¡Arránquense Muchachos! Lyrics in English by Pedro Fernández

¡Arránquense! is a lively and idiomatic expression that literally means "Tear yourselves away!" or "Pull yourselves off!" but is used here as an enthusiastic command to "Let's go!" or "Get started!"

In this song, it's a spirited call to the mariachis to begin playing with passion and energy. It perfectly captures the festive and boisterous atmosphere of a traditional Mexican celebration, inviting everyone to join in the music and revelry.

"¡Arránquense Muchachos!" is Pedro Fernández calling the mariachi in before he says a word about why. He opens with "Que los mariachis vengan" ["Let the mariachis come"] and "A compartir mis penas" ["To share my sorrows"], and the whole song runs on that idea, the band as company for heartbreak rather than a way around it. "¡Arránquense muchachos" ["Kick it off, boys"], he shouts, "Con la primer canción!" ["With the first song!"], and from there he turns the set list itself into the story, asking the mariachi for José Alfredo Jiménez's "El Rey" and then for Cuco Sánchez's "Fallaste Corazón" before he'll say what actually happened to him.

The chorus dresses the wound in ceremony instead of describing it: "Que suenen las trompetas" ["Let the trumpets ring"], "las guitarras, los violines" ["the guitars, the violins"], "Vamos, sáquenle fuego" ["Come on, set them on fire"], "también al acordeón" ["the accordion too"]. Only at the end of each verse does he name what started it, closing on "Por tu maldito amor" ["For your damn love"], the one line he keeps circling back to instead of naming right away.