"Maria Elena"

[stoutfellow]

I was just listening to Gene Pitney singing "Maria Elena", and got to wondering about the song. It makes a reference to freedom-fighters going off to war, but what war? It was originally written in Spanish by Lorenzo Barcelata, who was Mexican; it was recorded by Jimmy Dorsey in 1941. Could it be about the Spanish Civil War? The Mexican Revolution? Does anybody know?

Comments

[stoutfellow.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Following up on your lead, I find that the film takes place in Mexico, but haven't gotten any further, even searching under "'Maria Elena' pelicula 1936".

Just as a matter of timing, the capital-'R' Revolution (1910-20) looks like the likeliest bet, but who knows? (The war against Maximilian would be second choice, and the war of independence a distant third.)