“Rosa, Rosa” by Sandro de América, English translation of lyrics

“Rosa, Rosa”
Style: 1960s European-style precursor to rock and roll. This song celebrates a woman named Rosa.
Country: Argentina
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Ay, Rosa, Rosa tan maravillosa
Como blanca diosa,
Como flor hermosa
Tu amor me condena
A la dulce pena de sufrir.

Oh, Rosa, Rosa, so marvellous
Like a white goddess
Like a beautiful flower
Your love condemns me
To the sweet sorrow of suffering.

Rosa, Rosa, dame de tu boca
Esa furia loca
Que mi amor provoca
Que me causa llanto
Por quererte tanto,
Sólo a ti.

Rosa, Rosa, give me of your mouth
That crazy fury
That my love provokes
That causes me to cry
For loving you so much,
Only you.

Ay, Rosa, Rosa, pide lo que quieras
Pero nunca pidas
Que mi amor se muera
Si algo ha de morir,
Moriré yo por ti.
(x2)

Oh, Rosa, Rosa, ask what you will
But never ask
For my love to die
If something is to die
I will die for you.
(x2)

-Coda-
Ay Rosa, dame todos tus sueños
Dueño de tu amor quiero ser
Ay, dame de tu ayer las heridas
Vida, junto a mí has de tener, ay!

Oh, Rosa, give me all your dreams
Owner of your love I want to be
Oh, give me your wounds from your yesterday
Life, you must have it next to me, oh!

Ay, Rosa, Rosa, eres orgullosa
Y sin contemplarme
Tu fe se destroza
Mientras tanto yo
Agonizo por ti, ay!

Oh, Rosa, Rosa, you are proud
And without contemplating me
Your faith destroys itself
Whereas I (on the other hand)
Agonize for you, oh!

Ay, Rosa, Rosa, pide lo que quieras
Pero nunca pidas
Que mi amor se muera
Si algo ha de morir,
Moriré yo por ti.

Oh, Rosa, Rosa, ask what you will
But never ask
For my love to die
If something is to die
I will die for you.

Ay, Rosa! Ay, Rosa!

Oh, Rosa! Oh, Rosa!

[From coda, “Rosa, dame todos tus sueños…”]

Translation Notes:

Como blanca diosa

Like a white goddess

blanco/a [adj.] = white (the color)

In case you’re wondering if blanco/blanca is a word which exclusively means “white” as in white skin color, no. It’s like in English. It’s originally a color word (like blue, red, green, etc.), but it can be used for skin color as well. Here, I think it’s a reference to Venus on the seashell but we can never be sure with mid-20th century Argentina. They loved their European heritage.

—

Ay, Rosa, Rosa, pide lo que quieras
Oh, Rosa, Rosa, ask what you will
Oh, Rosa, Rosa, ask whatever you want (lit.)

—

Pero nunca pidas que mi amor se muera
But never ask for my love to die
But never ask that my love die (lit.)

—

Si algo ha de morir, moriré yo por ti
If something is to die, I will die for you
If something has to die, I will die for you (lit.)

The inverted “moriré yo” (as opposed to “yo moriré“) emphasizes the “I” and makes the line sound like:

“If something has to die, it will be me.”

Also, it brings the two verb forms of “morir” (to die) close together, which sounds nice lyrically. It makes the comma sound more dramatic.

—

“Rosa, Rosa” by Sandro de America, English translation of lyrics