Hernando Cortes "discovered" Tenochtitlan , which was the capital of the Aztec empire. Also he followed the foot steps of Columbus from Spain to Mexico and the Carribean islands. And he conquered the Aztecs.

He became mayor of Santiago de Cuba. From the emperor of the Aztecs he got jewels and gold.

Answer The origin and meaning of the lyrics are subject to debate. Some sources claim the song is derived from an 18th century marching cadence about a flint-lock rifle with a black head-stock; the "bam-ba-lam" lyric referring to the sound of the gunfire. Soldiers in the field were said to be "hugging Black Betty". In this interpretation, the rifle was superceded by its "child", a rifle known as a "Brown Bess". Other sources claim the term was a contemporary reference for a prostitute, a prison bullwhip, heroin or the "paddywagon".

The right answer: The person who said that is an idiot who is just focused on color and not on the possible symbolism. If you actually read the lyrics, you'd know all the people who say it is about abuse are, well, wrong.

Here is what it is really about:

Some mistakes/betrayals can't be forgiven, and any attempts to make it better are meaningless because the original offense drowns out any attempt to make it better. That is what the song is about, and it states it, in the song, outside of the metaphors even. It doesn't specify what the mistake/betrayal is, but I'm assuming the subject of the song was cheated on by other cues in the song.

No, it is not about abuse, just because someone mentions the colors black and blue does not mean they are talking about bruises. Listen to the rest of the lyrics, Match on a fire. hmm a match thrown on a fire is pretty POINTLESS, don't you think? Same goes for tears on a river, and everything else mentioned. Try coloring over a black marker with a blue marker. It's still black, the blue changes nothing. Thus "blue on black . don't mean much" That is the point of the title and the main refrain.

Geez people, don't be so literal. Don't they teach metaphors and understanding them in schools anymore?

