Around 1916, Peruvian composer Daniel Alomias Robles notated this popular traditional melody and used it as the basis for an instrumental suite. Many varied lyrics have since been written, but this anonymous version invites the singer to ride on its back high above the earth where, from that vantage point, one sees no borders, no frontiers - "all are equal." After a college concert in South Dakota in the late 70's, [ the writer ] was given these words by a young teacher named Loren Silver, who said he had been living and teaching in Bolivia for several years.

El condor al pasar me dijo a mí, sígueme, más allá, y tú verás
En la espalda del condor me senté, a volar, cada vez más alto, el cielo alcanzar

Mirar, mirar hacia la tierra, tan distinta de lo que ví
Fronteras no se deben ver, todo el mundo, desde allí, es lo que ví

El condor al cantar se escuchó, repitió, son hermanos, todos iguales