‘La Cucaracha’ for Jamaican children in Spanish, English, Patois

Jamaica children singing 'La Cucaracha' in English


It came as no surprise when Jamaican children in an after class at the Simon Bolivar centre were taught ‘La Cucaracha’, and yet an entirely different version than the many already populated.
The song ‘La Cucaracha’ with all the versions created, is very popular internationally. The history is just as deviated, but no matter what the song’s rhythmn is quite catchy and before you know it, you find yourself singing along before realising the meaning.
So the question is does one promote the original meaning by innocently belting out the chorus, the most caught part of the song.

‘La Cucaracha’ lyrics in Spanish, English Patois sung by children in Jamaica

Here’s are the lyrics to one version established for teaching to children. it was performed by students of the Simon Bolivar Institution, downtown Kingston at the Institute of Jamaica.The Patois version is below and otherwise found on this site.

‘LA CUCARACHA’ LETRA en Espanol (‘THE COCKROACH’ LYRICS in English)

La Cucaracha, la Cucaracha (The cockroach, The cock roach)
ya no puede caminar (It can’t walk anymore)
porque no tiene, (Because it does not have,)
porque no faltan (Because it is lacking)
las dos patrias de atrás. (The two hind legs)

Dicen que la cucaracha (They say that the cockroach)
Es un animal pequeño (Is a small animal)
Y cuando entra en una casa (And when he enters a house)
Se tiene que quedar dueño. (He has to take over as the owner.)

La Cucaracha, la Cucaracha (The cockroach, The cock roach)
ya no puede caminar (He can’t walk anymore)
porque no tiene, (Because it does not have,)
porque no faltan (Because it is lacking)
las dos patrias de atrás. (The two hind legs.)

Cuando una quiere a una (When you want a cockroach)
Y esta una no lo quiere, (And it doesnt have any legs)
Es lo mismo que si calvo (It’s the same as finding a bald)
En la calle encuentra un piene. (In the street without a comb.)

La Cucaracha, la Cucaracha (The cockroach, The cock roach)
ya no puede caminar (He can’t walk anymore)
porque no tiene, (Because it does not have,)
porque no faltan (Because it is lacking)
las dos patrias de atrás. (The two hind legs.)

Jamaica children singing 'La Cucaracha' in English

La Cucaracha in PATOIS

Di cackroach, Dih cackroach,
Im naw guh walk anymore
Because ‘im doan gat
Because im missing
‘Im two back leg dem.

Dem seh dat dih cackroach
An wan lickle animal suh
An wen im enta wan house
Im gwaan like a im a di owna.

Di cackroach, Dih cackroach,
Im naw guh walk anymore
Because ‘im nuh gat,
Because im missing
Im two back legs.

Wen you wan find a cackroach
An di wan yu fin nu gat nuh foot
Is di same as wen yu gat…
Wan bald man in dih street wid a comb.

Di cackroach, Dih cackroach,
Im naw guh walk anymore
Because ‘im nuh gat,
Because im missing
Im two back legs.





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