“Cuando Ya No Me Quieras” by Julio Jaramillo, English translation of lyrics

“When You No Longer Love Me” Lyrics
Album: Julio Jaramillo, 1966
Style: Pasillo about being in love and seeing the end of the relationship in sight, and being determined to take it well when it does finally end. Since this is a famous old song, there are several renditions from all over Latin America. It is a good song for accent study.
Country: Ecuador
Listen: YouTube, Amazon, and scroll down for other renditions.

Translation Notes:

Cuando ya no me quieras,
No me finjas cariño,
No me tengas piedad,
Compasión ni temor.

When you no longer love me,
Do not fake me tenderness,
Do not have mercy on me,
(Nor) compassion nor fear.

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“Resurrección” by Amaral, English translation of lyrics

“Resurrection” Translated
Album: Pájaros en la cabeza (Birds on my head), 2005
Style: Pop/rock, happy emo song that could be interpreted as romantic or as Christian rock. It’s a good song for Holy Week.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Uuuh~ Uuuh~ Uh uh uh uh~ Uuuh~

Siento que mi alma se encuentra perdida,
Que se junta la noche y el día.

I feel that my soul finds itself lost,
That the night and the day join together.

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“Llegará la Tormenta” (The Storm Will Come) by Amaral, English translation

“The Storm Will Come” Song Lyrics Translated
Style: Bob Dylan tribute, released 2008 for La Exposición Internacional de Zaragoza, a festival in Spain. This is a tribute to Bob Dylan’s A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall. The lyrics are similar in many parts, but with slight variations.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Me han dicho que has vuelto por fin a tu casa.
¿Qué has visto en tu viaje por tierras lejanas?

They have told me that you’ve finally returned home.
What have you seen in your travel through far away lands?

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“Te Necesito” by Amaral, English translation of lyrics

“I Need You” Translation
Album: Te necesito (I need you), 2002
Style: Emo rock song about desperate love.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Oh, ¿cómo quieres que me aclare?
Si aún soy demasiado joven
Para entender lo que siento.

Oh, how do you want me to clarify myself?
If I am still too young
To understand what I feel.

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“Ódiame” by Julio Jaramillo, La Santa Cecilia cover, English translation of lyrics

“Hate Me” Lyrics
Style: Pasillo, post-breakup song, asking for anything but indifference. Julio Jaramillo’s lyrics are always emotional poetry.
Country: Ecuador
Listen: Julio Jaramillo (original), La Santa Cecilia ft. Noel Schajris (live cover)

Translation:

Ódiame por piedad, yo te lo pido.
Ódiame sin medida ni clemencia.
Odio quiero más que indiferencia,
Porque el rencor quiere menos que el olvido.
(x2)

Hate me for mercy’s sake, I ask (this of) you.
Hate me without measure or clemency.
I want hate more than indifference,
Because resentment asks less than oblivion.
(x2)

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“Untados” (Tainted) by Aterciopelados, English translation of lyrics

“Tainted” Song Translation
Style: Slow rock, cynical but interesting. Song about corruption and crime.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

En el país del sagrado corazón
A nadie se le puede dar la absolución,
Cuando el billete es emperador.

In the country of the sacred heart
Absolution can be given to nobody,
When the banknote is emperor.

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“Malo” (Evil) by Bebe, English translation of lyrics

“Evil”
Album: Pafuera Telaraña (Outtahere, Spiderwebs), 2005
Style: Rock/flamenco/hip hop, wispy voice, anti-domestic violence. This artist won a Latin Grammy for Best New Artist in 2005.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Apareciste una noche fría
Con olor a tabaco sucio y a ginebra,
El miedo ya me recorría
Mientras cruzaba los deditos tras la puerta.

You appeared one cold night
With the smell of dirty tobacco and of Ginebra, [*brand of alcohol]
The fear already ran through me
While I crossed my little fingers behind the door.

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“Tu Nombre” by Coti, feat. Julieta Venegas, English translation of lyrics

“Your Name”
Album: Esta Mañana y Otros Cuentos (This Morning and Other Stories), 2005
Style: Folk rock, romance song about the emotions attached to a lover’s name.
Countries: Argentina; Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Tu nombre es mi dulce castigo,
Mi sangre, mi droga y rubí,
Mi parte de vos, mi destino.
Tu nombre me sabe a jazmín.

Your name is my sweet punishment,
My blood, my drug and ruby,
My piece of you, my destiny.
Your name tastes of jasmine to me.

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“Sin Ti No Soy Nada” by Amaral, English translation of lyrics

“Without You I Am Nothing”
Album: Estrella de Mar (Sea Star), 2002
Style: Emo pop/rock song about desperate love. After the breakup, she does not know what to do with herself.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Sin ti no soy nada,
Una gota de lluvia mojando mi cara,
Mi mundo es pequeño y mi corazón pedacitos de hielo.

Without you I am nothing,
A drop of rain wetting my face,
My world is small and my heart little pieces of ice.

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“Las Estrellas” by Caramelos de Cianuro, English translation of lyrics

“The Stars” Lyrics
Album: Miss Mujerzuela (Miss Ladytart), 2000
Style: Rock love song throwing roses at a romantic partner they think highly of.
Country: Venezuela
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Yo sé que sólo he sido un vagabundo,
Un sinvergüenza, un perro inmundo,
Una bala perdida, una hoja caída.

I know that I have only been a vagabond,
A scoundrel, a filthy dog,
A stray bullet, a fallen leaf.

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“Contra Vientos y Mareas” by Franco De Vita, Chayanne, English translation

“Against Winds and Tides”
Songwriter: Franco De Vita. Sung by: Chayanne
Style: Pop, smooth romantic. Slow lyrics good for beginner Spanish students.
Countries: Venezuela; Puerto Rico

(Note that there are different songs with this title sung by Intocable and Los Bukis.)

Translation:

No me preguntes cómo sucedió
O si sera cierto, tal vez no.
Sólo sé que ahora estoy aquí
Y no hago otra cosa que pensar en ti,
Oh, pensar en ti.

Do not ask me how it happened
Or if it may be true, perhaps not.
All I know is that I am here now
And I do not do anything else but think of you,
Oh, think of you.

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“Días De Verano” (Summer Days) by Amaral, English translation of lyrics

“Summer Days” or “Days of Summer” Song Translation
Album: Pájaros en la cabeza (Birds in my head), 2005
Style: Rock song about feeling like there aren’t enough summer days left to repair a relationship.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube. Those things that look like trees at 0:39 are maguey (agave) stalks.

Translation:

No quedan días de verano para pedirte perdón,
Para borrar del pasado el daño que te hice yo,
Sin besos de despedida y sin palabras bonitas,
Porque te miro a los ojos y no me sale la voz.

There are no summer days left to ask for your forgiveness,
To erase from the past the harm that I did to you,
Without farewell kisses and without pretty words,
Because I look into your eyes and my voice does not come out.

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