Contrabando Y Traición
By Los Tigres Del Norte (Fama F-422-B), 1974
Los Tigres’ first hit, “Contrabando Y Traición” recounts the story of a couple, Emilio and Camelia, who transport marijuana over the border in their car tires. After a successful delivery in Los Angeles, Emilio tells Camelia that he will be leaving her and moving to San Francisco to be with the love of his life. She then shoots him with seven bullets and flees, leaving only a dropped pistol for the police to find. An immensely popular corrido, “Contrabando y Traición” has been covered by countless bands since the 1970s. Much of Los Tigres’ success can be attributed to using the same composers over time, including Paulino Vargas Jr., Enrique Franco, Pablo Castro, Teodoro Bello, and Manuel Eduardo Toscano.
Of money and Camelia
Nothing more was known
Spanish
Salieron de San Isidro
Procedentes de Tijuana
Traían las llantas del carro
Repletas de hierba mala
Eran Emilio Varela
Y Camelia, La Tejana
Pasaron por San Clemente
Los paró la inmigración
Les pidió sus documentos
Les dijo “¿de dónde son?”
Ella era de San Antonio
Una hembra de corazón
Una hembra, si quiere a un hombre
Por él puede dar la vida
Pero hay que tener cuidado
Si esa hembra se siente herida
La traición y el contrabando
Son cosas incompartidas
A Los Ángeles llegaron
A Hollywood se pasaron
En un callejón oscuro
Las cuatro llantas cambiaron
Ahí entregaron la hierba
Y ahí también les pagaron
Emilio dice a Camelia:
Hoy te das por despedida
Con la parte que te toca
Tú puedes rehacer tu vida
Yo me voy pa’ San Francisco
Con la dueña de mi vida
Sonaron siete balazos
Camelia a Emilio mataba
La policía sólo halló
Una pistola tirada
Del dinero y de Camelia
Nunca más se supo nada
English
They left San Isidro
From Tijuana
The car tires were
Full of weed
It was Emilio Varela
And Camelia, the Texan
They passed through San Clemente
Where immigration stopped them
He asked for their documents
And asked where they were from
She was from San Antonio
A female with a huge heart
If a woman wants a man
She will give her life for him
But you have to be careful
If that female gets hurt
Betrayal and smuggling
They are incomparable
They arrived in Los Angeles
And went to Hollywood
In a dark alley
They changed all four tires
There they delivered the cargo
And they also got paid
Emilio tells Camelia
Today we go our separate ways
With the part that pertains to you
You can restart your life
I’m going to San Francisco
With the love of my life
Seven shots rang out
Camelia killed Emilio
The police only found
A gun thrown on the ground
Of the money and Camelia
They were never heard from again
More Contraband Songs
El Contrabando Del El Paso Contrando En La Frontera El Coyote Fracasado
