Tag: La Santa Cecilia

“Vámonos” (Let’s Go) by La Santa Cecilia, ft. Fito Paez, English translation of lyrics

“Let’s Go” Translated Lyrics
Album: Buenaventura (Good Adventure), 2016
Style: Pop. Cheerful and hopeful love song about taking the leap with another person, sharing the journey of life together. The translation is less literal than usual to keep a similar energy.
Country: USA
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Te busco
Porque eres mi corazón, mi amor, te busco
Porque a los placeres no le encuentro gusto,
Nada es igual si tú no estás.

I seek you out
Because you’re my heart, my love, I seek you out
Because the pleasures [of life] don’t interest me,
Nothing is the same if you aren’t around.

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“La Ingrata” (Ingrate) by Café Tacvba, cover by La Santa Cecilia and Mon Laferte, English translation

“Ingrate”
Albums: Re, 1994; Amar y Vivir (To Love and To Live), 2017
Style: Original version is a mix of a Mexican corrido norteño and grunge rock. The cover song starts as a ballad and becomes a tango. Song to an “ungrateful” ex-lover who keeps coming back and causing pain. Warning: violent end.
Countries: Mexico City (Café Tacvba); USA, Mexico, Chile (La Santa Cecilia and Mon Laferte)
Listen: Café Tacvba (original); Duet by La Santa Cecilia and Mon Laferte (cover)

Lyrics Translation:

Ingrata,
No me digas que me quieres,
No me digas que me adoras,
Que me amas,
Que me extrañas,
Que ya no te creo nada.

Ingrate,
Don’t tell me that you care for me,
Don’t tell me that you adore me,
That you love me,
That you miss me,
For I no longer believe anything you say.

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“Hierba Mala” (Bad Weed) by La Santa Cecilia, English translation of lyrics

“Bad Weed” or “Bad Plant”
Album: Quiero Verte Feliz (I Want to See You Happy), 2021
Style: Cumbia pop song about a bad person who lies and isn’t good to be around. The Marisoul has a great voice!
Country: USA (Los Angeles, CA)
Listen: YouTube

Lyrics Translation:

No quiero escucharte ya.
No vale ni un peso,
Tus palabras que se van
Como hojas en el viento.

I do not want to listen to you anymore.
They aren’t worth even a dollar,
Your words that fly
Like leaves in the wind.

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“Ella Me Enamoró” (She Made Me Fall In Love) by La Santa Cecilia, English translation

“She Made Me Fall In Love”
Album: Quiero Verte Feliz (I Want To See You Happy), 2021 
Style: Cumbia about falling in love.
Country: USA/Mexico (Mexican-American)
Listen: YouTube, Amazon

Lyrics Translation:

En la locura de este pensamiento
Salen corriendo todos mis deseos.
Quisiera liberar mi pensamiento,
Buscándote a ti.

In the lunacy of this thought
All my desires go flying [*lit. running].
I would like to liberate my mind,
Looking for you.

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“Quiero Verte Feliz” (I Want To See You Happy) by La Santa Cecilia, Lila Downs, English translation

“I Want To See You Happy”, 2021 single
Countries: USA (California), Mexico
Style: Cumbia about being ready to be happy again despite all the bad things happening in the world.
Listen: YouTube, Amazon

Lyrics Translation:

No es que me valga madre la vida,
El dolor de la gente, el frío, y el hambre. 
La angustia está presente.
El odio se siente, el ambiente se pone caliente.

It’s not that I don’t give a damn about life,
People’s pain, the cold, and hunger.
The anguish is there.
The hate is palpable, the environment heats up.

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“Cuidado” (Careful) by José José, La Santa Cecilia; English translation of lyrics

“Careful”
Albums: Cuidado (1969); Someday New (2014)
Style: Soulful alternative rock, ballad-like, with bass and acoustic instruments, including accordion.
Countries: United States (Los Angeles, CA); Mexico

Listen:

The song by José José is directed to a lover who is doing things that will lead to a breakup. You can listen to the original version by José José (1969) or La Santa Cecilia’s cover (2014) at YouTube. I love the way lead singer Marisol “La Marisoul” Hernandez harmonizes the warnings in the lyrics until the words vibrate.

