“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
Tag: Breakup song
“Malo” (Evil) by Bebe, English translation of lyrics
“Evil”
Album: Pafuera Telaraña (Outtahere, Spiderwebs), 2005
Style: Rock/flamenco/hip hop, wispy voice, anti-domestic violence. This artist won a Latin Grammy for Best New Artist in 2005.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube
Translation:
Apareciste una noche fría
Con olor a tabaco sucio y a ginebra,
El miedo ya me recorría
Mientras cruzaba los deditos tras la puerta.
You appeared one cold night
With the smell of dirty tobacco and of Ginebra, [*brand of alcohol]
The fear already ran through me
While I crossed my little fingers behind the door.
“Sin Ti No Soy Nada” by Amaral, English translation of lyrics
“Without You I Am Nothing”
Album: Estrella de Mar (Sea Star), 2002
Style: Emo pop/rock song about desperate love. After the breakup, she does not know what to do with herself.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube
Translation:
Sin ti no soy nada,
Una gota de lluvia mojando mi cara,
Mi mundo es pequeño y mi corazón pedacitos de hielo.
Without you I am nothing,
A drop of rain wetting my face,
My world is small and my heart little pieces of ice.
“Días De Verano” (Summer Days) by Amaral, English translation of lyrics
“Summer Days” or “Days of Summer” Song Translation
Album: Pájaros en la cabeza (Birds in my head), 2005
Style: Rock song about feeling like there aren’t enough summer days left to repair a relationship.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube. Those things that look like trees at 0:39 are maguey (agave) stalks.
Translation:
No quedan días de verano para pedirte perdón,
Para borrar del pasado el daño que te hice yo,
Sin besos de despedida y sin palabras bonitas,
Porque te miro a los ojos y no me sale la voz.
There are no summer days left to ask for your forgiveness,
To erase from the past the harm that I did to you,
Without farewell kisses and without pretty words,
Because I look into your eyes and my voice does not come out.
“Vivir Sin Aire” by Maná, English translation of lyrics
“To Live Without Air”
Album: ¿Dónde Jugarán los Niños? (Where Will The Children Play?), 1992
Style: Rock
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube
Translation:
Cómo quisiera… Poder vivir sin aire.
Cómo quisiera… Poder vivir sin agua.
Me encantaría… Quererte un poco menos.
How I would love… To (be able to) live without air.
How I would love… To (be able to) live without water.
It would delight me… To love you a bit less.
“Te Lloré un Río” (I Cried You A River) by Maná, English translation of lyrics
“I Cried You A River”
Album: ¿Dónde Jugarán los Niños? (Where Will The Children Play?), 1992
Style: Slow rock song about heartbreak, acceptance, and moving on.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube
Translation:
Yo aquí llorándote un río,
Mandándome al olvido,
Qué cosa más injusta, amor.
Me here crying you a river,
Sending myself to oblivion,
What a most unjust thing, my love.
“Pobre Diabla” (Poor Devil) by Don Omar, English translation of lyrics
“Poor Woman” / “Poor Devil”
Album: The Last Don, 2003
Genre: Bachata. Sad song about a woman who cries for a man who doesn’t value her.
Country: Puerto Rico
Lyrics Translation:
Verse 1:
Pobre diabla
Se dice que se te ha visto por la calle vagando,
Llorando por un hombre que no vale un centavo,
Pobre diabla y llora por un pobre diablo.
(x2)
Poor woman
It is said that you have been seen wandering the streets,
Crying for a man who is not worth a cent,
Poor woman and she cries for a poor devil.
(x2)
“Mala Gente” (Bad People) by Juanes, English translation and notes
“Bad People” Translation
Album: Un Día Normal (2003)
Style: Rock song. Bitter song to an ex who broke his heart and now wants him back. This song won the Latin Grammy Award for “Best Rock Song” in 2003.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube
Translation:
Tú me pides que te deje ahora, ahora,
Ahora cuando más te necesito.
You ask me to leave you now, now,
Now when I need you most.
Tú me dices que este amor se fue al olvido, ahora,
Ahora cuando yo ya no te olvido.
You tell me that this love has fallen to oblivion, now,
Now when I cannot forget you anymore.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“Me Voy” by Julieta Venegas, English translation (breakup song)
“I Leave”, “I Am Leaving” Song Lyrics
Album: Limón y Sal (Lemon and Salt), 2006
Style: Indie, breakup and farewell song, strong vocals. Julieta Venegas sings her farewell song and explains why the relationship is ending. She uses a sort of sing-song tone that works surprisingly well in this album.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube
Translation:
Porque no supiste entender a mi corazón,
Lo que había en él.
Porque no tuviste el valor
De ver quién soy.
Because you did not know how to understand my heart,
What was there in it.
Because you didn’t have the courage
To see who I am.
Songlations 
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