“Puede Ser” by El Canto del Loco feat. Amaia Montero, English translation of lyrics

“It May Be”
Album: A Contracorriente (Against the Current), 2002
Style: Mellow pop rock, romantic duet, emphasis on vocals, few instruments. El Canto del Loco is a former Spanish pop rock band that I do not know very well yet. Amaia Montero is the former lead singer for the band La Oreja de Van Gogh (singing for them 1996-2007). I have translated several of LOVG’s songs. Amaia left LOVG to launch a solo career.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

No sé si quedan amigos,
Ni si existe el amor,
Si puedo contar contigo
Para hablar de dolor.

I don’t know if friends remain,
Nor if love exists,
(Nor) if I can count on you
To talk about pain.

Si existe alguien que escuche
Cuando alzo la voz
Y no sentirme sola.

(Nor) if someone exists who listens
When I raise my voice
And (so) I not feel alone.

Chorus A:
Puede ser que la vida me guíe hasta el sol.
Puede ser que el mal domine tus horas
O que toda tu risa le gane ese pulso al dolor.
Puede ser que lo malo sea hoy.

It may be that life guides me up to the sun.
It may be that evil controls (dominates) your hours
Or that all your laughter overcomes all that pain,
It may be that bad (bad news, bad event) happens today.

Naces y vives solo. (x3)

You are born and you live alone. (x3)

Voy haciendo mis planes,
Voy sabiendo quien soy,
Voy buscando mi parte,
Voy logrando el control.

I am making my plans, [*lit. I go making my plans]
I am learning who I am, [*lit. I go…]
I am looking for my part,
I am gaining control.

Van jugando contigo,
Van rompiendo tu amor,
Van dejándote solo, muy solo.

They are playing with you, [*lit. They go playing with you]
They are breaking your love, [*lit. They go…]
They are leaving you alone, very alone.

Naces y vives solo. (x3)

You are born and live alone. (x3)

Chorus B:
Algo puede mejorar,
Algo que pueda encontrar,
Algo que me dé ese aliento
Que me ayude a imaginar.

Something may improve,
Something that I may find,
Something that gives me courage,
That helps me to imagine.

Y yo lo quiero lograr,
Y sólo quiero recordar
Y darle tiempo a este momento
Que me ayude a superar,
Que me dé tu sentimiento.

And I want to attain it,
And I only want to recall
And give time to that moment
(May it) help me overcome,
(May it ) give me your affection [*lit. emotion].

[Chorus A (x2), “Puede ser que la vida…”]

[Chorus B, “Algo puede mejorar…”]

Translation Notes:

El Canto del Loco, the bands name, means “The Song of the Crazy Man”.

—

Puede ser = It can be, it may be

—

No sé si quedan amigos
I don’t know if friends remain
I don’t know if they remain friends [alt.]

I would usually say it was the second one, but the rest of the lines make me think it might be the first translation.

—

Si puedo contar contigo / Para hablar de dolor
If I can count on you / To speak about pain (to you)

hablar de dolor = to speak about pain

I included the “(to you)” to avoid ambiguity. It’s the person singing that is going to speak about pain, not the person she is counting on.

—

Y no sentirme sola.
And (so) I don’t feel alone.
And not feel alone. [*lit.]

If any of you are following along with the Spanish and notice the strange grammar switch in this Spanish line, you are not alone. It sounds weird. I think it was written this way to fit the music.

—

Puede ser que la vida me guíe hasta el sol
It may be that life guides me up to the sun
(subjunctive tense: should be guide)

hasta = up to, all the way to; until

hasta mañana = until tomorrow

—

O que toda tu risa le gane ese pulso al dolor
Or that all your laughter overcomes all that pain
Or that your entire smile wins that fight against the pain [*alt.]
(subjunctive tense: should be overcome or win)

ganar [verb] = to win
ganarle [verb] = to win from, to win against
pulso [noun] = lit. pulse

ganar el pulso [expression] = to win the point (the pulse); to win the nod

2008:
I don’t use this phrase, but “ganar el pulso” is a Spanish expression that sort of mean that you win in a short struggle. If you are arm wrestling, it means you manage to get the other person’s arm to go down.

“No dejar ganar el pulso” means you don’t allow the other person to score a point, that you hold your own position and don’t fall to the opposite side’s position (either literally or figuratively). If you are arm wrestling, it means you maintain your ground.

2013:
I revisited this phrase. Now I say that “ganar el pulso” means more like “to overcome.”

—

The entire Chorus A is in present subjunctive tense, by the way. I used regular present tense in the translation because it sounded more natural in English.

Instead of: guides / controls / wins / happens
It is really: guide / control / win / happen (or be).

—

Voy logrando el control
I go achieving control [*lit.]

lograr, verb = to achieve, to realize, to accomplish, to attain