The other day I was with some friends discussing the topic of language and how unfortunate it is that some people do not embrace it for the blessing that it truly is; for example, as it is used in song. I personally believed early humans learned to sing before they mastered the art of conveying ideas to one another through the spoken word. But that is another subject for another day. Back to language, in this case Spanish, which when subjected to sound opens a new world to it's listener. A song tends to compartmentalize language into smaller sections allowing us to learn how other languages are composed. In song, music becomes the main interpretational tool. Words become secondary to the emotions the rhythm evokes yet the sounds entices the mind to learn more. Humans are uncanny wonderful creatures that have the ability to create diverse venues to instill understanding and comprehension. And what better way to so than through song? It is the reason Lullaby's and Nursery Rhymes exist. Infusing our developing brains with the learning of language and bathing us in a musical realm.
Let me introduce you to one of most prolific Hispanic singer, song writer, composer and producer of our modern era, Juan Luis Guerra. This man has been writing and singing about much more than love since the 1980's. He studied music theory at El Conservatorio Nacional de Música de Santo Domingo, then attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. Juan Luis Guerra Seijas graduated in 1982 with a degree in Jazz Composition.
Accompanied by his band, 4-40, he introduced the world to such great hits like "El Niagara en Bicicleta" (The Niagara on Bicycle) an idiom for something difficult to achieve; "Bulbujas de Amor" (Love Bubbles) heavily metaphorical (warning may cause blushing); and "La Bilirrubina" (The Bilirubin) an imagined medical condition caused by a girl's refusal. Juan Luis Guerra is a master poet. One of his beautiful lyrics questions whether a rose is wearing a full length dress or nothing at all.* He did not limit himself to one genre incorporating diverse rhythms like merengue, bachata-fusion, balada, salsa, rock and roll and even gospel. Juan Luis, through his numerous compositions, brought attention to issues that others turned their backs on. Like poverty, social injustices, doomed romances because of social/economic backgrounds and failed governmental policies of his native, Dominican Republic.
Juan Luis Guerra is a world renowned performer, human rights activist, philanthropist and very much still active at 61. He has received countless nominations for Grammys for Album of the Year and Record of the Year, and many other accolades since starting his musical career in 1984; including a Doctorate from his alma mater Berklee. But as with so many great geniuses, his works are too many to translate in my humble little blog, so I have chosen three of my favorites:
2. Ojala que Lluva Cafe (I Hope It Rains Coffee)
3. Estrellitas y Duendes (Little Stars and Elves)
Even limiting myself to three songs is a big task. So I will have to break it down into a song per page; including a video of the song. I will translate El Costo de La Vida on this page. I invite you to enter my world.
Enjoy.
[I apologize for the format in which the translation is done. I have yet to master using columns in Blogger]
"El Costo De La Vida"
"The Cost of Living"
"The Cost of Living"
El costo de la vida sube otra vez
The cost of living rises again
el peso que baja, ya ni se ve
The cost of living rises again
el peso que baja, ya ni se ve
the dollar drops, it can't be seen
y las habichuelas no se pueden comer
and the beans can not be eaten
and the beans can not be eaten
ni una libra de arroz, ni una cuarta de café
nor a pound of rice, nor a fourth of coffee
a nadie le importa qué piensa usted
no one cares what you think
nor a pound of rice, nor a fourth of coffee
a nadie le importa qué piensa usted
no one cares what you think
será porque aquí no hablamos inglés
must be because here we do not speak English
must be because here we do not speak English
Ah, ah es verdad (3x)
Ah, ah oh yes (3x)
Ah, ah oh yes (3x)
Do you, understand?
Do you, do you?
Do you, do you?
Y la gasolina sube otra vez
And the gasoline goes up again
And the gasoline goes up again
el peso que baja, ya ni se ve
the dollar drops, it can't be seen
the dollar drops, it can't be seen
y la democracia no puede crecer
and democracy can not grow
and democracy can not grow
si la corrupción juega ajedrez
if corruption play chess
if corruption play chess
a nadie le importa qué piensa usted
no one cares what you think
no one cares what you think
será porque aquí no hablamos francés
must be because here we do not speak french
must be because here we do not speak french
Ah, ah vous parlez? (3x)
Ah, ah do you speak? (3x)
Ah, ah do you speak? (3x)
ah, ah non, Monsieur
ah, ah no, Sir
ah, ah no, Sir
¡Eh!...
Eh! (a sigh)
Eh! (a sigh)
Somos un agujero
We are a hole
We are a hole
en medio del mar y el cielo
between the ocean and sky
between the ocean and sky
quinientos años después
500 years later
500 years later
una raza encendida
a burning race
a burning race
Negra, Blanca y Taína
Black, White and Tania (Native American)
Black, White and Tania (Native American)
¿pero quién descubrió a quién?
but whom discovered whom?
