Spanish songs translated to English with side-by-side lyrics and notes for Spanish learners
“Free Love” Lyrics Translation
Album: Poesía Difusa (Wordy Poetry), 2003
Style: Slow rap love song, similar to spoken word. This is an open love poem that declares how much their love means to them, and how it makes them feel free.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube
Sigo siendo libre.
Nada es complicado a tu lado.
Tú me haces libre.
I keep being free.
Nothing is complicated by your side.
You make me free.
“Mine Soul”
Style: Pasillo love song serenade from mid-20th century Ecuador. Julio Jaramillo’s lyrics are so poetic.
Country: Ecuador
Listen: YouTube
[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)
“Wet Papers” Lyrics Translation
Album: Con Otro Aire (With Another Air), 2007
Style: Romani-influenced Spanish music about the perils of immigration and fears of refugees.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube
Miles de sombras cada noche trae la marea.
Navegan cargaos de ilusiones que en la orilla se quedan. [*ilusiones = dreams, hopes, lit. illusions]
Historias del día día, historias de buena gente.
Se juegan la vida cansaos, con hambre y un frío que pela.
Every night, the tide brings in thousands of shadows.
They navigate laden with dreams left at the shore.
Stories of the day, the real day, histories of good people.
They gamble their lives fatigued, with hunger and a cold that hurts.
Songlations 