Mariachi Lyrics Archive
La Gallina
A hen, a rooster, and a room full of knowing laughter. La Gallina is Mexico's most beloved barnyard double entendre — and it has never once apologized.
About the Song
La Gallina is a classic piece of Mexican comic folk music, beloved across the country for its playful double meanings. Songs like this one belong to a long tradition of picaresque humor embedded in regional folk styles — using barnyard animals as a winking stand-in for human courtship and desire. It appears frequently at celebrations, dances, and fiestas patronales, where its risqué subtext draws knowing laughs from adults while remaining technically appropriate for all ages. The song's simple, repetitive structure and irresistible rhythm make it a dance floor staple throughout Mexico and Latin America.
Meaning of the Song
La Gallina is a masterclass in Mexican folk wit — a song that says everything while saying nothing at all. On the surface, it's just a barnyard scene. A hen, a rooster, some feathers getting ruffled. But the room always laughs, because everyone understands exactly what's being described. This is the beauty of picaresque tradition: the humor lives in the gap between the words and the meaning, in the performer's raised eyebrow, in the dancer's exaggerated shimmy. La Gallina doesn't need to explain itself. It just winks and lets you fill in the rest.
Watch the Song
Lyrics / Letra
Cuando la gallina se echa
Y el gallo sube
Cuando a gallina se echa
Y el gallo sube
La agarra del copete
Y la sacude mira cómo le hace
La agarra del copete
Y la sacude mira cómo le hace
Cuando la gallina se echa
Y el gallo brinca
Cuando la gallina se echa
Y el gallo brinca
La agarra del copete
Y se la re trinca mira cómo le hace
La agarra del copete
Y la re trinca mira cómo le hace
Quien tuviera la dicha
que tuvo gallo
Quien tuviera la dicha
que tuvo el gallo
De montarle a la gallina como a caballo
Mira cómo le hace
De montarle a la gallina como a caballo
Mira cómo le hace
Quien tuviera la dicha
que el gallo tiene
Quien tuviera la dicha
que el gallo tiene
De tener muchas gallinas
Y no las mantiene mira cómo le hace
Y el gallo sube
Cuando a gallina se echa
Y el gallo sube
La agarra del copete
Y la sacude mira cómo le hace
La agarra del copete
Y la sacude mira cómo le hace
Cuando la gallina se echa
Y el gallo brinca
Cuando la gallina se echa
Y el gallo brinca
La agarra del copete
Y se la re trinca mira cómo le hace
La agarra del copete
Y la re trinca mira cómo le hace
Quien tuviera la dicha
que tuvo gallo
Quien tuviera la dicha
que tuvo el gallo
De montarle a la gallina como a caballo
Mira cómo le hace
De montarle a la gallina como a caballo
Mira cómo le hace
Quien tuviera la dicha
que el gallo tiene
Quien tuviera la dicha
que el gallo tiene
De tener muchas gallinas
Y no las mantiene mira cómo le hace
English Translation
When the hen settles down
And the rooster mounts
When the hen settles down
And the rooster mounts
He grabs her by the crest
And shakes her, look at how he does it
He grabs her by the crest
And shakes her, look at how he does it
And the rooster mounts
When the hen settles down
And the rooster mounts
He grabs her by the crest
And shakes her, look at how he does it
He grabs her by the crest
And shakes her, look at how he does it
Meet Mariachi Los Muertos™
Mariachi Los Muertos™ transforms classic mariachi songs into a collection of vivid characters. Each character in the Mariachi Los Muertos™ group has been developed to embody the spirit of traditional Mexican mariachi songs.
Inspired by the titles and themes of beloved songs, these characters bring to life the rich cultural tapestry of Mexico in a colorful and imaginative way.
Meet La Gallina
Birthplace: Guerrero, México | Band Position: Acordeon and Food Preparation | Favorite Food: Tacos de Huitlacoche | Horoscope: Gemini
"La Gallina," is the mother hen of Mariachi Los Muertos, always fussing over the band to ensure they’re well-fed and ready to perform. On stage, her acordeón melodies are as comforting as a home-cooked meal, and off stage, she’s always there with food and advice.
