Year: 2007

“A Quien Le Importa” (Who Cares?) by Thalía, Alaska y Dinarama, English translation of Spanish version

“Who Cares?” Lyrics Translation
Album: Thalía, 2002; originally in No es pecado (It is not a sin), 1986 by Spanish rock/synth-pop band Alaska y Dinarama.
Style: Pop cover of a song by Alaska y Dinarama. Thalía tells us she is going to live her life how she wants, and others should mind their business!
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

La gente me señala,
Me apunta con el dedo,
Susurra a mis espaldas,
Y a mí me importa un bledo.

People signal towards me,
They point at me with their fingers,
They whisper behind my back,
And I don’t give a damn.

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“La Historia de un Amor” sung by many, English lyrics translation of a Mexican classic

“The Story of a Love” Lyrics, also. “A Lovestory”
Written by Carlos Eleta Almaran, sung by many.
Style: Romantic classic from Mexico
Country: Mexico
Listen: Ana Gabriel (Mexico), Eydie Gormé y Trio Los Panchos (USA & Mexico), Guadalupe Pineda (Mexico), Pedro Infante (Mexico), Luis Miguel (Mexico), Luz Casal (Spain), Laura Fygi (Netherlands)

Translation:

Ya no estás más a mi lado, corazón.
En el alma sólo tengo soledad,
Y si ya no puedo verte,
¿Por qué Dios me hizo quererte?
Para hacerme sufrir más.

You are no longer at my side, my love.
In my soul I have only loneliness,
And if I can no longer see you,
Why did God make me love you?
To make me suffer more.

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“Piel Canela” (Cinnamon Skin) by Bobby Capó, Eydie Gorme y Los Panchos, English translation

“Cinnamon Skin”, 1950s
Style: Romantic bolero. This is a popular oldies song written by Bobby Capó and sung by many. You might have seen it in commercials or heard the tune in elevators. Probably popularized best by Eydie Gorme y Los Panchos. I think it’s on the Nacho Libre soundtrack. This song is passed around a lot.
Country: Puerto Rico; United States (New York); Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Lyrics Translation:

Que se quede el infinito sin estrellas,
O que pierda el ancho mar su inmensidad,
Pero el negro (alt. el brillo) de tus ojos que no muera,
Y el canela de tu piel se quede igual.

May the infinite be left without stars,
Or may the wide sea lose its immenseness,
But may the blackness (alt. the glimmer) of your eyes never die,
And may the cinnamon of your skin stay the same.

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“La Contestación” by Los Lonely Boys, English translation

“The Answer” by Los Lonely Boys, English Translation of Spanish Version
Album: Los Lonely Boys, Track #12
Style: Rock
Country: USA (Texas)
Listen @ YouTube

¿A poco no está
Duro pa’ ti?
¿Pa’ que sigues así
Si aquí estoy yo?

Isn’t it
Hard for you?
Why do you continue like this
If I’m here?

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“Los Lonely Boys” 2004 Album Translation

Los Lonely Boy’s self-titled album is English with Spanish. The songs are pretty short, so I’m just going to translate all the Spanish parts in bilingual songs in one post. 

TRACK : “Señorita” 

You’re my little señorita, y tú eres la más bonita  

You’re my little señorita, and you are the most beautiful

Señorita = affectionate diminutive of señora (lady, Mrs., Madam); Miss, Mademoiselle 

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“Bendita Tu Luz” (Blessed Your Light) by Maná, English translation

“Blessed, Your Light”
Album: Amar es Combatir (To Love is to Fight)
Style: Sweet, love song. Maná sings a lot of bittersweet, ambiguous, and energetic songs. They sing about desperation and sexual tension and poverty and all sorts of sad affairs. This is none of that. This is a song about pure happiness and romantic bliss. It’s very sweet.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Lyrics Translation:

Bendito el lugar, y el motivo de estar ahí,
Bendita la coincidencia,
Bendito el reloj que nos puso puntual ahí,
Bendita sea tu presencia.

Blessed location, and the motive for being there,
Blessed the coincidence,
Blessed clock that set us there punctually,
Blessed be your presence.

