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Viva Zapata Lyrics by Andy Irvine

Rude Awakening

1991

[Verse 1}
What would you do if the news came through
They've stolen your village's land
And they say they'll kill any man dares to complain?
Stony field by stony field
The haciendado's plan
Is to bury us all in the rich man's sugar cane
When you see your friends and neighbors hang like earrings from the trees
Does it make you think they're playing a game of bluff?
Isn't it better to die on your feet than to live upon your knees?
400 years of bondage, that's enough
[Chorus}
Viva Zapata!
Viva Zapata!
[Verse 2}
Zapata, true as steel
Champion of the poor
To the marrow up my bones I am your man
We're the dispossessed and dangerous
With nothing left to lose
And it's time to put a gun in every hand
What good is peace and plenty if it's not for one and all?
For this ideal, we fought side by side
Though society condemns us now, history will prove
Our actions will be justified
[Chorus]
Viva Zapata!
Viva Zapata!
[Verse 3]
Oh why did you go to Chinameca
That fatal April day?
That wasn't the way that a cautious man behaves?
The traitor, Guajardo
Carranza, González too
I hope they rest uneasy in their graves
Oh the bugler blew three icy blasts, Zapata crossed the square
Dismounting at the threshold of the door
And the guard of honor raised their guns and shot him in the back
Such honor was seldom seen before
[Chorus}
Viva Zapata!
Viva Zapata!
[Verse 4}
Now many's the folks in the southlands
Will look at you kind of strange
And say that they don't believe that he ever died
They'll talk about a nervous horse
Way up in the mountain range
And they swear to you they've seen Zapata ride
And the guns go off like thunder and the bullets fall like hail
Bodies lie as far as the eye can see
For many's the brave man went to fight and many's the brave man fell
For the sake of land and sweet liberty
[Chorus}
Viva Zapata!
Viva Zapata!
Viva Zapata!
Viva Zapata!
Credits
Andy Irvine

Andy Irvine

About “Viva Zapata” by Andy Irvine

Read the complete lyrics to "Viva Zapata" by Andy Irvine from the album "Rude Awakening" in 1991. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Irish Folk, Pop, Folk.

"Viva Zapata" is performed by Andy Irvine. from the album "Rude Awakening" in 1991 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Viva Zapata", explore more songs by Andy Irvine using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Viva Zapata" is credited to Andy Irvine. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Viva Zapata" appears on "Rude Awakening" in 1991.

Visit the Andy Irvine artist page at /artist/andy-irvine for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.