“La Niña Que Llora En Tus Fiestas” (The Girl Who Cries at Your Parties) by La Oreja de Van Gogh, English translation

“The Girl Who Cries at Your Parties”, 2011 single
Genre: Pop with a beat, energetic, techno influence. This energetic pop song is about a girl so in love (really obsessed) that it hurts her to be away from the object of her affections.
Country: Spain

Lyrics Translation:

[Radio:]
Y los cuarenta principales, del cuarenta al uno…
And the top 40, from 40 to 1…

[Song:]
Vuela un columpio vació sobre mi cabeza,
Vuela por el cementerio de mi voluntad.
Sigo buscando la niña que llora en tus fiestas.
Suenan campanas en flor por mi funeral.

The empty swing flies over my head,
It flies over the cemetery of my willpower.
I keep looking for the girl who cries at your parties.
Ringing bell flowers sprout all over my funeral.

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“Muerte En Hawaii” (Death in Hawaii) by Calle 13, English translation and discussion

“Death in Hawaii”
Album: Entren Los Que Quieran (Enter Those Who Want To), 2010
Genre: Love song, ukelele, exaggerated accomplishments, ode to self. The lyrics are a cute love song (albeit arrogant and overly self-aggrandizing), but I guess Calle 13 didn’t want to be cute, so they juxtaposed the song with a violent and bizarre music video. The album won “Album of the Year” in the 2011 Latin Grammys and was nominated for “Best Latin, Pop, Rock or Urban Album” in the 2012 Grammys.
Country: Puerto Rico

Lyrics Translation:

Yo he peleado con cocodrilos.
Me he balanceado sobre un hilo cargando más de 500 kilos.
Le he da’o [dado] la vuelta al mundo en menos de un segundo.
He cruza’o [cruzado] 100 laberintos y nunca me confundo.

I have fought with crocodiles.
I have balanced over a string carrying more than 500 kilograms [= 1102.3 pounds = 0.55 tons].
I have gone around the world in less than a second.
I have crossed 100 labyrinths and I never get confused.

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“Nada” (Nothing) by Juanes, English translation of lyrics

“Nothing”
Album: Fíjate Bien (Pay Attention), 2000
Genre: Pop/rock, declaration of apathy, slow tempo
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube

Lyrics Translation:

Ya no tengo sufrimiento.
Ya no tengo quién me mienta.
Ya no tengo a quién contarle
Lo que tengo en mi cabeza.

I no longer suffer.
I no longer have someone to lie to me.
I no longer have someone to talk about
What goes on in my head.

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“Geografía” (Geography) by La Oreja de Van Gogh, English translation

“Geography”
Album: Lo que te conté mientras te hacías la dormida (What I told you while you pretended to sleep), 2003
Genre: Pop with world/island music influence, flutes, wooden wind instruments, string instruments. Happy love song about wanting to create a world (a life) with someone.
Country: Spain

Lyrics Translation:

Me gustaría inventar un país contigo
Para que las palabras como patria o porvenir,
Bandera, nación, frontera, raza o destino
Tuvieran algún sentido para mí.

I would like to invent a country with you
So that words like native land or future,
Flag, nation, border, race or destiny
Would have some meaning for me.

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“Manos Al Aire” (Hands in the Air) by Nelly Furtado, English translation

“Hands in the Air” (2009)
Album: Mi Plan (My Plan)
Genre: Pop, about defenselessness, relationship trouble, and not wanting to fight. Beautiful voice, but the song is sad. Don’t put your hands in the air in defeat! Nooo.
Country: Canada, Portuguese background

By the way, I want to point out that Nelly Furtado was first famous in English media (she sung light pop “I’m Like a Bird” and R&B “Promiscuous”). It is not often that English singers expand to the Spanish market, so this is interesting. This song was released as a single before re-release in the album.

Lyrics Translation:

Tú, que pierdes el control
Hablando en alta voz,
Hieres mi corazón.

You, who lose control,
Speaking with a raised voice,
Wound my heart.

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“Tiempo Al Viento” ([I Ask For] Time from the Wind) by Natalia Lafourcade, English translation

“(I Ask For) Time from the Wind”, lit. “Time to the Wind”
Genre: Airy, soft, nostalgic pop from Natalia Lafourcade. Dreamy reflections on sunlight and love.
Country: Mexico

Lyrics Translation:

El sol no miente.
La luz envuelve.
Mi corazón se viste… de rojo
Y revive.