Pat Harmon has: Performed in "Red Hot Finish" in 1920. Played Gaspard in "In the Days of Buffalo Bill" in 1922. Played Deputy Dan Silo in "Riders of the Law" in 1922. Played Hank Potter in "The Firebrand" in 1922. Played Jensen in "The Kentucky Derby" in 1922. Played Jim Stain in "Ruth of the Range" in 1923. Performed in "The Phantom Fortune" in 1923. Played Monk in "The Midnight Guest" in 1923. Played Oily Kirby in "The Eternal Struggle" in 1923. Played Pete Shagmire in "Ridgeway of Montana" in 1924. Played Curry in "The Back Trail" in 1924. Played Spike in "Behind the Curtain" in 1924. Played Ranch foreman in "Sawdust Trail" in 1924. Played Silent Bill Brachely in "The Midnight Express" in 1924. Performed in "The Bull Tosser" in 1924. Performed in "Fight and Win" in 1924. Played Bus Straphanger in Spider Gag in "Hot Water" in 1924. Played Mate Hansen in "Surging Seas" in 1924. Played Mike Barclay in "American Manners" in 1924. Played Jerry Sullivan in "The Battling Fool" in 1924. Played Jim Sheldon in "S.O.S. Perils of the Sea" in 1925. Played German Servant in "Over Thereabouts" in 1925. Played Mike Murdock in "The Lure of the Wild" in 1925. Played The Football Coach in "The Freshman" in 1925. Played Halstead Street Terror in "Barriers Burned Away" in 1925. Played Rum Runner in "All Abroad" in 1925. Played First Mate in "The Barrier" in 1926. Played Captain Barry in "Sin Cargo" in 1926. Played Chief Clerk J.K. Burke in "The Dixie Flyer" in 1926. Played Bad Man in "The Unknown Cavalier" in 1926. Played Hadley in "The Fighting Edge" in 1926. Played Bill Haynes in "The Phantom Bullet" in 1926. Played Brett Marshall in "Winning the Futurity" in 1926. Played Lije Marsh in "Breed of the Sea" in 1926. Performed in "Hazardous Valley" in 1927. Played Mr. Parker in "Snowbound" in 1927. Played The Cop in "My Best Girl" in 1927. Played Mate in "The Haunted Ship" in 1927. Played London Charlie in "The Warning" in 1927. Played Bowen (the canvas boss) in "The Sideshow" in 1928. Played Heckler in "The Barker" in 1928. Played Revolutionary in "The Broken Mask" in 1928. Played Bull in "Court-Martial" in 1928. Played Studio Gateman in "Show People" in 1928. Played Cop in "The Best Man" in 1928. Played Beach Club Manager in "The Beach Club" in 1928. Played An Oiler in "Waterfront" in 1928. Played Sailor from the Santa Rosa in "Across to Singapore" in 1928. Played Polish Bicycle Rider in "Homesick" in 1928. Played Officer in Charge in "Small Talk" in 1929. Played Hoodlum in "Dark Streets" in 1929. Played Ship Captain in "Spite Marriage" in 1929. Played Cop in "The Last Warning" in 1929. Played Bouncer at Garden Cabaret in "Navy Blues" in 1929. Played Stationmaster in "Berth Marks" in 1929. Played Bartender in "Weary River" in 1929. Played Clink Peeples in "Sunset Pass" in 1929. Played Cop in "Fast Work" in 1930. Played Railroad Man at Lunch Counter in "Love Among the Millionaires" in 1930. Played Doorman at Premiere in "Free and Easy" in 1930. Played Henchman in "Madonna of the Streets" in 1930. Played Waiter in "See America Thirst" in 1930. Played Drunken Customer in "Her Man" in 1930. Played Sailor in "The Ship from Shanghai" in 1930. Played Westerner in "Speed" in 1931. Performed in "Finn and Hattie" in 1931. Played McGintey in "The Gang Buster" in 1931. Played Music Hall Customer in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" in 1931. Played Prison Visitor in "Ladies of the Big House" in 1931. Played Casey, the Bouncer in "Ten Cents a Dance" in 1931. Played Unfriendly Horse Trainer in "Sweepstakes" in 1931. Played Vatelli Henchman in "The Tip-Off" in 1931. Played Marine Sergeant in "First to Fight" in 1931. Played Indian at Party in "Monkey Business" in 1931. Played Bill Lorraine in "Ex-Sweeties" in 1931. Played Mr. Cooper in "The Secret Menace" in 1931. Played Butch Devlin in "Two-Gun Caballero" in 1931. Played Pat in "Border Devils" in 1932. Played Doughboy in "Pack Up Your Troubles" in 1932. Played Mexican Barfly in "Battling Buckaroo" in 1932. Played Barfly in "The Fourth Horseman" in 1932. Played The Sidewalk Cop in "Taxi for Two" in 1932. Played Prison Patient in "Afraid to Talk" in 1932. Played Sheldon Henchman in "Malay Nights" in 1932. Played Henchman in "The Texas Bad Man" in 1932. Played Cop in Hallway in "Scandal for Sale" in 1932. Played Expressman in "By Appointment Only" in 1933. Played Gambler in "Fargo Express" in 1933. Played Minor Role in "Her First Mate" in 1933. Played Deputy Bud in "Somewhere in Sonora" in 1933. Played Fireman in "The Bowery" in 1933. Played The Motorcycle Cop in "Fallen Arches" in 1933. Played Diner Customer in "Parachute Jumper" in 1933. Played Doorman in "Sons of the Desert" in 1933. Played Joe the Cop in "From Headquarters" in 1933. Played Policeman with Constable in "Heroes for Sale" in 1933. Played Gunman in "King Kong" in 1933. Played Avery - Chain Gang Guard in "Laughter in Hell" in 1933. Played Joke-Planner in "Daring Daughters" in 1933. Played Lookout in "Hold the Press" in 1933. Played Cab Driver in "Night of Terror" in 1933. Played Jones - Mystery Flyer in "The Mystery Squadron" in 1933. Played Nightclub Bouncer in "Palooka" in 1934. Played Tough in "Morocco Nights" in 1934. Played El Paso Official - Ch. 6 in "Tailspin Tommy" in 1934. Played Hood in "City Limits" in 1934. Played Cop in "Another Wild Idea" in 1934. Played Flannigan in "I Hate Women" in 1934. Played Superior Club Doorman in "Friends of Mr. Sweeney" in 1934. Played Electrician in "The Crime of Helen Stanley" in 1934. Played Motorcycle Policeman in "Benny, from Panama" in 1934. Played Stoker in "Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back" in 1934. Played Henchman in "The New Frontier" in 1935. Played Gimpy in "Trails End" in 1935. Played Townsman in "The Rainmakers" in 1935. Played Waiter in "The Outlaw Deputy" in 1935. Played Bartender in "The Man from Guntown" in 1935. Played Butch in "Heir to Trouble" in 1935. Played Singing Prisoner in "The Nitwits" in 1935. Played Henchman Carney in "The Silent Code" in 1935. Played Tex Pryor in "Border Vengeance" in 1935. Played Henchman Lefty in "Last of the Clintons" in 1935. Played Paddywagon Policeman in "Modern Times" in 1936. Played Sheepman in "Frontier Justice" in 1936. Played Stationmaster in "Dance of the Cookoos" in 1982. Played himself in "ESPN SportsCentury" in 1999.