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You see them in old Havana
Playing cards, smoking cigars
And they're polishing chromium fenders
On their big old Yankee cars

Manuel sits in La Casa de Rosa
Drinking rum and watching the girls
He whistles at the beautiful Maria
And she smiles and tosses her curls

Now the bartender strums his guitar
And the rhythm plays out in the street
Maria moves with a passion
As her body sways in the heat

And the old guys, smiling with pleasure
For a moment they're young and they're strong
And the young girls are giving them flowers
As they sing their victory song

Once we were bold companeros
Running guns from the Florida Keys
On the beach at Santiago de Cuba
We were fighting with Fidel and Che

He talks of the great revolution
In words of sadness and pride
And the medals he wears are the scars that he bears
And he drinks for the friends who died

We were farmers, we were poets and we were hungry
All we wanted was our own piece of land
We were fighting for our wives and children
And freedom for every man

Once we were bold companeros
Running guns from the Florida Keys
On the beach at Santiago de Cuba
We were fighting with Fidel and Che

Now the Yankees come for the fishing
And their pockets are loaded with green
Ten dollars will buy you a woman
Or a tank of gasoline

And the young kids are leaving the island
And the old guys have nothing to say
Manuel is living on dreams of the past
And tonight he'll drink it away

Once we were bold companeros
Running guns from the Florida Keys
On the beach at Santiago de Cuba
We were fighting with Fidel and Che
On the beach at Santiago de Cuba
We were fighting with Fidel and Che

Foto Allan Taylor.com