La Vaca Lyrics in English by Mala Fe
Tiguere (or tigre) literally means "tiger," but in the Dominican Republic, it's a popular slang term for a street-smart operator, a hustler, or a player.
It can be used admiringly for someone who is clever and resourceful, or negatively for a trickster or troublemaker. In "La Vaca," Mala Fe sings "To' lo' tiguere' 'e la esquina me la quieren ordeñar" (All the 'players' on the corner want to milk her), referring to the slick neighborhood guys who are all after his prized cow. It’s a perfect example of Dominican slang that adds a playful, streetwise flavor to the song.
On the surface, Mala Fe's song "La Vaca" is a ridiculously fun merengue track about... a cow. The singer tells us he has a special dairy cow, a real one: "Tengo una vaca lechera, una vaca de verda'". He's very proud of her and makes it clear she's not for sale, saying "No la vendo ni la cambio" [I don't sell her or trade her]. The song is full of playful cow sounds ("¡mu!") and energetic mambo sections that make you want to dance.
But listen a little closer, and you'll find this isn't just about a farm animal. This cow is causing all sorts of problems in the neighborhood. Mala Fe sings that "To' lo' tiguere' 'e la esquina me la quieren ordeñar" [All the tough guys on the corner want to milk her] and even the neighbor's bull is in love with her. In Dominican slang, "vaca" (cow) can be a playful, sometimes crude, way to talk about a woman. So, the song is actually a hilarious and clever double entendre about a man whose beautiful girlfriend gets a lot of unwanted attention from other men wherever she goes.
