“Cuando Llora Mi Guitarra” (When My Guitar Weeps) by Augusto Polo Campo, Julio Jaramillo, English translation

“When My Guitar Weeps”
Composer: Augusto Polo Campos
Album: El Ruiseñor de América (Julio Jaramillo), 1962
Style: Early 20th century pasillo. Melancholy romance song calling out to a lost lover through music.
Country: Peru
Listen: YouTube has renditions by Los Morochucos, Julio Jaramillo (my favorite), Tania Libertad, Eva Ayllon, Juan Diego Florez, and more.

Translation:

Cansado de llamarte,
Con mi alma destrozada,
Comprendo que no vienes porque no quiere Dios.

Tired of calling you,
With my spirit shattered,
I understand that you do not come because God does not wish it.

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“Silencio” by Ojos De Brujo, English translation of lyrics

“Silence”
Group: Ojos de Brujo (Wizard Eyes)
Album: Techari, 2006
Style: Hip hop/flamenco fusion.
Country: Barcelona, Spain
Listen: YouTube. If you liked this song, you might also like “Papeles Mojados” by Chambao.

Translation:

Silencio.
Cuando llama uno a la suerte
No comparece en ese momento,
En silencio.

Silence.
When one calls on luck
It doesn’t present itself in that moment,
In silence.

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“La Camisa Negra” (The Black Shirt) by Juanes, English translation + meaning

“The Black Shirt” Song Translated
Album: Mi Sangre (My Blood), 2004
Style: Rock, grieving/bitter. Juanes mourns a bad relationship and how it affected him. The black shirt symbolizes mourning. This song has lots of wordplay explained in the notes.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

(No por pobre y feo, pero por antojado…)

(Not for being poor or ugly, but for longing…)

Tengo la camisa negra.
Hoy mi amor está de luto.
Hoy tengo en el alma una pena [*pena, f. = pain (emotional); regret]
Y es por culpa de tu embrujo.

I wear the black shirt.
Today my love is mourning.
Today I have a regret weighing my soul
And it’s the fault of your witchcraft.

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“Te Dejo Madrid” by Shakira, English translation of lyrics

“I Am Leaving You Madrid”
Album: Laundry Service, 2001
Style: Pop/rock, upbeat
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube, Amazon

Translation:

Sí, ya es hora de esconder
Del mundo, el dolor
Bajo la piel.
Más sé que estaré bien.
Los gatos como yo caen de pie.

Yes, the time has come to hide
From the world, the pain
Under my skin.
But I know I’ll be fine.
Cats like me fall on their feet.

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“La Paz de Tus Ojos” by La Oreja de Van Gogh, English translation of lyrics

“The Peace of Your Eyes” Lyrics
Album: Lo Que Te Conté Mientras Te Hacías La Dormida (What I Told You When You Pretended to Sleep), 2003
Style: Pop with piano, about wanting to feel secure in a relationship and trying to allow oneself to do so.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

No he podido esta vez,
Vuelvo a no ser,
Vuelvo a caer.

I have not been able this time,
I return to not being [*alt. not existing],
I fall again.

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“Podemos Hacernos Daño” by Juanes, English translation

“We Can Cause Each Other Harm” Lyrics
Album: Fíjate Bien (Pay Good Attention), 2000
Style: Pop rock, about the potential of new relationships
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube, Amazon

Translation:

Ya es tarde para que te vea
Igual que lo hacía
En los días lejanos de mi cotidiano eterno.

It is late now for me to see you
The (same) way I used to
In those far away days of my everyday eternity.

Mira que ya todo es tan distinto,
Estamos explotando,
Uno tan cerca del otro y de pronto mi amor —

Look, see that everything is so different now,
We are exploding,
One so close to the other and all of a sudden, my love —

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“París” by La Oreja De Van Gogh, English translation

“Paris” Lyrics
Album: El Viaje de Copperpot (Copperpot’s Voyage), 2000
Style: Pop, reminiscent of a romantic relationship.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Ven, acércate.
Ven y abrázame.
Vuelve a sonreír, a recordar París,
A ser mi angustia.
Déjame pasar… una tarde más.

Come, draw near me.
Come and hug me.
Return to smiling, to remembering Paris,
To being my anguish.
Let me spend… one more afternoon.

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“Inevitable” by Shakira, English translation of lyrics

“Inevitable”
Album: ¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones? (Where Are The Thieves?), 1998
Style: Rock, confessions love song.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Si es cuestión de confesar,
No sé preparar café
Y no entiendo de fútbol.

If it’s a matter of confessing,
I don’t know how to prepare coffee
And I don’t understand soccer.

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“Huele a Tristeza” (Smells of Sadness) by Maná, English translation

“Smells of Sadness” Lyrics Translation
Album: Luna (Moon), 2003
Style: Slow rock, Latin rock. Melancholy song about missing a lover and not knowing where they are.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Sólo huele a tristeza,
Huele a soledad.
En mis ojos perdidos
Sólo hay humedad.

It smells only of sadness,
It smells of loneliness.
In my lost eyes
There is only moisture (lit. humidity).

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“Fíjate Bien” by Juanes, English translation

“Pay Attention”, alt. “Look Closely”
Album: Fíjate Bien, 2000
Style: Pop/rock, anti-war song raising awareness to the conflict in Colombia. It won Best Rock Song at the 2001 Latin Grammy Awards.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Te han quitado lo que tienes,
Te han robado el pan del día,
Te han sacado de tus tierras
Y no parece que termina aquí.

They have taken away what you have,
They have stolen your daily bread,
They have taken you out of your lands
And it doesn’t look like it stops here.

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“Hechicera” by Maná, English translation of lyrics

“Enchantress”
Album: Sueños Liquidos (Liquid Dreams), 1997
Style: Psychedelic rock about a beautiful enchantress who seduces but is out of reach.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation

Hay una mujer hermosa,
La más primorosa,
De ojitos negros,
De piel gitana.

There is a gorgeous woman,
The most exquisite,
Of (darling) black eyes,
Of gypsy skin.

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“Antología” by Shakira, English translation of lyrics

“Anthology”
Album: Pies Descalzos, Sueños Blancos (Bare Feet, White Dreams), 1995
Style: Ballad about the impact of a first love on someone’s life. Shakira sings “Antología” (Anthology) to reflect on the positive impact of a past relationship and everything she learned from it.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Para amarte
Necesito una razón
Y es difícil creer
Que no exista una más
Que este amor.

To love you
I need a reason
And it is difficult to believe
That there wouldn’t exist one more
Than this love.

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