Bendito Dios por encontrarnos en el camino,
Y de quitarme esta soledad de mi destino.
Bendita la luz, bendita la luz de tu mirada (x2)
Desde el alma.

Blessed God for introducing us on the road,
And for taking away this solitude from my destiny.
Blessed be the light, blessed be the light of your gaze (x2)
Coming from the soul.

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“La Patita” by Cri-Cri, English translation of original Spanish version

“The Little Lady Duck” / “Mama Webster”
Style: Children’s song about a money-strapped mother duck
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube. Also, this website has mp3 files. “La Patita” is on the second column.

Translation:

La patita
De canasta y con reboso de bolita
Va al mercado
A comprar todas las cosas del mandado.

Mama Webster
With basket and polka dotted shawl
Goes to market
To buy all the things for groceries.

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“La Muñeca Fea” by Cri-Cri, Francisco Gabilondo Soler, English translation of original Spanish version

“The Ugly Doll” Children’s Song Translation
Composer: Francisco Gabilondo Soler (“Cri-Cri”)
Style: Children’s song about an abandoned doll. I remember Cri-Cri’s songs from my childhood. I hadn’t heard these songs in sooo long. You have no idea! Cri-Cri is Mexico’s best known writer of children’s story songs. A quick search didn’t bring up any English translations, so here I am!
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube. This website has mp3 files. “La Muñeca Fea” is on the first column, about two-thirds of the way down the list.

Translation:

Escondida por los rincones,
Temerosa que alguien la vea,
Platicaba con los ratones,
La pobre muñeca fea.

Hidden around the corners,
Fearful of being seen,
She chatted with the mice,
The poor ugly doll.

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“Maria Christina” by Los Lobos, English translation of lyrics

“Maria Christina”
Composer: Cesar Rosas
Album: Good Morning Aztlán, 2002
Country: USA (Mexican-American)

Lyrics Translation:

Maria le gusta el mambo
Esto no puedo negar
Pero yo prefiero cumbia
Es lo mejor para gozar

Maria likes mambo
This I can’t deny
But I prefer cumbia
It’s the best for rejoycing

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“Justicia, Tierra, y Libertad” by Maná, English translation of lyrics

“Justice, Land and Liberty” Song Translation
Album: Revolución de Amor (Love Revolution), 2002 — Grammy and Latin Grammy winner
Style: Latin rock anthem
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Justicia tierra y libertad (x2)
Oye tú mi canto, óyelo, óyelo,
Oye tu mi llanto, óyelo, óyelo.

Justice, land and liberty (x2)
Hear you my song, hear it, hear it,
Hear you my cry, hear it, hear it.

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“Somos Mar y Arena” (We’re Sand and Sea) by Maná, English translation

“We’re Sea and Sand”
Album: Amar es Combatir (To Love is To Fight), 2006. It won a 2007 Grammy for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album.
Style: Rock/pop
Country: Mexico

Lyrics Translation:

Ese hombre que te trae bien embrujada,
Ese hombre, gandalla, deudor,
¿Dónde estás? Vuelve mi amor
Que somos mar y arena.

That man that has you terribly bewitched,
That guy, vagabond, debtor,
Where are you? Return, my love
Because we’re sea and sand.

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“Relax” by Maná, English translation of lyrics

“Relax” by Maná
Album: Amar es Combatir (To Love is To Fight), 2006. It won a 2007 Grammy for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album.
Style: Rock. Oh man, this song is so catchy. Maná is brilliant when it comes to singing about desperation without being sentimental or sounding hopeless. It’s sad, but it’s not saddening. I like the beat.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Siento que el mundo no para, me vuelvo loco.
Siento que el sol no calienta nada, ni un poco.

I feel that the world doesn’t stop, I go crazy.
I feel that the sun doesn’t warm anything, even a little.

Vivo en el borde y al filo de una navaja,
Pero por dios en mi tierra nadie se raja.

I live on the brink and at the edge of a knife,
But for (the love of) God, in my land nobody cracks.

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