EL CARRO FORD
Polka, 1971 - New MexicoYo tengo mi carro ford que le falta la transmision y no quiso comenzar
Le quite el motor y le puse un tenedor y no quiso comenzar
Le quite los windshield wipers y le puse unos diapers y no quiso comenzar
Le quite los anillos y le puse unos millos y no quiso comenzar
Listen to El Carro Ford. [1997 version]
Loose translation:
I have an old car and it is a Ford but it doesn't have a transmission and it won't start. So I took out the motor (el motor) and put in a fork (un tenedor) and it wouldn't start. Over the years I've tried to take off the top (la tapa) and put in a potato (una papa); the mirror (el espejo) and replace it with a rabbit (un conejo); and so many other new parts but the car still won't start.NOTE: In 1971 I was working in Albuquerque, New Mexico at a concrete form making company. One of the workers liked to sing while working and kept repeating this song. He told me he had heard it on the radio but didn't remember who sang the song. Over the years many children from New Mexico and California schools have given me a wide range of additional verses. Children who speak Spanish can't stop laughing with this song.
I enjoy asking the children to draw me el carro Ford as they think it looks like. Ask your children to do the same. I have also done song books with one line per page from El carro Ford and artwork by the children.
Graciela Dominguez, a bilingual teacher from Fresno, told me she cut out a refrigerator box in the shape of a car with openings for the windows. At a parent program she had children show the parts they took out and the parts they put in their car. The children were inside the car with boxes of props.
Christina Esparza, a bilingual teacher from Madera, used a child size motorized car pulling a trailer with all of the parts they took out and replaced.
I have recorded three versions of el carro Ford. Each version starts with the first four lines and each has additional lyrics.
El carro Ford (Las Cruces, New Mexico), 1973. Canciones Para Niños
El carro Ford (Visalia, California), 1977. Cancionero Infantíl
El carro Ford (remastered version), 1998. The Best of Stanley A Lucero
El carro Ford (Madera, California), 1999. Dos Voces - Un Espiritu - This version has additional lyrics and is a different arrangement.
Yolanda added clip art to this song for use in your classroom. Go to this link to see her work.
Page updated July 12, 2009