“La Bruja” (The Witch), traditional Veracruz folk song, English translation

“The Witch”
Genre: Son Jarocho folk dance from Veracruz, Mexico. This song was featured in the Frida (2002) movie. The lyrics are about a regular human seduced by a vampire-witch, drained, and transformed into various plants.
Country: Mexico
Various versions, three translated: the bisexual rendition by Lila Downs (the Mexican singer-songwriter who sang the song for the Frida movie), the softer women-loving-women version by Natalia Lafourcade (another major Mexican singer), and a dance version by Jenny and the Mexicats ft. La Roqueta. I translated the versions separately since they varied too much. They’re all good. Due to the various versions and the spooky theme, I figured this was a good song to post before both Bisexual Visibility Day (September 23) and Halloween (October 31).

Lyrics translation of Lila Downs’ version of La Bruja:

Ay que bonito es volar
Y a las dos de la mañana,
Y a las dos de la mañana,
Y ay que bonito es volar, ay mama.

Oh how nice it is to fly
And at two in the morning,
And at two in the morning,
And oh, how nice it is to fly, oh mama.

Volar y dejarse caer,
En los brasos de tu hermana,
En los brasos de tu hermana,
Y hasta quisiera llorar.

To fly and let oneself fall
Into the arms of your sister.
Into the arms of your sister,
And it even makes me want to cry.

Me agarra la bruja,
Me lleva al cuartel,
Me vuelve maceta,
Me da de comer.

The witch grabs me,
She takes me to the barracks,
She turns me into a flower pot,
She gives me to eat.

Me agarra la bruja,
Me lleva al cerrito,
Me sienta en sus piernas,
Me da de besitos.

The witch grabs me,
She takes me to the hill,
She sits me on her legs,
She gives me little kisses.

¿Ay dígame, ay dígame, ay dígame usted?
¿Cuantas creaturitas se ha chupado usted?
Ninguna, ninguna, ninguna no ve,
Que ando en pretensions de chuparme a usted.

Oh tell me, oh tell me, oh tell me yourself?
How many little creatures have you sucked? [*Referring to blood-sucking… sort of.]
None, none, none don’t you see,
That I aim to suck you.

Y ahora sí maldita bruja,
Ya te chupastes a mi hijo,
Ya te chupastes a mi hijo,
Y ahora sí maldita bruja.

And now you’ve done it, damn witch,
You sucked my son now,
You sucked my son now,
And now you’ve done it, damn witch.

Y ahora le vas a chupar,
Y a tu marido el ombligo,
Y a tu marido el ombligo,
Y ahora le vas a chupar.

And now you are going to suck,
And to your husband – his bellybutton,
And to your husband – his bellybutton,
And now you are going to suck him.

Me agarra la bruja,
Me lleva a su casa,
Me vuelve maceta
Y una calabasa.

The witch grabs me,
She takes me to her home,
She turns me into a flower pot
And into a pumpkin.

Me agarra la bruja,
Me lleve al cerrito,
Me sienta en sus piernas,
Me da de besitos.

The witch grabs me,
She takes me to the hill,
She sits me on her legs,
She gives me little kisses.

¿Ay dígame, ay dígame, ay dígame usted?
¿Cuantas creaturitas se ha chupado usted?
Ninguna, ninguna, ninguna no ve,
Que ando en pretensions de chuparme a usted.

Oh tell me, oh tell me, oh tell me yourself?
How many little creatures have you sucked?
None, none, none don’t you see,
That I aim to suck you.

Lyrics translation of Natalia Lafourcade’s version of La Bruja:

Ay, qué bonito es volar
A las tres de la mañana.
A las tres de la mañana,
Ay, que bonito es volar, ay, mamá.

Oh how nice it is to fly
At three in the morning.
At three in the morning,
Oh how nice it is to fly, oh mama.

Subir y dejarse caer
En tus cantos, mexicana,
En tus cantos, mexicana,
Que hasta quisiera llorar, ay, mamá.

To rise and let oneself fall
Into your songs, Mexican woman,
Into your songs, Mexican woman,
That I almost want to cry, oh mama.

Me agarra la bruja,
Me lleva pa’l monte,
Me mira, me reza,
Me llena de flores.

The witch grabs me,
She takes me to the hill,
She looks at me, she prays to me,
She fills me with flowers.

