Month: May 2010

“Waka Waka Esto Es África” by Shakira, English translation of the Spanish version

“Waka Waka This is Africa”
Official song of 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa; June 11 – July 11
Album: Sale El Sol (The Sun Comes Out), 2010
Country: Colombia
Style: Upbeat, cheerful. Note that Shakira has an official English version called “Waka Waka This Time for Africa.” This, however, is the translation of the Spanish version. It’s interesting to compare how different parts of the world will think of the FIFA 2010 song, since the lyrics are not completely the same.
Listen: YouTube Spanish version

Translation:

Llego el momento,
Caen las murallas,
Va a comenzar
La única justa de la batallas.

The moment has come,
The walls fall,
It is going to begin,
The only one of the battles that is just.

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“El Problema” by Ricardo Arjona, English translation of lyrics

“The Problem” Lyrics Translation
Album: Santo Pecado (Blessed Sin), 2002
Style: Pop, romantica, foolish adoration. This guy adores a girl who is not serious about the relationship and he is leaving himself very vulnerable.
Country: Guatemala
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

El problema no fue hallarte,
El problema es olvidarte.
El problema no es tu ausencia,
El problema es que te espero.

The problem was not finding you,
The problem is forgetting you.
The problem is not your absence,
The problem is that I wait for you.

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“Dámelo” by Juanes, English translation of lyrics

“Give It To Me”
Album: Mi Sangre (My Blood), 2004
Style: Rock, shamelessly sleazy. Juanes wants to seduce a woman and “get to know her” tonight. Oh Juanes.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Intro whispers:

Ey… sí, tú… sí, sí, tú que está ahí. Escucha, ey…

Hey… yeah, you… yeah, yeah, you right there. Listen, hey…

¿Qué tengo que hacer para tener
En mi labios esos tus labiecitos bonitos?
¿Qué te tengo que hacer para tener
De tu sabor un poquito?

What do I have to do to have
In my lips those pretty little lips of yours?
What do I have to do to have
Of your taste a little?

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“Clase de Amor” by Juanes, English translation of lyrics

“A Type of Love”
Album: La Vida Es Un Ratico (Life is a Brief Moment), 2007
Style: Rock, bitter love, breakup. Juanes sings about a dysfunctional relationship at the point of breakup. If this is the type of love that is offered, Juanes doesn’t want it.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Tú ya lo sabes que nadie como yo te amó,
Que nadie nunca te entregó
El corazón de la manera como lo hice yo.

You already know it, that nobody loved you like me,
That nobody ever surrendered
His heart to you the way that I did.

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“Mira La Vida” (Look at Life) by Julieta Venegas, English translation

“Look at Life” Lyrics
Album: MTV Unplugged Julieta Venegas, 2008
Style: Optimistic upbeat song, a bit hypnotic, about life saying yes to you and you saying yes to life, about looking forward to the future, about celebrating a birth.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Chorus:
————————————–
Mira la vida abriéndose camino.
Mira la vida diciendo que sí.

Look at life opening a way for itself.
Look at life saying yes.
————————————–
(x2)

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