Corrido

"The corrido was originally performed as a melodically simple tune with guitar accompaniment. It was performed in waltz time and now commonly adopts a polka rhythm. Since the commercialization of the corrido, it is often performed by conjuntos produced professionally by recording companies"

Prior to widespead use of radio, popular corridos were passed around as an oral tradition, often to spread news of events and popular heroes, and popular humor, to the population, many of whom were illiterate prior to the improvements to the educational system that occurred after the Revolution. Academic study of corridos written during the Mexican revolution shows they were used as a means to communicate news throughout Mexico as a response to the propaganda being spread in the newspapers which were owned by the corrupt government of Pofirio Díaz. Sheet music of popular corridos were sold or included in publications. Other corrido sheets were passed out free as a form of propaganda, to eulogize leaders, armies, and political movements, or in some cases to mock the opposition. The best known Revolutionary corrido, is, of course, La cucaracha, an old song that was rephrased to celebrate th ... poke fun at his nemesis Venustiano Carranza."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corrido

Oooh, another labor of love web site -- Corridos Sin Fronteras - Ballads Without Borders - This bilingual web site teaches the rich history of Mexico through narrative songs known as "corridos". The site supports a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibition. Visitors learn about revolutionaries, bandits, war heroes, drug smugglers and more through music, art, photography and video. A teacher section helps integrate the site into the classroom, and a resource section provides even more information on this popular musical tradition. Winner of Museums and the Web Best Online Exhibition Award 2003. (site developed by Interactive Knowledge, Inc)

http://www.corridos.org/

http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:K28zLOKzoHsJ:www.ncteamericancollection.org/assets/pdf/aaw_corrido.pdf+corrido+romeo&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=firefox-a

"Note that the corrido is a ballad form--the majority those listed as sources in this lesson plan follow a
simple four-line stanza with eight syllables on each line where the last word of the second and forth
line rhyme .

Any of Shakespeare's tragedies provide a suitable narrative for a corrido. In particular, the tragedies Romeo
and Juliet, Hamlet, or Othello all provide dramatic material for "victim corridos
From the press materials of "Corridos sin Fronteras" -
The themes of corridos are diverse but they generally involve tragic accidents and heroes that attract the attention and sympathy of entire communities, Hernandez said. There are corridos about Cesar Chavez, the legendary farm labor leader, and Pancho Villa, the Mexican Revolution leader. Such contemporary groups as Los Tigres Del Norte, which has recorded nearly 500 songs and corridos in their 30-year history, popularize the genre.

"The weekend of March 16-18 was undoubtedly the highlight of the entire Festival with two excellent, but entirely contrasting, productions by groups from Division A and a guest performance by the Compañía de Teatro Repertorio Español de Nueva York of Romeo y Julieta in translation by Pablo Neruda."

http://www.musicayletras.net/cancion/306727/Joan-Sebastian_Romeo-y-julieta.html
a corrido on Romeo y Julieta