Lydia Mendoza 21may1916 -- 22dec2007 R.I.P.     Lydia Mendoza Vida Mia (Arhoolie)   Order This CD This is music "to make your heart swell and burst." If you saw John Sayles's Lone Star, you heard Tejano music pioneer Lydia Mendoza singing "Jurame" ("Swear to Me"), yet somehow, amazingly, you didn't rush out of the theater, straight to the record store (or the internet) to hear more of this amazing voice. Shame on you! You can rectify this now. Vida Mia consists of recordings from 1934-1939, most of which feature only Lydia and her 12-string guitar. Most are quite sad. All of them are beautiful. Not only that, she sang about Deuce of Clubs (see below). Ace of Hearts (Luis Alcaráz) As de corazónes rojos, Boquita de una mujer; Por jugar con mis antojos Me tocó la de perder. As de corazónes rojos, En tus labios carmecí; Dos de tréboles en tus ojos, Con esas cartas perdi. Tu boquita palpitante Es un as de corazón; Le creí de diamante... Así las barajas son. En el juego de mi antojo Me gustó para perder El corazóncito rojo De una boca de mujer. Red ace of hearts, The lips of a woman; For having played with my desire I ended up losing. Red ace of hearts, In your crimson lips; Deuce of Clubs in your eyes, With those cards I lost. Your palpitating lips Are an ace of hearts; I thought they were diamonds, That's how the cards are. In the game of my desire I picked to lose The little red heart Of a woman's lips. Fue Mentira (Alfonso Esparza Oteo) Fuiste mentirosa con mi querrer al jurarme que me amabas de verdad; Siempre las palabras de una mujer Solo saben, solo saben engañar. Nada, nada, queda en el corazón, Las cenizas del olvido lo cubrió; Y aunque el beso que te dí Yo jamás te lo fingí, Fué mentira, fué mentira nuestro amor. You were false with my affections When you swore you would love me truly, The words of a woman Only know how to deceive. Nothing, nothing is left in my heart, The ashes of oblivion have covered all, And although the kiss I gave you Was never untrue, Our love, our love was just a lie.