“Tierra Ajena” (Foreign Land) by Carla Morrison, English translation and meaning

“Foreign Land” Lyrics
Album: Amor Supremo (Supreme Love), 2015
Style: Alternative rock song about wanting to be chaste, but struggling with new and foreign feelings and desires.
Country: Mexico; USA
Listen: YouTube

Lyrics Translation:

Y tú, ¿quién te crees?
Enamorandome así,
Sin pedirle permiso a Dios,
Enredándome en locura.

And you, who do you think you are?
Making me fall for you like this,
Without asking God for permission,
Entangling me in lunacy.

Y tú, ¿quién eres?
Quitándome el sueño,
Apareciendo en mi desvelo,
Cuestionando mi pudor.

And you, who are you?
Taking away my sleep,
Appearing in my sleepless vigil,
Questioning my chastity.

Yo… quiero pedirte un deseo,
Más nunca sufrir en secreto.

I… want to ask you for a wish,
To never suffer in secret.

Alejarte de mí
Para nunca sentir
Esta dulzura en tierra ajena
Que me enloquece y me desvela,
Tu aroma en cada esquina,
Tu mirada en dondequiera.

To drive you away from me
To never feel
This sweetness in foreign land
That drives me mad and keeps me up,
Your scent in every corner,
Your gaze everywhere.

Y tú, ¿a qué vienes?
A tambalear mi fortaleza,
Es tu presencia tan dispuesta,
Retando mi valor.

And you, what do you come for?
To shake my fortress,
It is your presence so willing,
Challenging my values.

Y tú, ¿qué eres?
Malestar y bendicion,
Yo que busco tranquilidad,
Siembras duda en mi razón.

And you, what are you?
Disturbance and blessing,
I who seek tranquility,
You sow doubt in my reasoning.

Yo… quiero pedirte un deseo,
Más nunca sufrir en secreto.

I… want to ask you for a wish,
To never suffer in secret.

Alejarte de mí
Para nunca sentir
Esta dulzura en tierra ajena
Que me enloquece y me desvela,
Tu aroma en cada esquina,
Tu mirada en donde quiera.

To drive you away from me
To never feel
This sweetness in foreign land
That drives me mad and keeps me up,
Your scent in every corner,
Your gaze everywhere.

Me rindo, así quizás
Tengas poca piedad
De ésta pobre alma oscura
Que está cansada de andar
Sola en esta vida
Tan dura y que lastima.

I give up, like this perhaps
You’ll have some pity
On this poor dark soul
Who is tired of existing
Alone in this life
So difficult and hurtful.

Alejarte de mí
Para nunca sentir
Esta dulzura en tierra ajena
Que me enloquece y me desvela,
Tu aroma en cada esquina,
Tu mirada en donde quiera.
(x2)

To drive you away from me
To never feel
This sweetness in foreign land
That drives me mad and keeps me up,
Your scent in every corner,
Your gaze everywhere.
(x2)

Translation Notes:

Y tú, ¿quién te crees?

And you, who do you think you are? [*literal]
And you, who do you believe yourself to be? [*word-for-word literal, too literal]

This song is about a woman who is being seduced and who feels herself giving in, but also feels conflicted about it.

---

Yo… quiero pedirte un deseo,
Más nunca sufrir en secreto.

I… want to ask you for a wish,
To never suffer in secret.

I… want to ask you for a wish,
To never (again) suffer in silence.

She wants to reciprocate the attention but she holds back and it is difficult for her. She wants to give in and confess her desires.

---

Tu aroma en cada esquina,
Tu mirada en dondequiera

Your scent in every corner,
Your eyes everywhere

Your aroma in every corner,
Your gaze wherever and everywhere

The passion and lust she feels is overwhelming her. She can’t stop thinking about this person.

---

Es tu presencia tan dispuesta,
Retando mi valor.

It is your presence so willing,
Challenging my values.

It is your presence so willing,
Defying my courage.

Either translation works but the first one fits better in the context of the song. The lyrics are about a woman being seduced against her better judgement.

---

Y tú, ¿qué eres?
Malestar y bendicion

And you, what are you?
Disturbance and blessing
Discomfort and blessing

Un malestar is a sense of unease, discomfort, disquiet, and anxiety. A blessing causes the opposite feeling, providing instead a sense of joy, calm, and grace. This person causes both types of feeling in the singer. They create new emotions that are both disturbing and appealing, confusing.

---

Me rindo, así quizás
Tengas poca piedad
De ésta pobre alma oscura…

I give up, like this perhaps
You’ll have some pity
On this poor dark soul…

I surrender, now perhaps
You’ll have a bit of pity
On this poor dark soul…

She doesn’t want to hold back any longer, but she hopes they don’t take advantage of her. She is allowing herself to be vulnerable.

---

…ésta pobre alma oscura
Que está cansada de andar
Sola en esta vida
Tan dura y que lastima.

…this poor dark soul
Who is tired of existing
Alone in this life
So difficult and hurtful.

…this poor dark soul
Who is tired of going on
Alone in this life
So difficult, (this life) that causes hurt.

The singer is tired of being alone and wants companionship and relationships. She resists the temptation but it is difficult for her and she gives in, hoping it goes well for her.