El Chofer Lyrics in English by Vicente Fernández
Paisanos refers to people from the same country or homeland, often with a warm, familiar tone. In the song, the driver says "Adiós paisanos" as he travels through Mexico, giving the word a heartfelt feeling of greeting and farewell to fellow Mexicans.
In “El Chofer,” Vicente Fernández speaks as a long-distance driver who starts his engine and works through the night: “Voy a arrancar, soy el chófer” [I’m going to start up, I’m the driver]. His route stretches across Mexico, from Tijuana to Yucatán, and from Ciudad Juárez to the Distrito Federal. He names place after place, including Torreón, San Luis, Monterrey, Veracruz, Puebla, Morelos, Guerrero, Sonora, Sinaloa, and Quintana Roo. The message is wonderfully direct: “Por carretera gano el pan” [I earn my bread on the road]. Driving is his job, his daily life, and something he enjoys: “Rueda que rueda, vuelta y vuelta soy feliz” [Rolling and rolling, round and round, I’m happy].
The song feels like a fast-moving road trip told by someone who knows every kind of road hazard. He stays alert for “algún burro o un buey” [a donkey or an ox], asks someone to lower their lights with “Por favor baja tu luz” [Please lower your light], and sends quick greetings to people in different parts of the country. The repeated line “Alguien me espera” [Someone is waiting for me] gives the endless journey a personal reason: there is always a person expecting him in places such as Reynosa, Toluca, Los Cabos, Hermosillo, Tepic, and Huentitán. Even with the huge list of destinations, the voice stays cheerful and practical. He has miles to cover, bread to earn, and another road ahead.
