Guerrero del Amor

Rosey Soley composed a poem dedicated to her lover, fallen in the terrible conflict between Nicaraguans. Salvador Cardenal set the words to music, and here it is presented by Salvador and Katia, as Duo Guardabarranco. This song embodied the spirit of a generation dedicated to give their lives for the Revolution.

Guerrero del Amor

Warrior of Love (Rosey Soley and Salvador Cardenal)

I’ll trade you a song for the courage of your young combatant hands,

Welded to the metal with which you will save us.

I’ll trade this love of life and its promises

For the cold of your feet in the swamps,

Making fear and homesickness burn you.

Anonymous author of the dawn,

Silent deer in the mountain,

Warrior of love;

Son of these times, windmill,

Manchild born in the jungle

To go until the end, to the victory

I’ll trade you those 20 years, duplicated

Because of this necessary war,

For the silvery flower of hope

Te cambio una canción por el coraje
de tus jovenes manos combatientes,
fundidas al metal con que nos salvas.

Te cambio este amar la vida y sus promesas
por el frio de tus pies entre los suampos;
fraguando que se te quema el miedo y la nostalgia.

Autor anónimo de la alborada,
venado silencioso en la montaña,
guerrero del amor
hijo de este tiempo, remolino
hombre niño parido pues en plena selva
para llegar al fin a la victoria para llegar al fin.

Te cambio esos 20 años duplicados
a causa de esta guerra necesaria,
por la carnosa flor de la esperanza.

Autor anónimo de la alborada,
venado silencioso en la montaña;
guerrero del amor,
hijo de este tiempo, remolino
hombre niño parido pues en plena selva
para llegar al fin a la victoria para llegar al fin.

Autor anónimo de la alborada,
venado silencioso en la montaña;
guerrero del amor,
hijo de este tiempo, remolino
hombre niño parido pues en plena selva
para llegar al fin a la victoria para llegar al fin.
(Canción Dedicada a "Sandino" General de Hombres Libres 1983)

Learn more about Duo Guardabarranco and other aspects of the Nicaraguan culture in Spanish classes at Apoyo Spanish School, or program a discussion with Gaia director Jeffrey McCrary, on society and the environment in Nicaragua. 

Nicaragua, Nicaraguita!

By Carlos Mejia Godoy, this song is among the best-loved of all songs in Nicaragua. Although composed in the context of the Revolution, its relevance transcends party politics today. Whenever sung publicly, one can expect all to sing along and many to shed a tear. Viva Nicaragua Libre!

Carlos Mejia Godoy
Luis Enrique Mejia Godoy y los de Palacaguina
Luis Enrique Mejia Godoy a cappella

This song was also recorded by Billy Bragg-hear it here: Billy Bragg

Ay, Nicaragua, Nicaraguita
La flor mas linda de mi querer
Abonada con la bendita
Nicaraguita, sangre de Diriangen.
Ay, Nicaragua, sos mas dulcita
Que la mielita de Tamagas
Pero ahora que ya sos libre,
Nicaraguita, you u te quiero mucho mas
Pero ahora que yas sos libre,
Nicaraguita, yo te quiero mucho mas.

Oh, Nicaragua, precious Nicaragua
The fairest flower of my affection
Fertilized by the sacred blood,
Nicaraguita, of Diriangen.
Oh, Nicaragua, you are more sweet
Than the honey of Tamagas
But now that you are free,
Nicaragua, I love you so much more.

Misa Campesina Nicaraguense

The Nicaraguan Peasant Mass "Misa Campesina Nicaraguense" was composed in a collaboration principally by Carlos Mejia Godoy, inspired by Ernesto Cardenal. This mass expresses the struggles of the poor in the context of liberation theology.

"Porque sos el Dios obrero, el Cristo trabajador"


Click on song title for video:
Canto de Entrada (Carlos Mejia Godoy)
Kirye (Ana Belen)
Credo (Nana Moskouri and Mercedes Sosa)
Ofertorio (Elsa Baeza)
Canto de Meditacion (Carlos Mejia Godoy, El Guadalupano y los de Palacaguina)
Santo (Miguel Bose)
Miskita Lawana (Jorge Vasquez)
Vamos a la Milpa (Carlos Mejia Godoy)
Canto de Despedida (Miguel Bose and Ana Belen)

To learn more about the culture and language of Nicaragua, visit our webpage at Gaia.