Author: Cairaguas Gonzalez

I am the Spanish-English translator for songlations.com, where I post English translation of Spanish song lyrics. I am Mexican-American, grew up bilingual thanks to my immigrant parents and neighborhood, and love languages.

“Loca” (Crazy) by Aleks Syntek, English translation of lyrics

“Crazy” (2009 single)
Style: Pop, quick pace, danceable. Weird song about a guy waking up in the wrong bed in the wrong house, totally confused and agitated. It’s a catchy song.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Intro:
——————————
Soy un caso singular
Que debiera analizar.
No sé que me dieron,
Ni lo que me hicieron,
Pero ya no soy normal.

I am an exceptional case
That you should analyze. [*formal “you”]
I do not know what they gave me,
Nor what they did to me,
But I am no longer normal.

Continue reading ““Loca” (Crazy) by Aleks Syntek, English translation of lyrics” →

“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.

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

“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.

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

“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?

Continue reading ““Dámelo” by Juanes, English translation of lyrics” →

“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.

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

“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)

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

“Revolución” by Amaral, English translation of lyrics

“Revolution”
Album: Pájaros en la cabeza (Birds in my head), 2005
Style: Rock. A song about wanting freedom and to be heard.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Somos demasiados y no podrán pasar
Por encima de los años que tuvimos que callar,
Por los libros prohibidos y las entradas secretas.

We are many and they will not be able to pass
Over the years that we had to keep quiet,
Because of the forbidden books and the secret entrances.

Continue reading ““Revolución” by Amaral, English translation of lyrics” →

“La Gota Fría” (The Cold Drop) by Emiliano Zuleta, Carlos Vives, English translation

“The Cold Drop” Lyrics Translation
Composer: Emiliano Zuleta Baquero
Style: Vallenato, a genre from the Caribe (Caribbean) region of Colombia. The lyrics are about a 1938 feud between composers Emiliano Zuleta Baquero and Lorenzo Morales. The song has become a popular Colombian song.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube has various singers (Carlos Vives, Julio Iglesias, Aymée Nuviola)

Translation:

Acordate [acuerdate] Moralito de aquel día
Que estuviste en Urumita
Y no quisiste hacer parranda.

Remember, Moralito, of that day
When you were in Urumita
And you didn’t want to go partying.

Continue reading ““La Gota Fría” (The Cold Drop) by Emiliano Zuleta, Carlos Vives, English translation” →

“Mujer Latina” (Latin Woman) by Thalía, English translation

“Latin Woman” Lyrics Translation
Album: Amor a la Mexicana (Love to the Mexican Woman), 1997
Style: Salsa, pop, quick beat, energetic, joyful. This happy song comes from one of Thalía’s most popular albums. It’s good for dancing.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Chorus 1:
———————————————
Vengo, vengo, vengo de caña.
Vengo, vengo, vengo del son.
Tengo, tengo, tengo en el alma
Ritmo, ritmo, ritmo y sabor.

I come from, come from, come from sugar cane.
I come from, come from, come from son.
I have, have, have in my soul
Rhythm, rhythm, rhythm and flavor.
———————————————

Continue reading ““Mujer Latina” (Latin Woman) by Thalía, English translation” →

“Ana” by Maná, English translation of lyrics

“Ana” Lyrics Translation
Album: Maná: MTV Unplugged, 1999
Style: Accoustic rock. Story of teen tragedy. Ana is a teen with an unplanned pregnancy, she knows her parents won’t support her, and she’s feeling real desperate.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Ana tiene quince.
Niña se le vino un problemón.
Algo está creciendo,
En su vientre hay algo en expansión.

Ana is fifteen.
Girl finds herself with a huge problem.
Something is growing,
In her womb something expanding.

Continue reading ““Ana” by Maná, English translation of lyrics” →

“Mi Mundo Sin Ti” (My World Without You) by Soraya, English translation

“My World Without You” Lyrics Translation
Style: Pop/techno, breakup song. The song starts with the singer asking what her world will be like without her ex, then answering that it will be extremely better, “the opposite of the desert of your love” and “a garden where I can breathe.”
Album: Corazón de fuego (Heart of fire), 2005
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Continue reading ““Mi Mundo Sin Ti” (My World Without You) by Soraya, English translation” →

“No Soy Como Tú” (I Am Not Like You) by Amaral, English translation

“I Am Not Like You” Lyrics Translation
Album: Pájaros En La Cabeza
Style: Emo rock, piano, war. Song lyrics paint a picture of a post-nuclear war world and a character who feels alone.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Continue reading ““No Soy Como Tú” (I Am Not Like You) by Amaral, English translation” →