New Year's in Puerto Rico and Calle 13's La Ley de Gravedad

New Year's... okay, it isn't so exciting, the celebration is about the same in PR as it is in the U.S. So I don't want to spend a lot of time on that. Instead, I'm going to talk about something else: shooting up in the air for the new year.

I think this also happens in parts of the U.S. and other countries, although Puerto Rico really makes a big deal of it, since it has killed quite a few people recently. Campaigns against it, however, have kept everyone safe the last two years.

Part of the campaigns included some help from Calle 13 (13th Street), a popular reggaeton duo. They're known for their witty lyrics mocking Puerto Rican society and politics. They released the song "La Ley de Gravedad" (The Law of Gravity) with some success in ending the unnecessary deaths.

Anyways, here is the song... along with the lyrics (written kind of strangely... I didn't do it) and a translation. Enjoy!

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La Ley de Gravedad MUCHAS felicidades, Puerto Rico, le desea la Calle 13. Vo' a tener que ponerme un casco e fútbol Hasta pa' salir a comprar en el mall Un casco e fútbol pa' salvar el melón No disparen mejol vamo a hacer el amor Ponte una chaqueta a prueba e bala Un casco en la chola Que la cosa está mala Sálganse del patio vámonos pa' la sala Y desde la ventana ven las luces de bengala Uppss ¡cuidao! una bala Por poco te raja el cholón Puerto Rico lo hace mejol Aquí en el mar y el sol Disparar pa' arriba es un vacilón ¡Ja ja ja ja!¡Ja ja ja! Hasta que le dé una bala a tu nena Ahí te va dar pena,ahí tú llora No te haga el macho ahora Tú llora Cualquiera llora con tanta cara linda que hay en el barrio pa' que venga un brutosaurio guillao de mercenario a cagar el arroz con dulce del vecindario no te creas también los empresarios disparan y esos sí que tienen chavos pa' gastar en balas tienen chavos pa' emborracharse con coñac Por eso, yo me siento más seguro en Irak que en Puerto Rico droga, violencia y mucho alcohol Puerto Rico lo hace mejol Gobernador, aquí se hace lo que usted decida Después que usted escuche al pueblo Vamo a to'as por encima de cualquier godzila Yo voy pa' encima Vo'a salirme de la tarima vo'a a llegarle al pueblo Vámonos en fila Le vo'a llegar con to' y mochila Y aunque muchos quieran yo no me vo'a callar la boca Es más un guardia mal educa'o es una bala loca Un chamaquito sin escuela es una bala loca Un maestro sin práctica es una bala loca Coro Si le va tirar al ganstel tírale de frente Pero no pa' arriba que te lleva al inocente Yo sé qué decir esto es fuerte pero es real Aquí hay gente que vive pa' matal Lo tenemos que aceptar La verdá con la mano no se pue tapal Que vamo'a hacel Si ellos tienen que matal pa' comel Los sueños lindos pa' Disney World Pero disparar pa' arriba eso es de puerco Es como 20 contra uno Puerco Es como robarle el desayuno a un tecato Eso es de puerco La verdad Esto de lógica, la ley de gravedad To' lo que sube de seguro va a bajar To' lo que sube de seguro va a bajar To' lo que sube de seguro va a bajar Coro Mejol dispares pa'l agua pa bajo pa los pecesitos Te matas un par de peces, despues te los comes, Unas morcillitas con pesca'o. Calle 13, Calle 13, más te crece.

The Law of Gravity CONGRATULATIONS Puerto Rico from Calle 13 I'm gonna have to put on a football helmet Just so I can go out shopping in the mall A football helmet to save my melon Don't shoot; better yet, let's go make love. Put on a bulletproof vest A helmet on your head Since things are so bad. "Get out of the patio, let's go to the living room And from the window watch the lights from the sparklers Oops careful! A bullet! It nearly split your head." Puerto Rico does it better Here lying in sea and sun Shooting in the air is a trip Ha ha ha ha, ha ha ha... Until you knock off your daughter That's gonna bother you, there you go crying Don't act all macho now You'd cry Anybody would cry With so many sweet faces in the barrio Just so a Brute-osaurus can show up Stuck up like a mercenary To come shit on the neighborhood party Don't start thinking that executives also shoot And they're the ones who do have money to waste on bullets They have enough money to get drunk off of cognac That's why I feel safer in Iraq than in Puerto Rico Drugs, violence and a lot of alcohol Puerto Rico does it better. Governor, here we do what you say After you start listening to the people We'll go on top of any Godzilla Me, I'm heading for the top I'm going to get off of the stage I'm going to come to the people Let's leave in a line I'm gonna bring me all and show you what I got And even though they all want it, I am not going to shut up. Besides that, a guard without education is a loose bullet A kid without school is a loose bullet A teacher without experience is a loose bullet. Chorus If you gotta hit the gangsta shoot where he can see it But not upwards because you'll take the life of somebody innocent I know that admitting this hurts but it's real Here there are people who live to kill We have to accept it You can't cover up the truth with your hands What are we gonna do, if they have to kill to eat? The sweet dreams of Disney World But shooting up in the air is sick It's like 20 against 1 Sick It's like stealing breakfast from a bum It's just sick! The truth is This is simple logic, the law of gravity All that goes up must come down All that goes up must come down All that goes up must come down Chorus Better yet shoot down in the water at the fishies And then you kill a pair of fish, and you eat 'em, Some blood sausage with fish. Calle 13, Calle 13, más te crece.