El Fusilado | The Longest Johns | Chumbawamba Cover

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An incredible true story of Wenceslao Moguel, who was executed by firing squad during the Mexican Revolution before receiving the "coup de grace" or one final shot to the head at point-blank range... and somehow survived!! This story was put to music by the band Chumbawamba, who aside from making memorable football-chant-esque anthems also wrote and recorded some truly wonderful folk songs.

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The Longest Johns

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LYRICS:

Listen close to this crooked mouth
For my story I will tell–o
I lived in Mexico by the
Name of Wenseslao Moguel–o

Left my home in Santiago
The heart of the city of Merida
Served with my brothers and sisters all
For the army of Pancho Villa

Stand me straight against the nearest wall
Line up your bravest soldiers oh
Ten good shots, I'll take them all
They call me El Fusilado

The Federales captured me
Bound up my arms with wire
Officer came he says, "Take your aim –
Steady your guns and fire!"

Bullet holes all across my chest
Ripped up my shirt and my body–o
Heart beat on through the silenced guns
To the rhythm of life inside me–o

Stand me straight against the nearest wall
Line up your bravest soldiers oh
Ten good shots, I'll take them all
They call me El Fusilado

Fell to the ground, the officer came
One last shot to the head­–o
Heard through the pain as he walked away
And left me there for dead–o

All went quiet so I crawled away
I wasn't giving up to the glory
Ten good shots, I took them all
And lived to tell my story

Stand me straight against the nearest wall
Line up your bravest soldiers oh
Ten good shots, I'll take them all
They call me El Fusilado
Stand me straight against the nearest wall
Line up your bravest soldiers oh
Ten good shots, I'll take them all
They call me El Fusilado
Stand me straight against the nearest wall
Line up your bravest soldiers oh
Ten good shots, I'll take them all
They call me El Fusilado

[mnk]

The Courier: "I got shot in the head but I got better."
El Fusilado: "That's cute."

[meirasanya]

My most recent musical fixation meets 30+ year long musical fixation. Beautiful.

[diestormlie]

The most upbeat song about a firing squad I've ever heard!

[Lordchunky]

His real story is just as crazy, real dude, mexican revolutionary

[kirabrylow]

Chumbawamba is SUCH a great band! They need more love outside of people playing Tubthumping!

[DavidJamesHenry]

How did I, a Chumbawamba fan and a Longest Johns fan, not find this until now???

[PeaceOnEarth]

I was absolutely expecting one of my favourite songs - in general, not just by Chumbawamba - to just be in my own little niche. Hearing it here from another one of my favourite groups brought me so much joy, so thank you so much!

[TheMugbearer]

IDK if it was suggested before but since y'all do the worker songs, I'd love to hear your rendition of Tennessee Ernie Ford's "16 Tons"!

[solarflare]

This was amazing!
.
Listen close to this crooked mouth
For my story I will tell–o
I lived in Mexico by the
Name of Wenseslao Moguel–o
Left my home in Santiago
The heart of the city of Merida
Served with my brothers and sisters all
For the army of Pancho Villa

Stand me straight against the nearest wall
Line up your bravest soldiers oh
Ten good shots, I'll take them all
They call me El Fusilado

The Federales captured me
Bound up my arms with wire
Officer came he says, "Take your aim –
Steady your guns and fire!"
Bullet holes all across my chest
Ripped up my shirt and my body–o
Heart beat on through the silenced guns
To the rhythm of life inside me–o

Stand me straight against the nearest wall
Line up your bravest soldiers oh
Ten good shots, I'll take them all
They call me El Fusilado

Fell to the ground, the officer came
One last shot to the head­–o
Heard through the pain as he walked away
And left me there for dead–o
All went quiet so I crawled away
I wasn't giving up to the glory
Ten good shots, I took them all
And lived to tell my story

Stand me straight against the nearest wall
Line up your bravest soldiers oh
Ten good shots, I'll take them all
They call me El Fusilado

Stand me straight against the nearest wall
Line up your bravest soldiers oh
Ten good shots, I'll take them all
They call me El Fusilado

Stand me straight against the nearest wall
Line up your bravest soldiers oh
Ten good shots, I'll take them all
They call me El Fusilado

[ThatMusicWriter]

It would be really cool to hear you guys do Stan Rogers' "Lock-Keeper." I used to sing my son to sleep with it and I think you could do something beautiful with it.

[SergeantBeckett]

a cover of 'Over the Hills' form sharpe or 'Cornwall My Home' from the fishermans friends would be amazing. and a colab of you and Colm Mcguinness would awsome

[UnderSampled]

Thank you for continuing to produce amazing music for us!
My request is "Sailing for Adventure" from Muppet Treasure Island!

[johncayley]

I don't know much from them besides Tubthumping, but this was lovely! As always, I will continue to request Star of the County Down until it gets that studio love. Cheers, mates!

[Robin_Goodfellow]

I always forget that Chumbawumba is actually a fire folk band

[mikenike]

Absolutely love this song, and very happy to hear your rendition of it!
For future covers, I'd love to hear one or more of David Rovics's songs, either "St. Patrick's Battalion" or "Black Flag Flying"

[Etb]

Jolliest song I’ve ever heard about being shot!

As for suggestions, gonna suggest Green Fields of France for the umpteenth time lol.

[starlightnixie]

Telling my roommate in China about you guys and how much I love singing your songs and singing a few of them to her, and also unrelatedly singing this song for her, and then coming back home just in time to see y'all post a cover of it, is very funny to me. Thanks lads, keep up the good work!

[CascadeJim]

Exceptional kudos to your song finder(s) for locating these amazing songs from our shared past for you to work up and share with all of us.
Folks might like another Chumbawamba song - 'The Day the Nazi Died' - powerful stuff and oh so relevant in this world turned upside down.

Thank you

[ProfesoraNut]

I just love this. Made all the more incredible by the fact that this is based on a real person and this really happened to him. It's just amazing, mind-blowing to me what the human body is able to survive if the will is strong enough.

[siriusgray]

One of my all time favorite songs covered by one of my all time favorite bands. A true treat in deed.
Since original by chumbawamba is really powerful in its delivery I am really happy to say that the longest johns did the song justice :D