“Las Estrellas” by Caramelos de Cianuro, English translation of lyrics

“The Stars” Lyrics
Album: Miss Mujerzuela (Miss Ladytart), 2000
Style: Rock love song throwing roses at a romantic partner they think highly of.
Country: Venezuela
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Yo sé que sólo he sido un vagabundo,
Un sinvergüenza, un perro inmundo,
Una bala perdida, una hoja caída
.

I know that I have only been a vagabond,
A scoundrel, a filthy dog,
A stray bullet, a fallen leaf.

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“Días De Verano” (Summer Days) by Amaral, English translation of lyrics

“Summer Days” or “Days of Summer” Song Translation
Album: Pájaros en la cabeza (Birds in my head), 2005
Style: Rock song about feeling like there aren’t enough summer days left to repair a relationship.
Country: Spain
Listen: YouTube. Those things that look like trees at 0:39 are maguey (agave) stalks.

Translation:

No quedan días de verano para pedirte perdón,
Para borrar del pasado el daño que te hice yo,
Sin besos de despedida y sin palabras bonitas,
Porque te miro a los ojos y no me sale la voz
.

There are no summer days left to ask for your forgiveness,
To erase from the past the harm that I did to you,
Without farewell kisses and without pretty words,
Because I look into your eyes and my voice does not come out.

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“Vivir Sin Aire” by Maná, English translation of lyrics

“To Live Without Air”
Album¿Dónde Jugarán los Niños? (Where Will The Children Play?), 1992
Style: Rock
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Cómo quisiera… Poder vivir sin aire.
Cómo quisiera… Poder vivir sin agua.
Me encantaría… Quererte un poco menos.

How I would love… To (be able to) live without air.
How I would love… To (be able to) live without water.
It would delight me… To love you a bit less.

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“Antes Que Ver El Sol” by Coti, English translation of lyrics

“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

Translation:

Ah, ah ah ah, ah…

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?

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“Asteroide” by Zoé, English translation

“Asteroid” Lyrics
AlbumZoé (Zoe), 2008
Style: Rock song using an asteroid metaphor for a relationship
Country: Mexico
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Déjate ver,
Estuvo chido poder besar (*)
Tu estereocuerpo lunar,
Tus ojos brillan más cada vez.

Let yourself be seen,
It was nice being able to kiss (*)
Your stereobody beauty spot,
Your eyes shine more very time.

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“Tu Guardián” by Juanes, English translation of lyrics

“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

Translation:

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.

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“Nada Valgo Sin Tu Amor” by Juanes, English translation of lyrics

“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

Translation:

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

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“En Mi Lado Del Sofá” by La Oreja de Van Gogh, English translation of lyrics

“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

Translation:

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.

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“Mala Gente” (Bad People) by Juanes, English translation and notes

“Bad People” Translation
Album: Un Día Normal (2003)
Style: Rock song. Bitter song to an ex who broke his heart and now wants him back. This song won the Latin Grammy Award for “Best Rock Song” in 2003.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Tú me pides que te deje ahora, ahora,
Ahora cuando más te necesito
.

You ask me to leave you now, now,
Now when I need you most.

Tú me dices que este amor se fue al olvido, ahora,
Ahora cuando yo ya no te olvido
.

You tell me that this love has fallen to oblivion, now,
Now when I cannot forget you anymore.

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“La Camisa Negra” (The Black Shirt) by Juanes, English translation + meaning

“The Black Shirt” Song Translated
AlbumMi Sangre (My Blood), 2004
Style: Rock, grieving/bitter. Juanes mourns a bad relationship and how it affected him. The black shirt symbolizes mourning. This song has lots of wordplay explained in the notes.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

(No por pobre y feo, pero por antojado…)

(Not for being poor or ugly, but for longing…)

Tengo la camisa negra.
Hoy mi amor está de luto.
Hoy tengo en el alma una pena
 [*pena, f. = pain (emotional); regret]
Y es por culpa de tu embrujo.

I wear the black shirt.
Today my love is mourning.
Today I have a regret weighing my soul
And it’s the fault of your witchcraft.

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“Podemos Hacernos Daño” by Juanes, English translation

“We Can Cause Each Other Harm” Lyrics
Album: Fíjate Bien (Pay Good Attention), 2000
Style: Pop rock, about the potential of new relationships
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube, Amazon

Translation:

Ya es tarde para que te vea
Igual que lo hacía
En los días lejanos de mi cotidiano eterno
.

It is late now for me to see you
The (same) way I used to
In those far away days of my everyday eternity.

Mira que ya todo es tan distinto,
Estamos explotando,
Uno tan cerca del otro y de pronto mi amor

Look, see that everything is so different now,
We are exploding,
One so close to the other and all of a sudden, my love —

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“Inevitable” by Shakira, English translation of lyrics

“Inevitable”
Album¿Dónde Están Los Ladrones? (Where Are The Thieves?), 1998
Style: Rock, confessions love song.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Si es cuestión de confesar,
No sé preparar café
Y no entiendo de fútbol
.

If it’s a matter of confessing,
I don’t know how to prepare coffee
And I don’t understand soccer.

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