans, despite having fought and died for the US. The narrator goes on to note that Fernandez was born in a small village in New Mexico, but died in Vietnam: "grew up in the city of Los Lunas, and he died in the Vietnamese sun". Transcription and translation by Joel Garcia.Songs about Daniel Fernandez: Los Reyes de Albuquerque - El corrido de Daniel Fernandez / The Ballad of Dan Fernandez Los Reyes de la Frontera - Corrido de Daniel Fernandez / Besos y Caricias Eddy Harrison - Danny Fernandez Los Coyotes del Río Bravo - Daniel Fernández Sources1Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund: DANIEL FERNANDEZ↩2Wikipedia: Daniel Fernandez↩3history.army.mil: Vietnam a l (archived copy)↩4rattler-firebird.org (archived copy)↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: My friends, I've come to sing you the corrido of a countryman named Daniel Fernandez, and he was New Mexican / This valiant soldier from our state sacrificed his life for the love of his homeland / His life was ended in a mortal battle; now he is with God in his heavenly kingdom / The town of Los Lunas was the place where he grew up / And in the sun of Vietnam was where he died / He was tall in stature and large in heart / He served our beloved homeland with devotion / Beloved New Mexico, don't give in / You have valiant soldiers who fulfil their duty / They tell of this great soldier / When he was badly wounded / Sweet miraculous Virgin, I ask you a favour / Give me a moment of life to pray you a rosary / Then, sweet mother of mine, I'll go happily with you / And with this I say farewell / Passing through these valleys, here I end the corrido of the great soldier Fernandez __________ Spanish: Amigo vengo a cantarles del corrido de un paisano se llamo Daniel Fernandez y fue Nuevo Mexicano / Este soldado valiente de nuestro estado por el amor a su partia la vida sacrificado / Su vida fue terminada en una batalla mortal ahora se encuentra con dios en su reino celestial / En el pueblo de Los Lunas fue logar donde se crio / Y en el sol de Vietnam fue donde murio / Era grande de estatura y grande de corazon / A nuestra patria querida, les servio con devocion / Nuevo Mexico cerido no des tu braco a torcer / Tienes soldados valientes que cumple con sus bebes / Decian de…

Notes

Del Valle DE-830+, P.O. Box 1784, McAllen, Texas, "U.S. Reg. Pat. Off."; cream label with a green drawing of palm trees, orchards and mountains behind the Del Valle name; "Corrido de Daniel Fernandez" (Roberto Martinez), marked "Corrido"; Los Reyes de la Frontera. [From the record sleeve and labels]

Themes

Patriotic · Medal of Honor · K.I.A.

In collections

Mexican-American / Hispanic Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs [War Years]