The sun does not lie.
The light surrounds.
My heart dresses… in red
And revives.

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“Mi Delirio” (My Delirium) by Anahí, English translation

“My Delirium”
Genre: Techno pop, seduction and lust theme, club-influence
Country: Mexico

Lyrics Translation:

Tu boca no se ha dado cuenta aún
De que mis labios son motor para arrancar.
Yo sé que tú eres el color para mí,
Matiz que pinta todo lo que llevo gris.

Your mouth has not figured it out yet
That my lips are a motor ready to go.
I know that you are the color for me,
Hue that paints everything gray I have.

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“Se Me Olvido Otra Vez” (I Forgot Again) by Juan Gabriel, Maná, English translation

“I Forgot Again”
Composer: Juan Gabriel (1974)
Albums: Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán (1990); Maná MTV Unplugged (1999)
Genre: Mariachi, ranchera; bolero; rock; lost love song; always guitar. A classic Mexican ranchera song full of emotion, soulfully mourning still being in love with someone who doesn’t love them back. Good pick for a karaoke song.
Country: Mexico

About:

YouTube has renditions by: Maná (MTV live album, rock), Juan Gabriel (recorded mariachi style), Alejandro Fernández (live traditional mariachi), Lucero (woman mariachi live), Pedro Vargas (recorded ranchera), Chavela Vargas (slow and hoarse ranchera, woman), Julio Jaramillo (bolero version), and more.

Wikipedia originally said that Juan Gabriel wrote and released it in 1990, but that time can’t be right because Julio Jaramillo sung it also and Julio died in 1978. Anyway, Juan Gabriel re-released it in 1999 around the same time that Maná released their version. It won Maná a Latin Grammy in 2000.

Update: English Wikipedia now says 1975, but Spanish Wikipedia says Juan Gabriel released this song in 1974 in his collaboration with the famous and transgenerational Mariachi Vargas.

Lyrics Translation:

Probablemente ya
De mí te has olvidado
Y sin embargo yo
Te seguiré esperando.

Probably, by now
You’ve forgotten about me
And nevertheless, I
Will continue to wait for you.

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“Gitana” (Gypsy) by Shakira, English translation of song lyrics

“Gypsy”
Album: She Wolf (2009)
Genre: Pop. Weird song about a women with a wandering spirit that a guy wants to tame, and she thinks that’s hot.
Country: Colombia

Lyrics Translation:

Nunca usé un antifaz.
Voy de paso
Por este mundo fugaz.

I never used a mask.
I am on my way
Through this fleeting world.

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“Cancíon de Adiós” (Song of Goodbye) by Coti, English translation

“Song of Goodbye”, 2007
Genre: Breakup song, not angry, but definitely passive-aggressive. This song sounds cheerful until you realize that he is breaking up with his girlfriend. Oh my goodness, I hope he didn’t actually perform it for a girl. That would be mean.
Country: Argentina

Lyrics Translation:

Fuiste la luz de mi vida
Y mi musa preferida
Pero todo se acabo.

You were the light of my life
And my preferred muse
But everything ended.

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“No Me Queda Más” [I Have Nothing Left (But To…)] by Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, English translation

“I Have Nothing Left (But To…)”, 1994
Genre: Mariachi, sad. This song is about the end of a relationship. Selena sings about having no choice left but to come to terms with it, but she does not want to deny that it happened. She was in love! It was wonderful while it lasted. Poor Selena!
Country: USA (Texas)

Unrelated, but happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone. It’s not Mexican independence day! That’s September 16! Tell your friends.

Lyrics Translation:

No me queda más
Que perderme en un abismo
De tristeza y lágrimas.

I have nothing left
But to lose myself in an abyss
Of sadness and tears.

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“Muñeca de Trapo” (Rag Doll) by La Oreja de Van Gogh, English translation

“Rag Doll” Song Translation
Album: Guapa (Good Looking), 2006
Genre: Pop/rock, heavy string instruments, sad song about unrequited love and neglect.
Country: Spain

Lyrics Translation:

Como esos cuadros que aún están por colgar,
Como el mantel de la cena de ayer,
Siempre esperando que te diga algo más,
Y mis sentidas palabras no quieren volar.

Like those paintings that have yet to be hung up,
Like the tablecloth of yesterday’s dinner,
Always waiting for me to tell you something more,
And my heartfelt words do not want to fly.

Continue reading ““Muñeca de Trapo” (Rag Doll) by La Oreja de Van Gogh, English translation” →