Spanish song lyrics translated to English: side-by-side lyrics, song meanings, and translation notes for people learning Spanish.
“Roses” Lyrics
Group: La Oreja de Van Gogh (Van Gogh’s Ear)
Style: Pop, sweet melancholy, romantic song
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube
En un día de estos en que suelo pensar
“Hoy va a ser el día menos pensado.”*
Nos hemos cruzado, has decidido mirar,
A los ojitos azules que ahora van a tu lado.
In one of those days when I happened to think
“Today is going to be an unremarkable day.”
We’ve crossed (paths), you’ve decided to look,
Into the little blue eyes that are by your side now.
“To The North” Translation
Album: Residente/Visitante (Resident/Visitor), 2007
Style: Urban/hip hop
Countries: Puerto Rico, Cuba
Listen: YouTube (uncensored but no video or music video but silenced swear words)
Girl:
Unas piernas que respiran…
Veneno de serpiente…
Por el camino del viento…
Voy soplando agua ardiente*
A pair of legs that breathe in…
Venom from snakes…
By the way of the wind…
I go exhaling blazing water…
Announcer:
El día habia comenzado entusiasmado y alegre.
The day had begun enthusiastically and joyfully.
Spoken:
-Dice… Pasaporte!
-Ha donde va por ahí, luminario, en esta noche tan fea?
-Usted no se anima?
-Mire como ‘sta el camino. ‘Ta negaiiiito!
-No hombre, cómo, el camino es lo de menos.
-Lo importante es que haiga bronca.
-(He) says… Passport!
-Where you goin’, luminary, in this night so ugly?
-Don’t you dare?
-See how the road is. It’s terrible!
-No man, how (can you say that), the road is the least of it.
-What matters is for there to be a fight in you.
“The Key to My Heart”
Album: La Llave De Mi Corazon (The Key to My Heart), 2007
Style: Bilingual version of an upbeat, romantic merengue/pop hit.
About: The album won six Latin Grammy Awards in 2007, including “Album of the Year,” and this song won “Song of the Year.” The album also won “Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album”. Some of the English is in italics because it’s part of the original song and not a translation. I tried not to repeat English parts too much.
Country: Dominican Republic
Listen: YouTube
Buenas noches damas y caballeros*
Demos la bienvenida a
Juan Luis Guerra Y Cuatro Cuarenta
Good evening ladies and gentlemen
Let’s give a (warm) welcome to
Juan Luis Guerra And Cuatro Cuarenta*
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yo escuchaba el otro día
Una emisora radial
Un siquiatra, Doctor Luis
Daba consejo matrimonial
I was listening the other day (to)
A radio transmission*
A psychiatrist, Doctor Luis
Was giving marriage advice
“Eres Mi Religion” (You Are My Religion) by Maná
Album: Revolucíon de Amor (Revolution of Love), 2002
Style: Latin rock song about a man who was low, depressed, unhappy… then met the love of his life and his life brightened. He calls her his blessing, his light, his sun. Love song to her.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube
Iba caminando por las calles empapadas en olvido.
Iba por los parques con fantasmas y con ángeles caídos.
Iba sin luz, iba sin sol,
Iba sin un sentido, iba muriéndome.
Iba volando sobre el mar con las alas rotas.
I went walking through streets soaked in oblivion.
I went through parks with ghosts and fallen angels.
I went without light, I went without sun,
I went without a feeling, I went dying.
I went flying over the sea on broken wings.
“Who Cares?” Lyrics Translation
Album: Thalía, 2002; originally in No es pecado (It is not a sin), 1986 by Spanish rock/synth-pop band Alaska y Dinarama.
Style: Pop cover of a song by Alaska y Dinarama. Thalía tells us she is going to live her life how she wants, and others should mind their business!
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube
La gente me señala,
Me apunta con el dedo,
Susurra a mis espaldas,
Y a mí me importa un bledo.
People signal towards me,
They point at me with their fingers,
They whisper behind my back,
And I don’t give a damn.
“The Story of a Love” Lyrics, also. “A Lovestory”
Written by Carlos Eleta Almaran, sung by many.
