Un Grupo de Mexicali - El Grito de Dolores (The Cry Of Dolores)

Father Miguel Hidalgo

 On September 16th, the priest at the church in the town of Dolores, New Spain, Father Miguel Hidalgo rang the church bell and called the townspeople together. He gave a speech the denounced the Spanish regime that had control of the country and urged his parishioners to revolt. This is considered the historical beginning of the Mexican War of Independence. Father Hidalgo himself walked through the country gathering people to join his revolutionary army, and there was 90,000 people who followed him. Despite little training and poorly armed, initially they had some success, but when they met  professional soldiers on their way to Mexico City, they were defeated. Father Hidalgo himself was betrayed, captured by government soldiers and executed by firing squad.  All of these events and many more atrocities committed by the Spanish army only bolstered the Mexicans tenacity, and after 10 years of bitter fighting, intrigue, and executions,  the colonial government was overthrown.

September 16th is the equivalent of the U.S. July 4th, and is celebrated by the President of Mexico leading off the festivities by ringing the same bell that Father Hidalgo did in 1810, followed by El Grito de Dolores speeches. As there is no evidence of what Father Hidalgo actually said, there are many variations of it. The day is spotlighted with parades, fiestas, all kinds of food and mariachi music. No doubt Un Grupo de Mexicali is in for a busy day, and they sing this song in advance to alert people and get them ready for the celebrations!

 El Grito de Dolores
La campana rompió el silencio gris
Dolores gritó
Un fuego sin fin
Con espadas al sol
Sueños en la raíz

¡Viva México
Tierra y corazón!
De la sangre nació revolución
Un grito
Un pueblo
Una canción

Caballos corren
Polvo en el aire
La lucha arde
No hay quien se calle
Por justicia y fe
Nadie se aparte

¡Viva México
Tierra y corazón!
De la sangre nació revolución
Un grito
Un pueblo
Una canción

¡El 16 de septiembre todos los mexicanos deberían tener una gran fiesta para celebrar! ¡Viva México

The Cry of Dolores
The bell broke the gray night
So cried Dolores
For an endless fight
With swords in the sun
Dreams of everyone

Long live México
Land and heart!
From blood the revolution start
A cry
A people
A song
Horses run
Dust in the air
Struggle has begun
All people are there
For justice and belief
All will fight for relief!

Long live México
Land and heart!
From blood the revolution start
A cry
A people
A song

On September 16, all Mexicanos should have a big fiesta to celebrate! ¡Viva México
¡Viva