Spanish song lyrics translated to English: side-by-side lyrics, song meanings, and translation notes for people learning Spanish.
“Like How One Loses a Star”
Album: Que Seas Muy Feliz (May You Be Very Happy), 1995
Style: Wailing prayer and mourning after the loss of a lover (likely by breakup), with orchestral mariachi.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube
Te quiero,
Lo digo como un lamento,
Como un quejido que el viento
Se lleva por donde quiera.
I love you,
I say it like a lament,
Like a howl that the wind
Takes away wherever it goes.
“Let Our Love Be Known”
Album: SEIS (SIX), 2021
Genre: Love song, mariachi serenade, romantic and public declaration of love.
Country: Chile, Mexico
Desde que estoy a tu lado no sé concentrarme.
Pierdo noción de las horas, no sé a dónde voy.
Since I have been by your side, I cannot concentrate.
I lose track of time, don’t know where I’m going.
Cuando me ven mis amigos, suelen preguntarme,
Qué es lo que pasa conmigo, no saben quién soy.
When my friends see me, they often ask me,
What’s going on with me, they don’t know who I am.
“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
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.
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.
“The King”
Composer: José Alfredo Jiménez
Style: Ranchera very popular in Mexico. This is one of José Alfredo’s most famous songs.
Country: Mexico
Listen on YouTube: José Alfredo Jiménez (original), Vicente Fernandez, Alejandro Fernández, and now George Strait (possibly because of my translation? I don’t know, but if so, I am very honored!)
Yo sé bien que estoy afuera
Pero el día que yo me muera
Sé que tendrás que llorar.
(Llorar y llorar, x2)
I am fully aware that I am out
But the day that I die
I know that you will have to cry.
(Cry and cry, x2)
Dirás que no me quisiste,
Pero vas a estar muy triste
Y así te vas a quedar.
You will say that you did not love me,
But you will be very sad
And that is how you will stay.
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