Uhm é verdad, uhm é verdad, uhm é verdad
For real, for real, for real
but whom discovered whom?
Uhm é verdad, uhm é verdad, uhm é verdad
For real, for real, for real
Ay, el costo de la vida
Ay, the cost of living
Ay, the cost of living
eh, ya ves, pa(ra) arriba tú ves
eh, you see, going up you see
eh, you see, going up you see
y el peso que baja
the dollar drops
the dollar drops
eh, ya ves, pobre ni se ve
eh, you see, poor dear can't be seen
eh, you see, poor dear can't be seen
y la medicina
and the medicine
and the medicine
eh, ya ves, camina al revés
eh, you see, walks backwards
eh, you see, walks backwards
aquí no se cura
here nothing is cured
here nothing is cured
eh, ya ves, ni un callo en el pie
eh, you see, not even a callous on your foot
eh, you see, not even a callous on your foot
Ay, ki-iki-iki
eh, ya ves, ay ki-iki-é
eh, you see, ay ki-iki-é
eh, you see, ay ki-iki-é
y ahora el desempleo
and now the unemployment
and now the unemployment
eh, ya ves, me mordió también
eh, you see, it bit me too
eh, you see, it bit me too
a nadie le importa, no
no one cares, no
no one cares, no
eh, ya ves, pues no hablamos inglés
eh, you see, since we don't speak English
eh, you see, since we don't speak English
ni a la Mitsubishi
nor at the Mitsubishi
eh, ya ves, ni a la Chevrolet
eh, you see, nor at the Chevrolet
[Interludio Musical]
[Musical Interlude]
eh, you see, nor at the Chevrolet
[Interludio Musical]
[Musical Interlude]
La corrupción pa-arriba
The corruption rises
The corruption rises
eh, ya ves, pa-rriba tú ves
eh, you see, going up you see
eh, you see, going up you see
y el peso que baja
the dollar drops
the dollar drops
eh, ya ves, pobre ni se ve
eh, you see, poor dear can't be seen
eh, you see, poor dear can't be seen
y la delincuencia
and delinquency
and delinquency
eh, ya ves, me pilló esta vez
eh, you see, pinned me down this time
eh, you see, pinned me down this time
aquí no se cura
here nothing is cured
here nothing is cured
eh, ya ves, ni un callo en el pie
eh, you see, not even a callous on your foot
eh, you see, not even a callous on your foot
Ay, ki-iki-iki
eh, ya ves, ay ki-iki-é
eh, you see, ay ki-iki-é
eh, you see, ay ki-iki-é
y ahora el desempleo
and now the unemployment
and now the unemployment
eh, ya ves, me mordió también
eh, you see, it bit me too
eh, you see, it bit me too
a nadie le importa, no
no one cares, no
no one cares, no
eh, ya ves, pues no hablamos inglés
eh, you see, since we don't speak English
eh, you see, since we don't speak English
ni a la Mitsubishi
nor at the Mitsubishi
nor at the Mitsubishi
eh, ya ves, ni a la Chevrolet
eh, you see, nor at the Chevrolet
eh, you see, nor at the Chevrolet
¡Oye!
Listen!
Listen!
[Improv.]
Uhm é verdad, uhm é verdad, uhm é verdad
For real, for real, for real
Eh Mama eh
Oh Mama, oh
The recession is growing
eh, ya ves, pa-rriba tú ves
eh, you see, going up you see
eh, you see, going up you see
y el peso que baja
the dollar drops
the dollar drops
eh, ya ves, pobre ni se ve
eh, you see, poor dear can't be seen
eh, you see, poor dear can't be seen
y la medicina
and the medicine
and the medicine
eh, ya ves, camina al revés
eh, you see, walks backwards
eh, you see, walks backwards
aquí no se cura
here nothing is cured
here nothing is cured
eh, ya ves, ni un callo en el pie
eh, you see, not even a callous on your foot
eh, you see, not even a callous on your foot
Ay, ki-iki-iki
eh, ya ves, ay ki-iki-é
eh, you see, ay ki-iki-é
eh, you see, ay ki-iki-é
y ahora el desempleo
and now the unemployment
and now the unemployment
eh, ya ves, me mordió también
eh, you see, it bit me too
eh, you see, it bit me too
a nadie le importa, no
no one cares, no
no one cares, no
eh, ya ves, pues no hablamos inglés
eh, you see, since we don't speak English
eh, you see, since we don't speak English
ni a la Mitsubishi
nor at the Mitsubishi
nor at the Mitsubishi
eh, ya ves, ni a la Chevrolet
eh, you see, nor at the Chevrolet
*"Te Regalo una Rosa" (Bachata Rosa), Juan Luis Guerra - 2013
eh, you see, nor at the Chevrolet
*"Te Regalo una Rosa" (Bachata Rosa), Juan Luis Guerra - 2013
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