La huasteca está de luto Se murió su huapanguero. Ya no se oye aquel falsete Que es el alma del trovero. Rogaciano se llamaba Rogaciano el huapanguero Y eran sones de la sierra Las canciones del trovero. La Azucena y la Cecilia Lloran, lloran sin consuelo Malagueña Salerosa Ya se fue su pregonero. El cañal está en su punto Hoy comienza la molienda El trapiche está de duelo Y suspira en cada vuelta. Por los verdes cafetales Más allá de aquel potrero Hay quien dice que de noche Se aparece el huapanguero. La Azucena y la Cecilia Lloran, lloran sin consuelo Malagueña Salerosa Ya se fue su huapanguero. This moody, beautifully haunting huapango was written by Valeriano Trejo, who, according to Rubén Fuentes, is a school teacher. Fuentes recorded it in the 1950's with Miguel Aceves Mejía, another hero of mine. It is one of the songs my brothers and I used to try to harmonize when we were growing up, so I asked them to sing it with me on the record. After knowing it for so long, we've finally learned all the words! It is a tale of the huasteca, a region north of Vera Cruz, Mexico, where the sones huastecos (usually called huapangos) are sung. (See notes on La Calandria for definition of sones.) A huapanguero is a singer of huapangos. The style is characterized by falsetto breaks in the singing. L.R. Rogaciano La huasteca* is in mourning Its huapanguero has died You can no longer hear that falsetto Which is the soul of the troubadour. Rogaciano he was called Rogaciano the huapanguero* And they were sones of the sierra mountains The songs of the troubadours. Azucena and Cecilia Are crying, crying inconsolably Malagueña Salerosa* Their bard has gone. The cane is ready Today begins the milling The sugar mill is in mourning And sighs with each turn. In the green coffee plantations Far beyond that pasture There are those who say that in the nighttime The huapanguero appears. Azucena and Cecilia Are crying, crying inconsolably Malagueña Salerosa* Their bard has left.