“Manos Al Aire” (Hands in the Air) by Nelly Furtado, English translation

“Hands in the Air” (2009)
AlbumMi Plan (My Plan)
Genre: Pop, about defenselessness, relationship trouble, and not wanting to fight. Beautiful voice, but the song is sad. Don’t put your hands in the air in defeat! Nooo.
Country: Canada, Portuguese background

By the way, I want to point out that Nelly Furtado was first famous in English media (she sung light pop “I’m Like a Bird” and R&B “Promiscuous”). It is not often that English singers expand to the Spanish market, so this is interesting. This song was released as a single before re-release in the album.

Lyrics Translation:

Tú, que pierdes el control
Hablando en alta voz,
Hieres mi corazón.

You, who lose control,
Speaking with a raised voice,
Wound my heart.

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“Gitana” (Gypsy) by Shakira, English translation of song lyrics

“Gypsy”
Album: She Wolf (2009)
Genre: Pop. Weird song about a women with a wandering spirit that a guy wants to tame, and she thinks that’s hot.
Country: Colombia

Lyrics Translation:

Nunca usé un antifaz.
Voy de paso
Por este mundo fugaz.

I never used a mask.
I am on my way
Through this fleeting world.

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“Muñeca de Trapo” (Rag Doll) by La Oreja de Van Gogh, English translation

“Rag Doll” Song Translation
Album: Guapa (Good Looking), 2006
Genre: Pop/rock, heavy string instruments, sad song about unrequited love and neglect.
Country: Spain

Lyrics Translation:

Como esos cuadros que aún están por colgar,
Como el mantel de la cena de ayer,
Siempre esperando que te diga algo más,
Y mis sentidas palabras no quieren volar.

Like those paintings that have yet to be hung up,
Like the tablecloth of yesterday’s dinner,
Always waiting for me to tell you something more,
And my heartfelt words do not want to fly.

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“Un Lugar Para Renacer” (A Place To Be Reborn) by Natalia Lafourcade, English translation

“A Place To Be Reborn” Lyrics
AlbumHu, Hu, Hu, 2009
Genre: Pop, light and floaty, gentle fairy-ish, some piano
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube, Amazon

Lyrics Translation:

Qué protección sentí ayer,
Aunque afuera vi la lluvia.
Me dieron ganas de llorar

Con la canción que me enseñabas.

What security I felt yesterday,
Even though saw the rain outside.
I felt like crying [*lit. I got the urge to cry]
With the song that you were teaching me.

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“Tres” (Three) by Juanes, English translation

“Three”
AlbumLa Vida Es… Un Ratico (Life Is… A Brief Moment), 2007
Genre: Pop, love song about waiting for someone.
Country: Colombia

Lyrics Translation:

Yo no pienso que me pueda de ti olvidar.
Yo no pienso que mi corazón resista un día más.
Yo no soy lo que tú quieras que sea este amor.
Sólo soy la puerta abierta que te da mi corazón.

I do not think that I can forget about you.
I do not think that my heart will stand another day.
I am not what you want this love to be.
I am only the open door that gives my heart to you.

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“La Llamada” (The Call) by Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, English translation

“The Call”
Genre: Drama pop song about a cheater who wants to get back together. This person cheats, gets caught, gets dumped, and then won’t stop calling! Selena is just going to keep hanging up. Stop calling her. I love songs with stories.
Country: United States (Texas); Mexico

Lyrics Translation:

[Sound of phone ringing]

-Bueno…
-Soy yo, mi amor, antes de que me cuelgues no’ más dejame explicar que…

-Hello…
-It’s me, my love, before you hang up on me just let me explain that…

[Sound of phone hanging up]

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“Nuestro Amor Sera Leyenda” (Our Love Will Be Legend) by Alejandro Sanz, English translation

“Our Love Will Be Legend”, 2009
Genre: Pop, love song, about long-distance relationships
Country: Spain (Madrid)

Lyrics Translation:

No hay doctor que me retenga,
No hay dolor que me detenga,
No hay planeta que me eclipse,
O de tu lado me desvíe.

There is no doctor who can retain me,
There is no pain that can detain me,
There is no planet that can eclipse me,
Or from your side divert me.

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“Bonito” (Nice Life) by Jarabe de Palo, English translation of lyrics

“Nice Life”, literally “Pretty”
Album: Bonito, 2003
Genre: Cheerful, repetitive and upbeat pop song about enjoying life. A little hypnotic. I can imagine he is singing this song to himself as he goes for a walk, greeting everything he meets.
Country: Spain

Lyrics Translation:

Bonito, todo me parece bonito.

Nice, everything seems nice to me.

Bonita mañana,
Bonito lugar,
Bonita la cama,
Qué bien se ve el mar.

Pretty morning,
Pretty place,
Pretty bed,
How good the sea looks.

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“Algo De Ti” (Something About You) by Paulina Rubio, English translation

“Something About You” Lyrics Translation
Genre: Electric pop, catchy. This song’s background sounds like the Kill Bill soundtrack, maybe with hints of Mamma Mia. Anyway, it got stuck in my head.
Country: Mexico

Lyrics Translation:

Cierro los ojos sin mirar atrás.
Las cosas buenas pasan más y más
Y tus errores tienen la virtud
De hacerme mal.

I close my eyes without looking back.
Good things happen more and more
And your mistakes have the power
To do me harm.

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“Hu, Hu, Hu” by Natalia Lafourcade ft. Julieta Venegas, English translation

“Hu, Hu, Hu”
Album: Hu, Hu, Hu (2009)
Genre: Light, airy, pop/rock. The singers control the song metric really well. They almost put me in a trance. I call the style “airy,” but that is more about the mood. The singing voices are quite strong.
Country: Mexico

Lyrics Translation:

Intro:
————————————————————–
Quiero regalarte las estrellas, [*regalar = lit. gift (verb)]
Sol, la luna entera,
Una hora extra para respirar.

I want to give you the stars,
The sun, the full moon,
An extra hour to breathe.

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“Lo Hecho Está Hecho” (What is Done is Done) by Shakira, English translation

“What is Done is Done” Lyrics
AlbumShe Wolf, 2009
Genre: Energetic lusty pop. The music video for this song has really interesting choreography that takes elements of martial arts and maybe ballet. The guy in the video is Daniel “Cloud” Campos.
Country: Colombia

Lyrics Translation:

En la suite 16
Lo que empieza no termina.
Del mini bar al Edén
Y en muy mala compañía.

In suite 16
What starts does not end.
From the minibar to Eden
And in very bad company.

Hey!

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“Acción y Reacción” (Action and Reaction) by Thalía, English translation of lyrics

“Action and Reaction” Lyrics Translation
Album: Greatest Hits, 2004
Style: Electric pop, love song. This is a song about two people from different ethnicities and backgrounds in love. It does not matter that they are different; they are in love!
Country: Mexico
Listen: live version; pre-recorded album version;

Translation:

Que tú prefieras los Beatles
Y yo Juan Gabriel,
No importa que sea otro el ritmo
Pero aquí es cuestion de piel.

That you prefer The Beatles [*old, famous British band]
And me, Juan Gabriel, [*old, famous Mexican ranchera singer]
No matter the different rhythm [*lit. No matter that the rhythm be another]
(But here) it’s a matter of skin.

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