Los Companeros

1. You see them in old Havana
Playing cards, smoking cigares
And they're polishing chromium fenders
On their big old yankee cars.

Manuel sits in la casa de rosa
Drinking rum, watching the girls
He whistles at the beautiful Maria
And she smiles and tosses her curls.

Now the bartender strums his guitar
And the rhythm plays out in the street
Maria moves with the passion
As her body sways in the heat.

And the old guys, smiling with pleasure
For a moment they're young and they're strong
And the young girls are giving them flowers
As they sing their victory song.

[Chorus:]
Once we were bold compañeros
Running guns from the Florida keys
On the beach of Santiago de Cuba
We were fighting with Fidel and Che.

2. He talks of the great revolution
In words of sadness and pride
And the medals he wears
Are the scars that he bears
And he drinks for the friends who died.

We were farmers, we were poets and we were hungry
All we wanted was our own piece of land
We were fighting for our wives and children
And freedom for every man!

[Chorus]

[Bridge:]
Now the yankees come for the fishing
And their pockets are loaded with greens
Ten dollars will buy you a woman
or a tank of gasoline
And the young kids are leaving the island
And the old guys have nothing to say
Manuel is living on dreams of the past
And tonight he'll drink it away…

[Chorus]