José José:

La Santa Cecilia:

Today is the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, but Day of the Dead is coming up on November 1-2. I recommend listening to La Santa Cecilia’s lively “La Negra” (YouTube and translation). I’m also curious about the upcoming animated movie, The Book of Life premiering October 17.

Lyrics Translation (following La Santa Cecilia’s version):

Cuidado,
Mucho cuidado,
Que estás tomando por un rumbo equivocado.

Careful,
Be very careful,
Because you are going down a wrong road.

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“El Farol” (The Lighthouse) by La Santa Cecilia, English translation

“The Lighthouse” Lyrics
Album: Noche y Citas (Night, and Dates), 2010
Style: Ballad with accordion music in the background. This is a song about someone who fell in love hard and is melancholy about it. It sounds like unrequited love. Pobrecita.
Country: United States (Los Angeles, CA)
Listen: YouTube

Unrelated, I saw the recently released Cesar Chavez movie last weekend. It was good! I worry sometimes that movies about famous civil rights people will be too serious, but this movie had many light and funny moments, too. Go watch it.

Lyrics Translation:

¿Cómo logro provocar
El rocío de una flor?
¿Cómo logro dominar
El amor?

How do I manage to provoke
The dew of a flower?
How do I manage to dominate
Love?

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“Monedita” (Little Coin) by La Santa Cecilia, English translation

“Little Coin”
Album: Treinta Días (Thirty Days), 2013
Style: Alternative, energetic, cheerful song praising humble lifestyles. This is a song about not needing money to be happy, about valuing humility, and about how living within one’s means is healthier than over-spending to impress others. Good vocals by lead singer La Marisoul and accordion play by Jose “Pepe” Carlos.
Country: USA (Los Angeles, CA)
Listen: YouTube, Amazon

Lyrics Translation:

Bonito tu trajecito, ¿cuánto das por la apariencia?
Bonito tu cochecito, ¿no te pesa en la conciencia?

Very nice, your little outfit; how much for that appearance?
Very nice, your little car; doesn’t it weigh on your conscience?

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“Ódiame” by Julio Jaramillo, La Santa Cecilia cover, English translation of lyrics

“Hate Me” Lyrics
Style: Pasillo, post-breakup song, asking for anything but indifference. Julio Jaramillo’s lyrics are always emotional poetry.
Country: Ecuador
Listen: Julio Jaramillo (original), La Santa Cecilia ft. Noel Schajris (live cover)

Translation:

Ódiame por piedad, yo te lo pido.
Ódiame sin medida ni clemencia.
Odio quiero más que indiferencia,
Porque el rencor quiere menos que el olvido.
(x2)

Hate me for mercy’s sake, I ask (this of) you.
Hate me without measure or clemency.
I want hate more than indifference,
Because resentment asks less than oblivion.
(x2)

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“Nuestro Juramento” by Julio Jaramillo, cover by La Santa Cecilia, English translation of lyrics

“Our Vow” (1956) Lyrics
Composer: Benito de Jesús, famously sung by Julio Jaramillo.
Style: Pasillo, waltz-like originally. Many covers in different styles.
Country: Ecuador originally, but popular across Latin America.
Listen: Julio Jaramillo (Ecuador), José Feliciano (Puerto Rico), Javier Solis (Mexico), Vicente Fernández (Mexico) La Santa Cecilia (Mexican-American), Juanes (Colombia).

“Nuestro Juramento” is a well-known romance song across Latin America and arguably Julio Jaramillo’s most famous song. It is about human mortality and passion. It is two lovers who declare to continue loving each other forever, and to be devastated should the other die. The verb jurar means “to swear, to vow” and a juramento is an oath or a vow.

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