Balazos translates to "gunshots" or "shots fired." It's a dramatic and impactful word that immediately signals intense action and conflict, making it memorable.
In the context of "Jose Lopez," this word is central to the narrative, describing the violent confrontation between Jose Lopez and the police: "Se agarraron a balazos como ya lo saben bien" (They started shooting, as you well know). It highlights the song's theme of a brave, defiant character facing a tragic end.
This corrido, "Jose Lopez," tells a dramatic story about a man named Jose Lopez. He travels from Montemorelos to Linares to visit family at the Carmen store. Things take a turn when he and his companions are treated like bandits at a cafe. The police arrive, demanding his surrender, but Jose Lopez is defiant, declaring, "yo no me le rindo a nadie soy del carmen nuevo león" [I don't surrender to anyone, I'm from Carmen, Nuevo León].
The song describes a shootout where both Lopez and the commander are wounded. It's a tragic ending, as his mother cries, knowing that "de los hombres valientes la tragedia les queda" [tragedy remains for brave men]. The song concludes with a somber farewell: "Ha muerto ya José López rival de la policía" [Jose Lopez, rival of the police, has now died].