Style: Romantic classic from Mexico
Country: Mexico
Listen: Ana Gabriel (Mexico), Eydie Gormé y Trio Los Panchos (USA & Mexico), Guadalupe Pineda (Mexico), Pedro Infante (Mexico), Luis Miguel (Mexico), Luz Casal (Spain), Laura Fygi (Netherlands)
Ya no estás más a mi lado, corazón.
En el alma sólo tengo soledad,
Y si ya no puedo verte,
¿Por qué Dios me hizo quererte?
Para hacerme sufrir más.
You are no longer at my side, my love.
In my soul I have only loneliness,
And if I can no longer see you,
Why did God make me love you?
To make me suffer more.
“Cinnamon Skin”, 1950s
Style: Romantic bolero. This is a popular oldies song written by Bobby Capó and sung by many. You might have seen it in commercials or heard the tune in elevators. Probably popularized best by Eydie Gorme y Los Panchos. I think it’s on the Nacho Libre soundtrack. This song is passed around a lot.
Country: Puerto Rico; United States (New York); Mexico
Listen: YouTube
Que se quede el infinito sin estrellas,
O que pierda el ancho mar su inmensidad,
Pero el negro (alt. el brillo) de tus ojos que no muera,
Y el canela de tu piel se quede igual.
May the infinite be left without stars,
Or may the wide sea lose its immenseness,
But may the blackness (alt. the glimmer) of your eyes never die,
And may the cinnamon of your skin stay the same.
“The Answer” by Los Lonely Boys, English Translation of Spanish Version
Album: Los Lonely Boys, Track #12
Style: Rock
Country: USA (Texas)
Listen @ YouTube
¿A poco no está
Duro pa’ ti?
¿Pa’ que sigues así
Si aquí estoy yo?
Isn’t it
Hard for you?
Why do you continue like this
If I’m here?
Los Lonely Boy’s self-titled album is English with Spanish. The songs are pretty short, so I’m just going to translate all the Spanish parts in bilingual songs in one post.
TRACK #1: “Señorita”
You’re my little señorita, y tú eres la más bonita
You’re my little señorita, and you are the most beautiful
Señorita = affectionate diminutive of señora (lady, Mrs., Madam); Miss, Mademoiselle
Continue reading ““Los Lonely Boys” 2004 Album Translation”“Blessed, Your Light”
Album: Amar es Combatir (To Love is to Fight)
Style: Sweet, love song. Maná sings a lot of bittersweet, ambiguous, and energetic songs. They sing about desperation and sexual tension and poverty and all sorts of sad affairs. This is none of that. This is a song about pure happiness and romantic bliss. It’s very sweet.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube
Bendito el lugar, y el motivo de estar ahí,
Bendita la coincidencia,
Bendito el reloj que nos puso puntual ahí,
Bendita sea tu presencia.
Blessed location, and the motive for being there,
Blessed the coincidence,
Blessed clock that set us there punctually,
Blessed be your presence.
Bendito Dios por encontrarnos en el camino,
Y de quitarme esta soledad de mi destino.
Bendita la luz, bendita la luz de tu mirada (x2)
Desde el alma.
Blessed God for introducing us on the road,
And for taking away this solitude from my destiny.
Blessed be the light, blessed be the light of your gaze (x2)
Coming from the soul.
“The Little Lady Duck” / “Mama Webster”
Style: Children’s song about a money-strapped mother duck
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube. Also, this website has mp3 files. “La Patita” is on the second column.
La patita
De canasta y con reboso de bolita
Va al mercado
A comprar todas las cosas del mandado.
Mama Webster
With basket and polka dotted shawl
Goes to market
To buy all the things for groceries.
“The Ugly Doll” Children’s Song Translation
Composer: Francisco Gabilondo Soler (“Cri-Cri”)
Style: Children’s song about an abandoned doll. I remember Cri-Cri’s songs from my childhood. I hadn’t heard these songs in sooo long. You have no idea! Cri-Cri is Mexico’s best known writer of children’s story songs. A quick search didn’t bring up any English translations, so here I am!
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube. This website has mp3 files. “La Muñeca Fea” is on the first column, about two-thirds of the way down the list.
Escondida por los rincones,
Temerosa que alguien la vea,
Platicaba con los ratones,
La pobre muñeca fea.
Hidden around the corners,
Fearful of being seen,
She chatted with the mice,
The poor ugly doll.
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