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". (1) (2) (3) (4) 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…

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". (1) (2) (3) (4)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…

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Themes

Patriotic · Medal of Honor · K.I.A.

In collections

Mexican-American / Hispanic Songs · US 'Patriotic' / Pro-Government / Anti-Protest Songs