Spanish songs translated to English with side-by-side lyrics and notes for Spanish learners
“Before Seeing the Sun” Lyrics
Album: Coti, 2003
Style: Pop/rock song about waiting for a romantic interest to show interest back.
Country: Argentina
Listen: YouTube
Si te vas, se me va a hacer muy tarde
Y además, sólo intento cuidarte.
¿Ay cuándo, mi vida, cuándo
Va a ser el día que tu pared desaparezca?
If you leave, it is going to get very late for me
And what’s more, I only intend to take care of you.
Oh when, my love, when
Is it going to be the day that your wall disappears?
“Lemon and Salt”
Album: Limón y Sal, 2006
Style: Alternative rock, love song to a moody lover, whimsical, fairy tale-like, not very subtle werewolf references. Could be a cute song to do for Halloween in Spanish class.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube. The music video is kind of amazing in a strange way.
Tengo que confesar que a veces
No me gusta tu forma de ser.
I have to confess that sometimes
I do not like your way of being.
“Forbidden Love”
Album: Amor Prohibido, 1994
Style: Pop love song. This is a very Romeo and Juliette style of love song, about love between people of different social classes and the disapproval from others.
Country: USA (Texas)
Listen: YouTube
Con unas ansias locas quiero verte hoy.
Espero ese momento en que escuche tu voz.
With a crazy yearning I want to see you today.
I await that moment when I can hear your voice.
“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)
“(Kiss Me) Softly”
Album: Suavemente, 1998
Genre: Merengue song about wanting a kiss
Country: Puerto Rico
Listen: YouTube
Chorus:
————————————–
Suavemente, besame
Que quiero sentir tus labios
Besandome otra vez.
(x2)
Softly, kiss me
Because I want to feel your lips
Kissing me again.
(x2)
————————————–
“It Was Worth It”
Album: Valió La Pena (It Was Worth It), 1995
Style: Salsa, celebrating love, a romantic loved one, and everything it took to get to this point. The album won a 2005 Latin Grammy for “Best Salsa Album”.
Country: USA (New York); Puerto Rico
Listen: YouTube
Mirándote a los ojos se responden mis por qués.
Me inspiro en tus palabras y mi casa está en tu piel.
Qué tierno amor, mi devoción, viniste a ser mi religión,
Mi dulce sentimiento,
De nada me arrepiento.
Looking into your eyes my why’s are answered.
I become inspired in your words and my home is on your skin.
What tender love, my devotion, you came to be my religion,
My sweet emotion,
I regret nothing.
“Your Guardian”
Album: Mi Sangre (My Blood), 2004
Style: Slow rock to a loved one, a soothing promise song saying you’ll protect them and telling them to sleep soundly. It sounds like a parent to a child, but the relationship isn’t specified so it could also be sung to a lover.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube
Duermete pronto, mi amor
Que la noche ya llegó,
Y cierra tus ojos que yo
De tus sueños cuidaré.
Go to sleep soon, my love
That the night has come,
And close your eyes sure that I
Will guard your dreams.
“I Am Not Worth Anything Without Your Love”
Album: Mi Sangre (My Blood), 2004
Style: Soft rock, love song about feeling weak without them and strong with them.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube
Cuando el tiempo pasa
Y nos hacemos viejos,
Nos empieza a parecer
Que pesan más los daños
Que los mismos años al final
When time passes
And we grow old,
It starts to seem to us
That the harms weigh more
Than the very years in the end
“For Your Love”
Album: Mi Sangre (My Blood), 2004
Style: Soft rock, sweet
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube
Para tu amor lo tengo todo,
Desde mi sangre hasta la esencia de mi ser,
Y para tu amor que es mi tesoro,
Tengo mi vida toda entera a tus pies.
For you love I have it all,
Down from my blood up to the very essence of my being,
And for your love that is my treasure,
I have my life all complete at your feet.
“On My Side of the Sofa” Lyrics
Album: Guapa (Good Looking), 2006
Style: Pop/rock song about devoted love, except it goes slightly too far and sounds like a stalker song. I find it funny. She says she will wait for him in the shadows!
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube, Amazon
Te esperaré, no importa quien te bese.
Yo te esperaré, no importa que me quieras.
Yo te escucharé, si tú me has dado tanto,
Yo te esperaré y te daré mi vida entera.
I will wait for you, no matter who kisses you.
I will wait for you, it doesn’t matter if you want me.
I will listen to you, (how could I not) if you have given me so much,
I will wait for you and I will give you my whole life.
“I Want For You” Lyrics
Style: Romantic bolero
Countries: USA (New York), Mexico, Puerto Rico
Listen: YouTube
Quiero para ti,
De una tarde de abril,
Su magico esplendor.
I want for you,
From an April afternoon,
Its magical splendor.
“Being With Me” Lyrics Translation
Album: Sí (Yes), 2003; MTV Unplugged – Julieta Venegas, 2008
Style: Pop, popular radio song. It was nominated for “Record of the Year” in the 2004 Latin Grammy Awards.
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube
Hay tanto que quiero contarte
Hay tanto que quiero saber de ti,
Ya podemos empezar poco a poco.
Cuéntame qué te trae por aquí.
There is so much I want to tell you
There is so much I want to know about you,
We can begin little by little now.
Tell me what brings you to these parts.
Songlations 
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