
Rubén Blades
Carmelo, después... (El viejo DaSilva) lyrics with English translation
- Language
- Spanish
- Level
- Intermediate
- Released
- 1980
- Genre
- Salsa
- Length
- 8:57
Qué viejo se ha puesto el sol! pensaba el viejo DaSilva
How old the sun has grown! thought old DaSilva
Recostado en su sillón, despierto y soñando a ratos
Reclined in his chair, awake and dreaming at times
Contemplando los recuerdos entre el humo del tabaco
Contemplating memories amidst the tobacco smoke
En su humilde habitación de mobiliario barato
In his humble room with cheap furniture
De Ramiro no sé nada; ni una carta he recibido
I don't know anything about Ramiro; not a letter have I received
Y aunque sé que es el destino que todos los hijos partan
And though I know it's fate that all children depart
No sé cómo olvidan tantos sacrificios compartidos
I don't know how they forget so many shared sacrifices
Y se van buscando caminos cuando el viejo no hace falta
And they leave in search of paths when the old man is no longer needed
No hay cortesía o derecho para aquél que llega a viejo
There's no courtesy or right for those who reach old age
Se nos trata desde lejos, con hipócrita respeto
We are treated from afar, with hypocritical respect
No me quieren dar trabajo y no me quiero mendigando
They don't want to give me work, and I don't want to beg
Con el Seguro Social, pa' vivir de a vaina alcanzo
With Social Security, to live I barely make it
Y entre éstas cuatro paredes presiento la muerte llegando
And within these four walls, I feel death approaching
Y entre éstas cuatro paredes presiento la muerte llegando
And within these four walls, I feel death approaching
Qué vieja que está la tarde! pensaba el viejo DaSilva
How old the afternoon is! thought old DaSilva
Mirando las golondrinas desde la banca del parque
Watching the swallows from the park bench
A veces pa' levantarme necesito que me ayuden
Sometimes to get up, I need help
Y aunque avergonzado estuve, doy las gracias y camino
And though I was ashamed, I give thanks and I walk
Y cuanto perro me encuentro la quiere coger conmigo
And every dog I meet wants to play with me
Y cuanto perro me encuentro la quiere coger conmigo
And every dog I meet wants to play with me
Manuela, si tú vivieras, quizás tendría una esperanza
Manuela, if you were alive, maybe I'd have some hope
Ay, Manuela, si tú vivieras, quizás tendría una esperanza
Oh Manuela, if you were alive, maybe I'd have some hope
Pero estoy solo mi vieja! y ésta espera cansa
But I'm alone, my old woman! and this waiting tires me
Es que estoy solo mi vieja y solo esperar cansa
It's that I'm alone, my old woman, and just waiting tires me
Qué vieja que está la noche! pensaba el viejo DaSilva
How old the night is! thought old DaSilva
Y apretaba el viejo anillo, que Manuela le dejara
And he tightened the old ring that Manuela had left him
Y apretaba el viejo anillo, que su vieja le dejara
And he tightened the old ring that his old woman had left him
Y alli mismo lo encontraron, en aquél sillón sentado, Muerto!
And right there they found him, in that chair sitting, dead!
Entre el polvo y los recuerdos, mariposas del pasado
Among the dust and memories, butterflies of the past
Y por mucho que trataron, su mano abrir no pudieron
And no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't open his hand
Y por mucho que trataron, su mano abrir no pudieron
And no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't open his hand
Dios te bendiga Carmelo; a Manuela y a los viejos
God bless you, Carmelo; to Manuela and the old folks
Dios te bendiga Carmelo; a Manuela y a los viejos
God bless you, Carmelo; to Manuela and the old folks
Juro que hasta en la muerte
I swear that even in death
No dejaré de quererte
I will not stop loving you
Siempre así, hasta el fin
Always like this, until the end
Mi cielo
My heaven
Lyrics powered by www.musixmatch.com
Key vocabulary
- habitación
- roomA1
- hipócrita
- hypocriteB1
- avergonzado
- embarrassedB2
- vivieras
- lived
- solo
- onlyA1
- viejos
- oldA1
- abrir
- openA1
- alcanzo
- reachC1
- alli
- there
- anillo
- ringB1
About this song
Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna is an award-winning singer, composer, actor, and activist known for his foundational contributions to salsa music and Latin jazz.