A California Norteño band, Grupo La Meta, just made a corrido called "El Quemazon" — The Bern — in honor of Bernie Sanders.
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The band from Modesto, California in the valley wanted the song to have a "campesino" sound, like what you might hear musicians playing at a Mexican restaurant, and as soon as the song starts, it's clear the Bern is being felt.
"He’s the man with a vision to better this country," the song opens in Spanish. "Running for president but the rich don’t want him. Bernie Sanders is his name. Now you're going to feel his burn."
In an interview with BuzzFeed News, Juve Quintana, the 26-year-old singer and songwriter of the berning hot tune, said his girlfriend turned him on to Sanders.
"I can relate to him and everything he wants to do for us," Quintana said. "I thought what can I do so the Hispanics, the paisanos, the Mexicans vote for him? Everyone I speak to says 'I’m going to vote for Hillary' and I say 'Have you heard of Bernie Sanders?" And they say 'No, I don’t even know who that is.'"
The song, which was shared by Sanders Latino staffers and supporters on social media on Friday, comes at a good time, with the campaign turning lots of its attention to California and its big pool of delegates in a June primary. Quintana is trying to connect with the Sanders campaign with hopes of opening up for one of his rallies to show that the Vermont senator has Latino support.
Deputy political director Arturo Carmona enjoyed how much the corrido hewed to the candidate's message — including shots at the establishment and the media —and said the campaign is reaching out to the band.
"We want them to be part of our activities, I could see them at a rally," he said.
Which means Sanders supporters in California may soon be hearing "Many call him Robin Hood, others call him El Quemazon!" very soon.
And Quintana said part of the motivation for releasing the song was the violence against protesters at rallies for the Republican frontrunner Donald Trump and to push back against his comments about Mexicans and immigrants.
"Yes, we are upset," Quintana said. "I don’t know what he’s thinking but I think he forgets that even he came from a family of immigrants. And if they never came to this country he wouldn’t be here now and this is why we all come, for a better life for our families and so our kids can go to school."