Happy Cinco De Mayo! Today’s tune is Corona And Lime by Shwayze and Cisco Adler. This song came out in August of ‘08, peaking on the charts at #23 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Corona And Lime was the duo’s follow-up hit from their original Billboard Charter, Buzzin’.
This chorus didn’t just do numbers on the Billboard, it also peaked at #3 on the US iTunes Store. I can’t recall if I paid $1.29 for this song or crashed my parents’ desktop downloading it off LimeWire, but either way what a time to be alive!
*Fans of Hip-Hop right now just trying to listen to a nice happy song after Drake and Kendrick this weekend.*
Shwayze and Cisco Adler had a rare sound where they infused not only Corona And Lime but hip-hop with alt-rock. Two separate genres of music that don’t always mesh well, but when you blend them for a song like this, it’s a certified hit.
We’ll skip over the next line, but Cisco Adler around this time was dating a New Yorker, Paris Hilton.
LA ladies wearing oversized shades I could see with all the sun. Miami girls in bikinis bumping to DJ Tiesto makes sense, he had a ton of his back then. The girls from Detroit listening to EDM feels like a bit of a reach, but I’ve never been to Michigan so I shouldn't assume.
I'm almost done with the lyrics with this one, you gotta admit it’s a catchy tune for Cinco de Mayo.
Not for nothing, the hands-up bridge feels like they could’ve done without. Maybe that’s just me, but otherwise, I think it’s a nice tune from the iTunes era.
15. Cinco de Mayo is NOT Mexico’s Independence Day…
…Mexico’s Independence Day is actually on September 16th. 40% of Americans believe it marks their independence, I was one of them minutes before typing these exact words.
14. Not a federal holiday in Mexico…
…very cool list. The name that sticks out is…
13. Benito Pablo Juárez GarcÃa
Born on March 21, 1806, both of Benito Pablo Juárez GarcÃa’s parents would die when he was just 3 years old. At age 12, he left his family to begin studying priesthood at Oaxaca before eventually switching his studies to law & science at the Oaxaca Institute of Arts and Sciences. From there he would get into politics and serve in the Mexican legislature before being exiled for his thoughts on the Catholic Church along with land aristocrats having too much of a monopoly on the Mexican economy. He lived in poverty for a bit down in New Orleans in the 1850s before returning to Mexico, gaining political momentum for his policies to lessen the influence of the church on the state. In 1861, Benito Juárez was elected president of Mexico and was forced to default on debt payments to Europe. The European powers such as France, Britain, and Spain, sent Naval forces to Veracruz, Mexico in response, demanding payment. France at the time had a fella by the name of Napoleon III in charge…
12. Battle of Puebla
Napoleon III was the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte so not nearly as badass but just as power-hungry. With the Mexican economy in financial ruin and the government a bit unstable, Napoleon III figured it was an opportune time to carve out some territory in Mexico for the French Empire. French forces attacked Mexico at Veracruz which gave way to the Battle of Puebla. 6,000 French troops attacked the small town while Juárez was able to form a makeshift army of 2,000 loyal soldiers. Outnumbered and poorly supplied, the battle began on the 5th of May 1862. It only lasted about a day, but 500 French troops would die and around 100 Mexican soldiers would be lost. While it may not have been an overall major victory for Mexico, the symbolism behind the underdog victory would serve as a rallying cry for the rest of the war.
11. US Involvement
The US at the time of Cinco de Mayo in Mexico had their own Civil War going on so they couldn’t provide much resources to their Mexican neighbor until 1867. Before that, the US was in no position to intervene much so they remained neutral, not wanting to get into much conflict with the French Empire. The American government (Union) was worried France may back the Confederacy. Once the US Civil War wrapped up, the US Secretary of State, William H. Seward’s policy of assisting the Mexican cause was enough to make Napoleon withdraw. Seward’s policy did have a bit of an ulterior motive behind it as he believed improving relations with Mexico would in turn give the US a bit more leverage in their own expansion.
10. Mexican President Juárez’s Legacy
By August of 1867, Mexican President Juárez was able to return to Mexico City. He would get reelected their president for another term but would face more internal strife in the aftermath of their war with France. He passed away in 1872 and was buried in the Pantheon of San Fernando in Mexico City. Upon his passing, Benito Juárez was considered a Mexican national hero who helped reform their government and led the nation in their victory over France.
9. FDR & Cinco de Mayo
To improve relations with Latin American countries, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Good Neighbor Policy in 1933. One of the intentions of the policy was to celebrate and bring awareness to Cinco de Mayo.
8. California Had Already Been Celebrating
As early as 1863, Mexican miners living in California who heard the news about the Battle of Puebla already had started celebrating it as a holiday. Today, LA has the largest Cinco de Mayo fiestas.
7. Avocados
87 million pounds of avocadoes are purchased for Cinco de Mayo. Sheesh, that’s a lot of guac.
6. Running of the Chihuahuas
One of the activities that takes place in American cities on Cinco de Mayo is the running of the Chihuahuas. The tiny doggos are a national symbol of Mexico and are one of the oldest breeds of the Americas. Being that many of them weigh no more than 6 pounds, they can reach speeds 10 to 15 mph (16 kmh to 24 kmh for those across the pond).
5. History of Corona Beer
The Mexican Lager was established in 1925 and is 100% brewed in Mexico. It is the one of most valuable beer brands in the world, as it is served in over 120 countries…. Behind the likes of Guinness, sorry I had to include that somewhere.
4. Limes with Corona
Some say (Vine Pair) the origins behind adding the superfood, lime, to the drink come from the Corona metal caps leaving a bit of rust. Lime acts as a rust-remover and citrus works as a sterlizer. To be honest, I think it improves the quality of the taste and can’t imagine having a Corona without a lime, but to each his own.
3. Holiday Dish
The Mole Poblano is considered the national holiday dish for Cinco de Mayo. It is a thick, savory chile and chocolate sauce from the state of Puebla. Here is the recipe on Serious Eats.
2. Tacos
Call me basic but I don’t trust myself making Mole Poblano. Tacos are a nice substitute. 53% of Americans prefer a soft taco compared to a hard taco shell. As of ‘20, Americans eat over 4.5 billion tacos a year, thanks in large part to Taco Tuesdays if I had to guess.
1. Cinco de Mayo Globally
Cinco de Mayo is celebrated a ton even outside of Mexico. While the United States may have taken the holiday a bit and run with it (we’re really good at that and love to party), Mexican festivals also take place in Canada, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Australia, New Zealand, London, Nigeria, South Africa, Paris, and Japan. It’s a cool holiday for the spring.