Tag: Genre: Political

“La Democracia” (Democracy) by Mon Laferte, English translation

“Democracy”
Album: SEIS (Six), 2021
Style: Cumbia about politics in Latin America, lamenting poor conditions and atrocities done in the name of democracy.
Country: Chile, Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Lyrics Translation:

Tú no tienes la culpa de que la plata a nadie le alcanza.
Tú no tienes la culpa de la violencia y de la matanza.
Así el mundo nos recibió: con muchas balas, poca esperanza.
Quiero que todo sea mejor, que se equilibre esa balanza.

It’s not your fault that money doesn’t stretch out far enough for anyone.
It’s not your fault, the violence and the killings.
This is how the world received us: with many bullets, little hope.
I want everything to be better, for that scale to balance.

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“Amor Clandestino” (Clandestine Love) by Maná, English translation & meaning

“Clandestine Love”
Album: Drama y Luz (Drama and Light), 2011
Style: Latin rock song with dual meaning, about hidden love, but also about undocumented immigrant youth (Dreamers).
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube, Amazon

Lyrics Translation:

Eres inevitable, amor,
Casi como respirar,
Casi como respirar.

You are inevitable, love,
Almost like breathing,
Almost like breathing.

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“Desapariciones” (Disappearances) by Rubén Blades, Maná, English translation lyrics

“Disappearances” Song Translation
Album: Buscando America (Looking for America), 1984
Style: Political commentary, sad song
Countries: Panama, Mexico
Listen at YouTube: Rubén Blades, or Maná’s cover from their MTV Unplugged album

Translation:

Que alguien me diga si han visto a mi esposo,
Preguntaba la Doña.
Se llama Ernesto X. Tiene cuarenta años.
Trabaja de celador, en un negocio de carros.
Llevaba camisa oscura y pantalón claro.

Someone tell me if they have seen my husband,
Asked the madam.
His name is Ernesto X. He is forty years old.
He works as a guard, in a car dealership business.
He had a dark shirt and light pants.

Salió anteanoche y no ha regresado
Y no sé ya qué pensar,
Pues esto antes no me había pasado.
Oooo…

He went out the night before last night and he has not returned
And I don’t know what to think anymore,
Because this had never happened to me before.
Oooo…

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“Falta Amor” (Love is Missing) by Maná, English translation of lyrics

“Love is Missing” Lyrics
Album: Maná MTV Unplugged, 1999
Style: Rock song, social commentary about homeless children and their difficult lives.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Hoy ya la libró de comer,
Pobre niño de la calle,
Pero hoy no la libró de dormir
Bajo la banca de un parque.

He got away not eating today,
Poor kid of the street,
But he didn’t get away not sleeping today
Below a bench in a park.

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“Untados” (Tainted) by Aterciopelados, English translation of lyrics

“Tainted” Song Translation
Style: Slow rock, cynical but interesting. Song about corruption and crime.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

En el país del sagrado corazón
A nadie se le puede dar la absolución,
Cuando el billete es emperador.

In the country of the sacred heart
Absolution can be given to nobody,
When the banknote is emperor.

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“Papeles Mojados” (Wet Papers) by Chambao, English translation

“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

Translation:

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.

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