Me agarra la bruja,
Me lleva a su casa,
Me abraza y me besa,
Me canta en la cama.

The witch grabs me,
She takes me to her home,
She hugs and she kisses me,
She sings to me in bed.

Ay dígame, ay dígame,
Ay dígame usted,
¿Cuántas criaturitas
Se ha llevado usted?
Ninguna, ninguna,
Ninguna, no ve,
Que ando en pretensiones
De llevarla a usted.

Oh tell me, oh tell me,
Oh you tell me,
How many little creatures
Have you taken?
None, none,
None, don’t you see,
That I’m aspiring
To take you, miss.

[Musical interlude]

A una mujer me encontré,
Muy adentro de la noche,
Muy adentro, muy adentro de la noche,
A una mujer me encontré, ay mamá.

A woman I found,
Very deep into the night,
Very deep, very deep into the night,
A woman I found, oh mama.

Entonces le pregunté
Si le cantaba unos sones.
“Cántele”, me dijo, “pues…
Sea cancionera de amor”, ay mamá.

So then I asked her
If I could sing her some melodies.
“Sing them,” she told me, “then…
Be a songbook of love,” oh mama.
[*un cancionero=a songbook; una cancionera=a woman with a song repertoir]

Escóndete, Toña,
Escóndete, Lola,
Que ahí viene la bruja
Y te lleva su alcoba.
Escóndete, Lupe,
Escóndete, Isabel,
Que ahí viene la bruja
Buscándote también.

Hide, Toña,
Hide, Lola,
Because there comes the witch
And she’ll take you to her alcove.
Hide, Lupe,
Hide, Isabel,
For there comes the witch
Searching for you, too.

Ay dígame, ay dígame,
Ay dígame, ay dígame usted,
¿Cuántas mujercitas
Se ha llevado usted?
Ninguna, ninguna
Ninguna, ninguna, no ve
Que ando en pretensiones
De llevarla a usted.

Oh tell me, oh tell me,
Oh you tell me,
How many young ladies
Have you taken?
None, none,
None, don’t you see,
That I’m aspiring
To take you, miss.

Me agarra la bruja,
Me lleva al cerrito,
Me acuesta en la tierra,
Y se queda conmigo.

The witch grabs me,
She takes me to the hill,
She sets me on the earth
And she stays with me.

Me agarra la bruja,
Me vuelve un rosal,
Se vuelve un fueguito
Para mi cantar.

The witch grabs me,
She turns me into a rose bush,
And she turns herself into a little fire
To make me sing.

Me agarra la bruja,
Me acuesta en la tierra,
Se queda conmigo,
Se pierde conmigo.

The witch grabs me,
She sets me on the earth
She stays with me,
She loses herself with me.

Me agarra la bruja,
Se vuelve un rosal,
Se hace un fueguito
Para mi cantar.

The witch grabs me,
She turns me into a rose bush,
And she turns herself into a little fire
To make me sing.

Lyrics translation of Jenny and the Mexicats’ version of La Bruja:

Ay, qué bonito es volar
A las once de la noche.
A las once de la noche,
Ay, qué bonito es volar.

Oh how nice it is to fly
At eleven at night.
At eleven at night,
Oh, how nice it is to fly.

Subir, dejarse caer
En los brazos de un soldado,
En los brazos de un soldado,
Hasta quisiera llorar.

To rise, to let oneself fall
Into the arms of a soldier,
Into the arms of a soldier,
It even makes me cry.

Me agarra la bruja, me lleva a su casa,
Me vuelve maceta y una calabaza.
Me agarra la bruja, me lleva al cerrito,
Me vuelve maceta y un calabacito.

The witch grabs me, she takes me to her home,
She turns me into a flower pot and into a pumpkin.
The witch grabs me, she takes me to the hill,
She turns me into a flower pot and into a little squash.

Y dígame, dígame, dígame usted,
¿Cuántas creaturitas se ha chupado ayer?
Ninguna, ninguna, ninguna, no sé.
Yo ando en pretensiones de chuparme a usted.

And tell me, tell me, tell me yourself,
How many little creatures have you sucked yesterday? [*Referring to blood-sucking]
None, none, none, I don’t know.
I set my sights to suck you. [*I aim/intend to suck you.]

