A distinguished senior scholar, the late Américo Paredes was the Dickson, Allen, Anderson Centennial Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and English at the University of Texas at Austin. In 1990 he received the Order of the Aztec Eagle, the highest honor Mexico bestows on foreigners.

...Paredes writes with both the first-hand authority of a cultural insider and an experienced scholar’s care for documentation. His clear, direct and personal style makes the book the most widely useful textbook on a regional Mexican musical tradition since his earlier work, ‘With His Pistol in His Hand’: A Border Ballad and Its Hero. (Ethnomusicology) Paredes makes possible a greater understanding of how ordinary people react and reacted to the experience of living on the border, politically, socially, and personally, between two cultures. It is of major importance in the social history of the area. (Journal of the West) ...highly useful for courses in Chicano politics, folklore, sociology, and anthropology. (Journal of American Folklore) Paredes' book should be read by everyone interested in Mexican American history. (Journal of Mexican American History)

• PrefaceIntroductionForeword by Manuel PeÑaPart I. Old Songs from Colonial Days 1. La pastora2. La ciudad de Jauja3. El borrego gordo4. El marrano gordo5. Delgadina6. ElenaPart II. Songs of Border Conflict 7. Los inditos8. El general Cortina9. Los franceses10. A Zaragoza11. A Grant12. Kiansis I; Kiansis II13. La Pensilvania14. Rito GarcÍa15. Los pronunciados16. El capitÁn Hall17. JosÉ Mosqueda18. Gregorio Cortez19. Ignacio TreviÑo20. Jacinto TreviÑo21. Los sediciosos22. Pablo GonzÁlez23. Alonso24. Arnulfo25. Alejos Sierra26. Laredo27. La toma de Ciudad JuÁrez28. La toma de Matamoros29. El AutomÓvil Gris30. No decÍas, Pancho Villa31. La persecuciÓn de Villa32. BenjamÍn Argumedo33. Felipe Angeles34. Mariano ResÉndez35. Los tequileros36. Dionisio Maldonado37. El contrabando de El Paso38. Manuel Garza de LeÓn39. La canciÓn de Carlos GuillÉn (El prisionero de San Juan de UlÚa)40. Las once acaban de darPart III. Songs for Special Occasions 41. Las posadas42. Los aguinaldos43. SeÑora Santa Ana44. Don Pedrito Jaramillo45. La realidad46. El huÉrfano47. La chiva48. El charamusqueroPart IV. Romantic and Comic Songs 49. TrigueÑa hermosa50. La negrita51. La tÍsica52. A las tres de la maÑana53. AndÁndome yo paseando54. El colÚmpico55. La borrega prieta56. Malhaya la cocina57. Dime sÍ, sÍ, sÍ58. Carta escrita sobre un cajÓn59. El crudoPart V. The Pocho Appears 60. Bonita esta tierra61. Desde MÉxico he venido62. Los mexicanos que hablan inglÉs63. From a Border Zarzuela64. Mucho me gusta mi novia65. Ya se va la televisiÓn66. Tex-Mex SerenadeEpilogueNotes to the SongsGlossaryBibliographyIndex