“Que Nadie Sepa Mi Sufrir” by Angel Cabral and Enrique Dizeo, sung by many, English translation

“Let No One Know of My Suffering”
Style: Varies, but commonly in the style of a Peruvian waltz
Composer: Ángel Cabral (Argentina), 1936
Songwriter: Enrique Dizeo (Argentina)
Country: Sung by many, originally from Argentina

Listen: Renditions available at YouTube by: Los Lobos (USA, 1970s-current), Julio Jaramillo (Ecuador, 1950s pasillo), Maria Dolores Pradera (Spain, 1950s operatic), Sonora Dinamita (Colombian and Salvadorean, 1980s+ cumbia), Julio Iglesias (Spain, 1980s romantic), Lucha Reyes (Peru, 1970s), 웅산 Woong San (Korea, in Spanish, 2010s), Edith Piaf (France, in French with edited lyrics as La Foule, 1957), and many more.

Translation:

No te asombres si te digo lo que fuiste:
Una ingrata con mi pobre corazón.
Porque el fuego de tus lindos ojos negros [*alt: el brillo]
Alumbraron el camino de otro amor.

Don’t be surprised if I tell you what you were:
An ingrate with my poor heart.
Because the fire of your lovely black eyes [*alt: the shine]
Lit up the path to another love.

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“Amor Profundo” by Julio Jaramillo, English translation of lyrics

“Profound Love” Lyrics
Style: Vals (Waltz)
Country: Ecuador
Listen: YouTube, Amazon

Translation:

Yo no creí
Que al cabo de los años
Fuera a encontrar
Un amor como el tuyo.

I did not believe
That after all these years
I would find
A love like yours.

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“Te Esperaré” by Julio Jaramillo, English translation of lyrics

“I Will Wait For You” Lyrics
Style:
Pasillo, vals (waltz), unrequited love song
Country
: Ecuador
Listen: YouTube, Amazon

Translation:

Te esperaré.
Sé que me quieres
Y yo seré tu adoración.
En mi recuerdo, grabado estará tu nombre.
Toda la vida, te esperaré y serás mi gran amor.

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“Rondando Tu Esquina” by Enrique Cadícamo (sung by Julio Jaramillo), English translation of lyrics

“Scouting Your Corner”
Style: 1945 Tango
Countries: Argentina (Enrique), Ecuador (Julio)
Listen: Renditions by Julio Jaramillo at YouTube (my favorite) and Enrique Cadícamo at a tango site (original composer).

Translation:

Esta noche tengo ganas de buscarla,
De borrar lo que ha pasado y perdonarla.

This night I feel the urge to search for her,
To erase what happened and forgive her.

Ya no me importa el qué dirán
Ni de las cosas que hablarán…
¡Total la gente siempre habla!

It does not matter to me anymore what they will say
Nor the things they will talk about…
People always talk anyway!

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“Interrogación” by Julio Jaramillo, English translation

“Question” Lyrics
Style: Pasillo, heartsickness
Country: Ecuador
Listen at YouTube. Julio Jaramillo would rather be stabbed in the gut than lied to about love. He just wants the truth. I love the lyrics. They are clear and concise but so poetic.

Translation:

Ya no creo en nada.
Hasta dudo de ti.
Siento desconfianza.
Ya no creo ni en mí.

I no longer believe in anything.
I doubt even you.
I feel distrust.
I no longer believe even in me.

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“Cuando Ya No Me Quieras” by Julio Jaramillo, English translation of lyrics

“When You No Longer Love Me” Lyrics
Album: Julio Jaramillo, 1966
Style: Pasillo about being in love and seeing the end of the relationship in sight, and being determined to take it well when it does finally end. Since this is a famous old song, there are several renditions from all over Latin America. It is a good song for accent study.
Country: Ecuador
Listen: YouTube, Amazon, and scroll down for other renditions.

Translation Notes:

Cuando ya no me quieras,
No me finjas cariño,
No me tengas piedad,
Compasión ni temor.

When you no longer love me,
Do not fake me tenderness,
Do not have mercy on me,
(Nor) compassion nor fear.

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“Ódiame” by Julio Jaramillo, La Santa Cecilia cover, English translation of lyrics

“Hate Me” Lyrics
Style: Pasillo, post-breakup song, asking for anything but indifference. Julio Jaramillo’s lyrics are always emotional poetry.
Country: Ecuador
Listen: Julio Jaramillo (original), La Santa Cecilia ft. Noel Schajris (live cover)

Translation:

Ódiame por piedad, yo te lo pido.
Ódiame sin medida ni clemencia.
Odio quiero más que indiferencia,
Porque el rencor quiere menos que el olvido.

(x2)

Hate me for mercy’s sake, I ask (this of) you.
Hate me without measure or clemency.
I want hate more than indifference,
Because resentment asks less than oblivion.
(x2)

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“Fatalidad” by Julio Jaramillo, English translation of lyrics

“Fatality”
Style: Pasillo eulogy mourning a lost love. Very poetic.
Country: Ecuador
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Nocturno de celaje deslumbrante,
Tu encanto rememoro a cada instante,
Romance de un momento en que viviera.

Nocturne of glittering, hued sky,
I recall your charm at every instant,
The romance of a moment I would live.

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“Alma Mía” by Julio Jaramillo, English translation of lyrics

“Mine Soul”
StylePasillo love song serenade from mid-20th century Ecuador. Julio Jaramillo’s lyrics are so poetic.
Country: Ecuador
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

[Spoken by observers:]

La cuarta canción y no sale.
¡La cuarta!

The fourth song and she does not come out.
The fourth!

[Serenade begins:]

El día que me olvides, alma mía,
Yo sé que existirás en mi penar,
Al verme solo, triste y olvidado,
Mi vida la haría arrancar.
 (x2)

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“Nuestro Juramento” by Julio Jaramillo, cover by La Santa Cecilia, English translation of lyrics

“Our Vow” (1956) Lyrics
Composer: Benito de Jesús, famously sung by Julio Jaramillo.
Style: Pasillo, waltz-like originally. Many covers in different styles.
Country: Ecuador originally, but popular across Latin America.
Listen: Julio Jaramillo (Ecuador), José Feliciano (Puerto Rico), Javier Solis (Mexico), Vicente Fernández (Mexico) La Santa Cecilia (Mexican-American), Juanes (Colombia).

“Nuestro Juramento” is a well-known romance song across Latin America and arguably Julio Jaramillo’s most famous song. It is about human mortality and passion. It is two lovers who declare to continue loving each other forever, and to be devastated should the other die. The verb jurar means “to swear, to vow” and a juramento is an oath or a vow.

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