[Musical interlude]

Ay, qué bonito es volar
A las dos de la mañana.
A las dos de la mañana,
Ay, qué bonito es volar, ay mamá.

Oh, how nice it is to fly
At two in the morning.
At two in the morning,
Oh, how nice it is to fly, oh mama.

Volar y dejarse caer
En los brazos de mi amado.
En los brazos de mi amado,
Ay, qué bonito es volar.

To fly and to let myself fall
Into the arms of my lover.
Into the arms of my lover,
Oh, how nice it is to fly.

Ay, me agarra la bruja, me lleva a su casa,
Me vuelve maceta y una calabaza.
Me agarra la bruja, me lleva al cerrito,
Me vuelve maceta y un calabacito.

Oh, the witch grabs me, she takes me to her home,
She turns me into a flower pot and into a pumpkin.
The witch grabs me, she takes me to the hill,
She turns me into a flower pot and into a little squash.

Y dígame dígame, dígame usted,
¿Cuántas creaturitas se ha chupado usted?
Ninguna, ninguna, ninguna, no sé.
Ando en pretensiones de chuparme a usted.

And tell me, tell me, tell me yourself,
How many little creatures have you yourself sucked?
None, none, none, I don’t know.
I set my sights to suck you.

Y dígame dígame, dígame usted
¿Cuántas creaturitas se ha chupado usted?
Ninguna, ninguna, ninguna, no sé
Ando en pretensiones…
De chuparme a usted.

And tell me, tell me, you tell me,
How many little creatures have you yourself sucked?
None, none, none, I don’t know.
I set my sights…
To suck you.

Translation Notes:

Mexican artists and cultural icons Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera were fans of this folk song from Veracruz, Mexico. La Bruja directly translates to “The Witch”, but the story refers to a supernatural woman who has elements of both witch and vampire. She is a seductress, a literal femme fatale (fatal woman). The lyrics switch points of view back and forth between her, her willing victim, and in some versions (e.g. Lila Down’s) even the victim’s mother. Because this is a folk song, the Spanish lyrics vary depending on the singer. Some aspects that change include the gender and identity of the person being seduced or person being sung to (“a soldier” or “your sister” or “Mexican woman”).

After I translated my versions, I found an alternative translation at lyricstranslate.com which I also like.

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Ay, qué bonito es volar...
Subir, dejarse caer
En los brazos de [un soldado / tu hermana]…
Hasta quisiera llorar.

Oh how nice it is to fly…
To rise, to let oneself fall
Into the arms of [a soldier / your sister]…
It even makes me cry.

The witch enjoys her supernatural life and feels strong emotion toward her victims, so strong that it almost makes her cry. Natalia Lafourcade’s version also ties this strong emotion to song:

Ay, qué bonito es volar…
Subir y dejarse caer
En tus cantos, mexicana.

Oh how nice it is to fly…
To rise and let oneself fall
Into your songs, Mexican woman.

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Me agarra la bruja, me lleva al cerrito,
Me vuelve maceta y un calabacito.

The witch grabs me, she takes me to the hill,
She turns me into a flower pot and into a little squash.

Una calabaza = a pumpkin (a type of winter squash)
Una calabacita = a little squash, often a zuccini

The different songs turn the victim into different things, but it’s always plant-related. The human victim is transformed into something else that holds life, but more stationary and without blood.

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Yo ando en pretensiones de chuparme a usted.

I set my sights to suck you.
I aim/intend to suck you.
I go under the assumption that I will suck you. [*Most literal]

The witch intends to make this man her victim and suck his blood. That’s the supernatural version of the song that we tell the kids, anyway, though of course the song has other innuendo for adults. The different versions play around with this innuendo in different ways, but the goal is always to keep it ambiguous.

In Natalia Lafourcade’s woman-only version, she replaces any fellatio innuendo by changing verb “chupar” (to suck) to “llevar” (to take) and using feminine gendering for all the victim nouns, verbs, and even names (e.g. Lola, Isabel).

No ve que ando en pretensiones
De llevarla a usted.

Don’t you see that I’m aspiring
To take you, miss.

The witch always speaks very politely to her victims.

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Other Renditions:

Dan Zanes & Friends ft. Lila Downs, 2008, New York. Sultry voice.

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Tempus Quartet, 2020, instrumental and vocal version.