Spanish song lyrics translated to English: side-by-side lyrics, song meanings, and translation notes for people learning Spanish.
“This Loneliness”, 2009 single
Genre: Pop/rock, melancholy, soft and sweet voice reminiscent of Natalia Lafourcade. Song about loneliness. She needs a hug!
Country: Mexico, USA (Arizona)
Esta soledad me esta quemando las pestañas,
Llenándome de telarañas
Y me pone a chillar.
This solitude is burning my eyelashes, [*idiom, meaning it keeps her up at night]
Covering me with cobwebs
And it makes me bawl.
“Sleepless”
Album: Puro Tejano Gold (Pure Texan Gold), 2008
Genre: Texan ranchera with a very slight cumbia influence. Bobby Pulido is a Mexican-American singer. This song is about unrequited and unknown love. The poor guy falls in love with a voice he heard on the radio. Listen to his sleepless tale below.
Country: USA (Texas)
Será fe que yo encontré… una voz de ternura
Que me llena de placer, cuando la oigo hablar.
Con ella me enamoré, aunque nunca la conoci.
Sueño en su querer y en sus brazos quiero dormir.
It must be fate that I found… a tender voice
Who fills me with pleasure, when I hear it speak.
I fell in love with her, even though I never met her.
I dream about her love and I want to sleep in her arms.
“Share”
Album: Mietras Tú Dormías (While You Slept), 2010
Genre: Alternative pop/rock, love ballad, soft voiced but strongly projected, understatedly emotional. Sweet melody about wanting to be close to a lover. I learned about this song from the NPR Alt.Latino music blog.
Country: Mexico, USA (Arizona)
Quiero compartir mi silla contigo.
Quiero ver salir el sol y despedirlo.
Quiero caminar y correr a tu ladito.
Quiero buscar y encontrarme a solas contigo.
I want to share my seat with you.
I want to see the sun rise and (then) say farewell to it.
I want to walk and run by your side.
I want to look for and find time alone with you.
“From the Moment I Wake Up” or “Since I Wake Up”
Album: Un Día Normal (A Normal Day), 2002
Genre: Pop, love song
Country: Colombia
Mira que mis ojos ven mejor si tú eres la luz
Y mi espera no es eterna si tú eres el final.
Look how my eyes see better if you are the light
And my wait is not eternal if you are the end.
“(Everybody) Let Me Cry”
Album: Déjenme Llorar (Everybody Let Me Cry), 2012
Genre: Alternative rock, melancholy, soft but strong voice, mourning a breakup. This song won “Best Alternative Song” and its album won “Best Alternative Album” in the 2012 Latin Grammy Awards. The song was also nominated for “Song of the Year.”
Country: Mexico, USA (Arizona)
He estado recordando los momentos que te di,
Cuántos tú me diste y por qué ahora estoy aquí,
Sentada en el suelo pensando que te quiero,
Que te quise tanto, y que tu amor me es… ¡necesario!
I have been remembering the moments that I gave you,
How many you gave me, and why I am here now,
Sitting on the floor thinking that I love you,
That I loved you so much, and that your love is for me… necessary!
“Something With Meaning”
Album: Residente o Visitante (Resident or Visitor), 2007
Genre: Hilarious but explicit rap song, slow tempo, increasingly disturbing lyrics. This song is hilarious because of its disturbing build-up and then the abrupt end after the first end. Residente Calle 13’s voice acting in this song is great.
Country: Puerto Rico
***Warning: Explicit language, graphic descriptions of violence.***
La gente está jugando con mi mente
Y ando con la mirada borracha.
Mi cabeza está pensando en remolacha,
Por eso no tiene sentido esta guaracha.
People are playing with my head
And I walk around with a drunk look.
My head is thinking about beets;
That’s why this song makes no sense.
“About-Turn”
Genre: Ranchera, heartbreak, wavering between denial and acceptance.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube, Amazon
Te vas porque yo quiero que te vayas.
A la hora que yo quiera te detengo.
Yo sé que mi cariño te hace falta
Porque quieras o no yo soy tu dueño.
You leave because I want you to leave.
At whatever time I want, I (can) stop you.
I know that you need my affection,
Because whether you want it or not, I am your boss.
“Destiny”
Album: Fíjate Bien (Pay Attention), 2000
Genre: Pop/rock. This album won “Best Rock Solo Vocal Album” and “Best New Artist” at the 2001 Latin Grammy Awards.
Country: Colombia
Estoy buscando una forma de ver
Detrás de los espejos del alma,
Más adentro donde está la luz
Que quema, pero que no mata.
I am searching for a way of seeing
Behind the mirrors of the soul,
Deeper inside where there’s the light
That burns, but does not kill.
“How Much More”
Genre: Bachata
Country: Dominican Republic
“And All For What?” Lyrics
Genre: Pop or ranchera versions, romance song
Songwriter: Pedro Reyna Cisneros
Country: Mexico
Listen @ YouTube to Intocable (ranchera) or Natalia Lafourcade (alt pop)
“The Black Dog” Lyrics
Genre: Corrido (a storytelling style) about a loyal dog.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube, Amazon
José Alfredo Jiménez was a famous and prolific Mexican singer-songwriter. Remember his name if you are interested in the music history of Latin America or Mexican culture. His songs created a new mythology in Mexico. He sang about characters and stories. This song is about the murder of Gilberto the Brave, who was killed in his sleep by a cowardly but powerful rival. Gilberto had a loyal dog who avenged his murder.
Al otro lado del puente
De La Piedad, Michoacán,
Vivía Gilberto el Valiente,
Nacido en Apatzingán.
On the other side of the bridge
Of La Piedad, Michoacán,
Lived Gilberto the Brave,
Born in Apatzingán.
Siempre con un perro negro
Que era su noble guardián.
Always with a black dog
That was his noble guardian.
“Smaragdos Margara (Claviceps Purpura)”, 1995
Album: Si Buscabas (If You Searched), 1985
Singers: Salvador Cardenal and Katia Cardenal
Style: Soft folk music, strong vocals; hauntingly pretty and ambiguous. I like how music travels the world. I actually first heard this song as a cover on Une Histoire de Famille, a French language album by the Montreal band Hart-Rouge.
Country: Nicaragua
Listen: original by Dúo Guardabarranco (softly spoken) on YouTube or Amazon.
Con una aguja con hilo blanco,
Con la carrucha en tu regazo,
Cóseme el flanco, la herida aguda,
La negra llaga de mi costado.
With a needle with white thread,
With the spool on your lap,
Sew up my side, my acute wound,
The black ulcer on my side.
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