Spanish songs translated to English with side-by-side lyrics and notes for Spanish learners
“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
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.
“Poor Woman” / “Poor Devil”
Album: The Last Don, 2003
Style: Bachata. Sad song about a woman who cries for a man who doesn’t value her.
Country: Puerto Rico
Listen: YouTube
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)
“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
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.
“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.
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.
“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
(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.
“Paris” Lyrics
Album: El Viaje de Copperpot (Copperpot’s Voyage), 2000
Style: Pop, reminiscent of a romantic relationship.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube
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.
“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
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.
“God Knows” Lyrics Translation
Style: Bolero song about a person doubting their partner, suspecting infidelity but not having proof, and being worried that the suspicion itself could end the relationship if they are wrong.
Country: Mexico
Listen: Álvaro Carrillo; Eydie Gormé and Los Panchos; Vicente Fernández; Tania Libertad
Sabrá Dios, si tú me quieres o me engañas.
Como no adivino seguiré pensando
Que me quieres solamente a mí.
God knows, if you love me or you deceive me.
Since I can’t guess I will continue thinking
That you love only me.
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“Tear Out My Heart” Song Translation
Album: Amar Es Combatir (To Love is To Fight), 2006
Style: Rock song asking their sweetheart to tear out their heart if they leave. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album.
Country: Mexico
Yo sigo solo.
Aquí en la habitación, solo.
Ya anunciaste que te ibas a marchar de mi lado.
I continue alone.
Here in my room, alone.
You already declared you were leaving me.
“Ay, Doctor” Lyrics
Album: Revolución de Amor (Revolution of Love), 2002
Style: Latin rock about heartbreak and wanting a heartbreak doctor.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube (Maná official video). There’s also a fan music video with costumes and reenactments and everything.
Me ha envenenado,
Con sus labios, con sus besos.
Alucinado, loco por su desamor.
She has poisoned me,
With her lips, with her kisses.
Hallucinated, crazy for her unlove.
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