“Una Vida Buena” by Kany García, English translation of lyrics

“A Good Life” Lyrics
Album: Una Vida Buena (A Good Life), 2023
Style: Pop/rock. Aspirational song about wanting to leave a bad marriage and live a good life, without the awfulness of current life.
Country: Puerto Rico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Me desperté cansada,
Cansada de vivir en una vida que no me da nada.
Tan triste, aburrida, deprimida, pero con más ganas
De hacer una maleta y mandar todo pa’ la chingada.

I woke up tired,
Tired of living in a life that gives me nothing.
So sad, tired, depressed, but with a stronger urge
To pack a bag and leave everything to hell.

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“No Habrá Nadie En El Mundo” by Concha Buika, English translation and meaning

“There Will Be No One in the World” Lyrics
Album: Niña de Fuego (Girl of Fire), 2008. Nominated for “Album of the Year” in the 2008 Latin Grammy Awards.
Style: Pop, jazz, tropical music. Song about a heartbreak.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Desde que el agua es libre,
Libre entre manantiales vive.
Jazmines han llora’o y yo no comprendo
Cómo en tus ojos, niña, solo hay desierto.

Since the water was free,
Free among running springs, it lives.
Jasmines have cried and and I don’t understand
How in your eyes, girl, there is only a desert.

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“Tú Sí Sabes Quererme” by Natalia Lafourcade, English translation and meaning

“You Sure Know How to Love Me” Lyrics
Album: Musas (Muses), 2017
Style: Folk music, romantic song telling a long-time suitor that you have the courage to reciprocate now. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Ha pasado tanto tiempo,
Finalmente descubrí tus besos,
Me enredaste en tu mirada,
Me abrazaste con todos mis defectos.

So much time has passed,
Finally I discovered your kisses,
You tied me up with your eyes,
You hugged me with all my defects.

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“Dile Que Por Mí No Tema” by Celia Cruz, English translation

“Tell Them Not To Fear Me” Lyrics
Album: Boleros (Boleros), 1993
Style: Bolero, which is both a dance style and a story-telling lyrics style. Song telling an ex that you have a new (better) sweetheart and that your ex should tell their own new lover not to worry about you, because you’ve moved on. Also an example of a gender neutral Spanish song.
Country: Cuba
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Dile a tu nuevo querer
Que no hay nada que temer
Porque hace ya mucho tiempo
Que te borré de mi mente
Y no me acuerdo de ti…

Tell your new beloved
That there is nothing to fear
Because it’s been a long time now
Since I erased you from my mind
And I don’t remember you…

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“Siboney” by Ernesto Lecuona, covers by Xiomara Alfaro, Concha Buika, various; English translation

“Siboney” or “Canto Siboney” Lyrics
Composer: Ernesto Lecuona, 1927
Style: Jazz, romance, love song to Siboney. Xiomara Alfaro’s version was the composer’s favorite.
Country: Cuba, with several covers from Spain
Listen: Xiomara Alfaro (Cuba, 1957); Plácido Domingo (Spain, opera, 2012); Concha Buika (Spain, jazz, 2013)

Translation:

Siboney, yo te quiero,
Yo me muero por tu amor.

Siboney, I love you,
I am dying for your love.

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“Era Diferente” by Los Tigres Del Norte, English translation of LGBTQ acceptance song

“She Was Different” Lyrics
Album: Realidades (Deluxe), Realities (Deluxe), 2014
Style: Corrido norteño, regional Mexican. LGBTQ acceptance song about realizing a neighborhood girl is not interested in any of the boys, but rather her best friend (another girl).
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Eras más linda,
Más bella que luna de octubre.
Su voz era tan dulce, trino de gorrión.

She was more lovely,
More beautiful than the October moon.
Her voice was so sweet, trill of a sparrow.

Era la chica más tierna de aquel viejo barrio.
Los hombres se peleaban su fiel corazón.

Ellos hacían su apuestas para conquistarla,
Pero ningún muchacho se ganó su amor.

She was the most tender girl of that old neighborhood.
The men fought each other for her loyal heart.
They made their bets to win her over,
But no guy ever won her heart.

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“Sueño Con Ella” by Concha Buika, English translation of lyrics

“I Dream of Her” Lyrics
Album: In My Skin (In My Skin), 2011; La Noche Más Larga (The Longest Night), 2013
Style: Piano jazz, dreaming and reminiscing about a lost relationship
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Frente a las olas del mar y bajo las estrellas,
Yo… sueño con ella, yo sueño con ella.
(x4)

Before the waves of the sea and below the stars,
I… dream of her, I dream of her.
(x4)

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“Que Se Sepa Nuestro Amor” by Mon Laferte, Alejandro Fernández

“Let Our Love Be Known”
Album: SEIS (SIX), 2021
Style: Love song, mariachi serenade, romantic and public declaration of love.
Country: Chile, Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Desde que estoy a tu lado no sé concentrarme.
Pierdo noción de las horas, no sé a dónde voy.

Since I have been by your side, I cannot concentrate.
I lose track of time, don’t know where I’m going.

Cuando me ven mis amigos, suelen preguntarme,
Qué es lo que pasa conmigo, no saben quién soy.

When my friends see me, they often ask me,
What’s going on with me, they don’t know who I am.

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“A Quien Le Importa” by Thalía, Alaska y Dinarama, English translation of Spanish version

“Who Cares?” Lyrics
Album: Thalía, 2002; originally in No es pecado (It is not a sin), 1986 by Spanish rock/synth-pop band Alaska y Dinarama.
Style: Pop cover of a song by Alaska y Dinarama. Thalía tells us she is going to live her life how she wants, and others should mind their business!
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

La gente me señala,
Me apunta con el dedo,
Susurra a mis espaldas,
Y a mí me importa un bledo.

People signal towards me,
They point at me with their fingers,
They whisper behind my back,
And I don’t give a damn.

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