“La Que Se Fue” by José Alfredo Jiménez, English translation of lyrics

“She Who Got Away” Lyrics
Album: Album (AlbumTranslation), Year
Style: Ranchera. Regretful song about the one who got away.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

¡Ay, amor, amor mío, uy-ya!

Oh, love, my love, uh-ya!

Tengo dinero en el mundo,
Dinero maldito que nada vale.
Aunque me miren sonriendo,
La pena que traigo
Ni Dios la sabe.

I have money in this world,
Damn money worth nothing.
Though they see me smiling,
The sorrow I carry
Not even God knows it.

Continue reading ““La Que Se Fue” by José Alfredo Jiménez, English translation of lyrics”

“Estos Celos” by Vicente Fernández, English translation of lyrics

“This Jealousy” Lyrics
Album: Para Siempre (Forever), 2007
Style: Orchestral ranchera, mariachi, regional Mexican from Jalisco
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Te miré,
Estabas tan bonita,
Tan sensual,
Te imaginé ajena y me hizo mal.

I saw you
You were so pretty,
So sensual,
I imagined you a stranger and it made me ill.

Continue reading ““Estos Celos” by Vicente Fernández, English translation of lyrics”

“Ojalá Te Animes” by Bobby Pulido, English translation of intro and lyrics

“Hopefully You Dare”
Album: Vive (Live), 2005
Style: Ranchera about pulling a crush out of their shyness to start a relationship.
Country: USA (Texas), with Mexican slang
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

[Intro]

Oye comp’re, hay una güerita que – no, hombre – me está cayendo, ‘ira. Aqui dentro del corazón.

-¿A poco? ¿En serio? Pues conquístala.

-Pero pues ¿cómo le hago?

-Flores, chocolates a veces.

M’no, pues yo andaba pensando más una serenata.

-¿Una serenata?

Una serenata.

-¡Pero tú no cantas!

-¡Pero TÚ sí!


[Intro translation]

-Hey compadre, there’s this blonde girl who – no, man – she catching on me, look. Here inside my heart.

-Really? Serious? Well, get her!

-But then, how do I do it?

-Flowers, chocolate sometimes.

-Uh no, see I was thinking more a serenade.

-A serenade?

-A serenade.

-But you don’t sing!

-But YOU do!

Continue reading ““Ojalá Te Animes” by Bobby Pulido, English translation of intro and lyrics”

“La Derrota” by Vicente Fernández, English translation of lyrics

“The Great Fall” Lyrics
Album: Para Siempre (Forever), 2007
Style: Ranchera about the downfall of a relationship after infidelity, and the regret afterward.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

¡Ay, ay, ay, ja, ja, ja!

Por darle rienda suelta a mis antojos,
Por no tener conciencia del abismo,
Por eso ayer hice llorar sus ojos,
Y hoy mis ojos también hacen lo mismo.

For giving my whims free reign,
For not being aware of the abyss,
For that yesterday I made her eyes cry,
And today my eyes also do the same.

Continue reading ““La Derrota” by Vicente Fernández, English translation of lyrics”

“Amanecí en Tus Brazos” by José Alfredo Jiménez, English translation of lyrics

“I Woke Up in Your Arms” Lyrics
Style: Ranchera, love song
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Amanecí otra vez
Entre tus brazos
Y desperté llorando
De alegría.

I woke up again
In your arms
And I woke up crying
From joy.

Continue reading ““Amanecí en Tus Brazos” by José Alfredo Jiménez, English translation of lyrics”

“El Gavilan Pollero” by Pedro Infante, English translation of lyrics

“El Gavilán Pollero” (The Chicken Hawk) sung by Pedro Infante
Style: Ranchera about a man who lost his favorite hen and is in the bargaining stage of grief. This is a popular Mexican oldie and the title of a film from the golden age of Mexican cinema [YouTube link to the full film].
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

[Knocking sounds]

¡Cantinero! ¡Cantinero!

Barman! Barman!

Infeliz gavilán,
Se llevo la polla más linda que tenia en mi gallinero.

Wretched chicken hawk,
He took the most lovely hen I had in my chickenhouse.

Continue reading ““El Gavilan Pollero” by Pedro Infante, English translation of lyrics”

“Si Nos Dejan” by José Alfredo Jiménez, English translation of lyrics

“If They Let Us”
Style: Ranchera, romantic song about leaving to a happy new beginning with your lover
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Si nos dejan,
Nos vamos a querer toda la vida.
Si nos dejan,
Nos vamos a vivir a un mundo nuevo.

If they let us,
We will love each other our whole lives.
If they let us,
We will go live in a new world.

Continue reading ““Si Nos Dejan” by José Alfredo Jiménez, English translation of lyrics”

“Alma de Acero” by José Alfredo Jiménez, English translation of lyrics

“Soul of Steel” Lyrics
Style: Ranchera
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Podrás tener mucha suerte,
Podrás andar por el mundo
Destrozando corazones.

You can have lots of luck,
You can travel the world
Destroying hearts.

Continue reading ““Alma de Acero” by José Alfredo Jiménez, English translation of lyrics”

“Te Solté La Rienda” by José Alfredo Jiménez, Maná, English translation

“I Let Go of Your Rein” Lyrics
Style: Corrido, ranchera, sometimes a mariachi. This popular Mexican song is an epic “you’ll miss me, but go” breakup song.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube (José Alfredo Jiménez, Maná, Lupillo Rivera, Vicente Fernandez, and many more)

Translation:

Se me acabó la fuerza
De mi mano izquierda.
Voy a dejarte el mundo
Para ti solita.

I lost the strength
On my left hand.
I am going to leave you the world
For your very own.

Continue reading ““Te Solté La Rienda” by José Alfredo Jiménez, Maná, English translation”

“Cuatro Caminos” by José Alfredo Jiménez, English translation of lyrics

“Four Paths”
Style: Ranchera, mariachi, forsaken love song. A song about picking your life path when you feel lost. The cuatro caminos refers to the four cardinal directions.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube, Amazon

Translation:

Es imposible que yo te olvide.
Es imposible que yo me vaya.
Por donde quiera que voy te miro.
Ando con otra y por ti suspiro.

It is impossible for me to forget you.
It is impossible for me to leave.
Because wherever I go, I see you.
I am with another and I sigh for you.

Continue reading ““Cuatro Caminos” by José Alfredo Jiménez, English translation of lyrics”