“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” →

“A Dios Le Pido” by Juanes, English translation of lyrics

“I Ask God”
Album: Un Día Normal (A Normal Day), 2003
Style: Rock, hopeful for the future, love song
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Que mis ojos se despierten
Con la luz de tu mirada, yo…
A Dios le pido.

That my eyes wake up
With the light of your gaze, I…
Ask God.

Que mi madre no se muera y
Que mi padre me recuerde,
A Dios le pido.

That my mother not die and
That my father remember me,
I ask God.

Continue reading ““A Dios Le Pido” by Juanes, English translation of lyrics” →

“Nadie Como Tú” (No One Like You) by La Oreja de Van Gogh, English translation

“Nobody Like You” Lyrics
Album: Lo que te conté mientras te hacías la dormida (What I told you when you pretended to sleep), 2003
Style: Pop, sweet, love song telling a long-term romantic partner about how much they are valued. They are irreplaceable and their shared memories are a treasure of the heart.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Nadie como tú
Para hacerme reír.
Nadie como tú
Sabe tanto de mí.

Nobody like you
To make me laugh.
Nobody like you
Knows so much about me.

Continue reading ““Nadie Como Tú” (No One Like You) by La Oreja de Van Gogh, English translation” →

“Que Me Quedes Tú” by Shakira, English translation of lyrics

“As Long As I Have You”
Album: Laundry Service, 2001
Style: Pop/rock, love song bargain in an apocalypse scenario. She is willing to let a lot fall to ruin “as long as I have you.”
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube, Amazon

Translation:

Que se arruinen los canales de noticias,
Con lo mucho que odio la televisión.
Que se vuelvan anticuadas las sonrisas,
Y se extingan todas las puestas de sol.

Let the news station channels fall to ruins,
I hate television anyway.
Let smiles become ancient relics,
And let all the rays of sunlight be extinguished.

Continue reading ““Que Me Quedes Tú” by Shakira, English translation of lyrics” →

“Sueños” (Dreams) by Juanes, English translation of lyrics

“Dreams” Song Translation
Album: Mi Sangre (My Blood), 2004
Style: Rock, politically aware
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Sueño libertad
Para todos los que están secuestrados hoy
En medio de la selva.

I dream of liberty
For all those who are kidnapped today
In the middle of the jungle.

Y sueño con la paz
De mi pueblo desangrado,
Y con el final
De esta injusta guerra.

And I dream of peace
(For) my hemorrhaged village,
And with the end
Of this unjust war.

Continue reading ““Sueños” (Dreams) by Juanes, English translation of lyrics” →

“Alma, Corazón y Vida” (Soul, Heart and Life) by Albán, various singers, English translation of lyrics

“Soul, Heart and Life”
Style: Waltz, bolero, various adaptions. Translation of a classic song about a person very much in love. They sing about the three things they offer their lover: their soul to woe them, their heart to love them, and their life to spend with them. It is a sweet love song.
Countries: Many
Listen: Various versions. Trío Los Panchos (USA/Mexico), Dyango (Spain; live, slow performance), Los Embajadores Criollos (Peru), Soledad Pastorutti (Argentina, live, deep voice), Tania Libertad (Peru), and more on YouTube.

Translation:

Recuerdo aquella vez
Que yo te conocí
Recuerdo aquella tarde
Pero no recuerdo ni como te vi.

I remember that time
When I first met you
I remember that afternoon
But I don’t even remember how I saw you.

Continue reading ““Alma, Corazón y Vida” (Soul, Heart and Life) by Albán, various singers, English translation of lyrics” →

“Tu Silencio” by Bebe, English translation of lyrics

“Your Silence” Lyrics Translation
Album: Pafuera Telarañas (Get Outta Here, Cobwebs), 2004
Style: Melancholy sound
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Como quien tira de una cuerda que se romperá,
Tirar, tirar, tirar, tirar, tirar…
Como sin darse cuenta rozar un poco más,
Los ojos aún cerrados para no afrontar.

Like someone pulls on a rope that will break,
Pulling, pulling, pulling, pulling, pulling…
Like without realizing it, brushing a bit more,
Eyes still closed to avoid confronting.

Continue reading ““Tu Silencio” by Bebe, English translation of lyrics” →

“La Ley Del Retiro” by Giulia y Los Tellarini, English translation of lyrics

“The Law of Retirement” Lyrics Translation
Album: Eusebio, 2008
Style: Slow, soft song with accordions in the background. This song was used in the soundtrack of a romantic comedy-drama film titled Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008).
Country: Spain (Barcelona)
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

La ley del retiro
Y en el olvido, olvidé
Qué yo había sido.

The law of retirement
And in oblivion, I forgot
What I had been.

Continue reading ““La Ley Del Retiro” by Giulia y Los Tellarini, English translation of lyrics” →