Tag: Genre: Energetic/Dance

“El Cuarto de Tula” (Tula’s Bedroom) by Buena Vista Social Club, English translation

“Tula’s Bedroom” Lyrics
Album: Buena Vista Social Club, 1997
Style: Iconic Cuban traditional music song about a fire started by a candle in Tula’s bedroom. She fell asleep and forgot to blow it out, now all the firefighters want to help her with that flame.
Country: Cuba
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

En el barrio La Cachimba, se ha formado la corredera,
En el barrio La Cachimba, se ha formado la corredera.
Allá fueron los bomberos con sus campanas, sus sirenas,
Allí fueron los bomberos con sus campanas, sus sirenas.

In the Cachimba neighborhood, a running line has formed,
In the Cachimba neighborhood, a running line has formed.
There went the firefighters with their bells, their sirens,
There went the firefighters with their bells, their sirens.

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“Mírame” (Look at Me) by María León, English translation of lyrics

“Look at Me” Lyrics Translated
Album: Mírame (Look at Me), 2024
Style: Catchy pop dance song about how they’re doing well after a breakup. Look at them and how they thrive!
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Seguramente te enteraste (¿de qué?)
De que ando terroreando duro (¿por qué?)
Ya me mandaste otro mensaje (ya ves)
Tú sufres porque yo no sufro (otra vez)

Surely you’ve heard (of what?)
That I’m going aggressively hard (why?)
You already sent me another message (you see)
You suffer because I don’t (once again)

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“Como Los Olivos” (Like the Olive Trees) by Bebe, English translation

“Like the Olive Trees” Lyrics
Album: Pafuera Telarañas (Out with the Cobwebs), 2004
Style: Flamenco hip/hop, song about a passionate romance against the peaceful backdrop of Spain’s pastures.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Lyrics Translation:

Como los olivos
Sudan aceite,
Mi cuerpo resbala sobre tu piel.
Duerme hombre tranquilo en el jardín del edén
Que la humedad desprende sabor a miel.

Like the olives
Sweat oil,
My body slips over your skin.
Sleep, man, serenely in the garden of Eden
For the humidity gives off a taste of honey.

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“Acción y Reacción” (Action and Reaction) by Thalía, English translation of lyrics

“Action and Reaction” Lyrics Translation
Album: Greatest Hits, 2004
Style: Electric pop, love song. This is a song about two people from different ethnicities and backgrounds in love. It does not matter that they are different; they are in love!
Country: Mexico
Listen: live version; pre-recorded album version;

Translation:

Que tú prefieras los Beatles
Y yo Juan Gabriel,
No importa que sea otro el ritmo
Pero aquí es cuestion de piel.

That you prefer The Beatles [*old, famous British band]
And me, Juan Gabriel, [*old, famous Mexican ranchera singer]
No matter the different rhythm [*lit. No matter that the rhythm be another]
(But here) it’s a matter of skin.

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“Waka Waka Esto Es África” by Shakira, English translation of the Spanish version

“Waka Waka This is Africa”
Official song of 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa; June 11 – July 11
Album: Sale El Sol (The Sun Comes Out), 2010
Country: Colombia
Style: Upbeat, cheerful. Note that Shakira has an official English version called “Waka Waka This Time for Africa.” This, however, is the translation of the Spanish version. It’s interesting to compare how different parts of the world will think of the FIFA 2010 song, since the lyrics are not completely the same.
Listen: YouTube Spanish version

Translation:

Llego el momento,
Caen las murallas,
Va a comenzar
La única justa de la batallas.

The moment has come,
The walls fall,
It is going to begin,
The only one of the battles that is just.

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“Mira La Vida” (Look at Life) by Julieta Venegas, English translation

“Look at Life” Lyrics
Album: MTV Unplugged Julieta Venegas, 2008
Style: Optimistic upbeat song, a bit hypnotic, about life saying yes to you and you saying yes to life, about looking forward to the future, about celebrating a birth.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Chorus:
————————————–
Mira la vida abriéndose camino.
Mira la vida diciendo que sí.

Look at life opening a way for itself.
Look at life saying yes.
————————————–
(x2)

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“Mujer Latina” (Latin Woman) by Thalía, English translation

“Latin Woman” Lyrics Translation
Album: Amor a la Mexicana (Love to the Mexican Woman), 1997
Style: Salsa, pop, quick beat, energetic, joyful. This happy song comes from one of Thalía’s most popular albums. It’s good for dancing.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Chorus 1:
———————————————
Vengo, vengo, vengo de caña.
Vengo, vengo, vengo del son.
Tengo, tengo, tengo en el alma
Ritmo, ritmo, ritmo y sabor.

I come from, come from, come from sugar cane.
I come from, come from, come from son.
I have, have, have in my soul
Rhythm, rhythm, rhythm and flavor.
———————————————

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“Mi Mundo Sin Ti” (My World Without You) by Soraya, English translation

“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

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“Rosalinda” by Thalía, English translation of lyrics

“Rosalinda”
Album: Arrasando (Razing), 2000
Style: Upbeat pop song about being in love and in lust with a girl named Rosalinda.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Cuando se tiene una razón
Para amar intensamente,
Se descubre de repente
Que por ti late más fuerte el corazón.

When one has a reason
To love intensely,
One suddenly finds
That for you, the heart beats stronger. [*alt. harder]

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“Atrévete-te-te” by Calle 13, English translation of lyrics

“Dare-are-are” Lyrics Translation
Album: Calle 13, 2005
Style: Urban, hip hop and reggaeton fusion encouraging women to be daring and show off their bodies, dance wild, and party without reservations. The music video won “Best Short Form Music Video” at the 2006 Latin Grammy Awards.
Country: Puerto Rico
Listen: YouTube (Explicit)

Translation:

REFRAIN:
————————————–
Atrévete-te-te salte del closet,
Destápate, quítate el esmalte.
Deja de taparte que nadie va a retratarte.
Levántate ponte hiper.

Dare-dare-dare, get out of your closet*,
Uncover yourself, take off your nail polish.
Stop covering yourself ‘cuz no one’s gonna take your picture.
Get up, make yourself hyper.

Préndete, sácale chispa al estalter,
Préndete en fuego como un lighter,
Sacúdete el sudor como si fueras un wiper,
Que tú eres callejera*, street fighter.

Light yourself, draw sparks from the starter,
Light yourself on fire like a lighter,
Shake off your sweat like if you were a wiper,
‘Cause you’re a street girl, a street fighter.
—————————————

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“Tú y Yo” (You and Me) by Thalía, English translation

“You and Me”
Album: Thalía, 2002
Style: Pop, techno, love song.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Lyrics Translation:

Sigue esa voz que escuchas,
Que viene desde adentro.
No es normal sentir
Todo lo que yo siento.

Follow that voice that you hear,
That comes from deep inside you.
It is not normal to feel
Everything that I feel.

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“Hielo y Fuego” (Ice and Fire) by Olga Tañon, English translation

“Ice and Fire”
Style: Merengue, pop dance song about a hot/cold relationship.
Country: Puerto Rico
Listen: YouTube

Lyrics Translation:

Hay un sorbo de tus besos
En el vino que me embriaga.
Hay un soplo de tu aliento
Cuando escucho tus palabras.

There’s a whiff of your kisses
In the wine that intoxicates me.
There’s a gust of your scent
When I listen to your words.

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