MY TOP TEN PERSONAL FAVOURITE POSTS ON SPANISH POP LYRICS

The tenth anniversary celebrations continue! I have already posted two top tens here and here. As if that wasn’t enough, here are some posts that may not be the most visited but which are personal favourites.

1) CONTRAPUNTO by LOS QUE VIVIMOS

What is really special about this post it that several of the people involved in the band got in touch to tell their own story. My subsequent attempt to write a brief band biography is here.

2) EL ANILLO DEL CAPITÁN BETO by INVISIBLE

This was one of the highlights from my series about Argentinian rock (focusing on the 1960s and 1970s). It remains the finest example of Spanish language prog rock that I have discovered.

3) LA BALSA by LOS GATOS

Sticking with Argentina, this wonderful slice of garage rock really should have been on the “Nuggets II” compilation. This was also the point at which I decided Spanish Pop Lyrics could include Spanish language songs from countries other than Spain.

4) EL RELOJITO by GLORIA RÍOS

This is from my series about Mexican rock and it is the earliest (1956) example of rock and roll sung in Spanish which I have found.

5) A TU VERA by THE TOMCATS

Spanish rock in the 1960s could be disappointingly polite. This is one of the wildest (and funniest) tracks that I have found. If you like this sort of thing then check out my compilation.

6) EL AFINADOR DE CÍTARAS by NUEVOS HORIZONTES

Cool psychedelia from Spain has also proved to be difficult to find. This pop-psych gem was written by Vainica Doble.

7) TIERRA by XOEL LÓPEZ

Something more contemporary, this is by the artist formerly known as Deluxe. A rather beautiful song and I think I did a good job of the translation.

8) EL QUE by DAF

A crazed mixture of Spanish and German, which just might be your gateway drug into my German Pop Lyrics blog!

9) CANCION DEL ECO by CHRISTINA ROSENVINGE

One of my favourite contemporary Spanish singer songwriters. This is perhaps her greatest song, and I dared to attempt a version in English.

10) RÍU CHÍU by THE MONKEES

It’s interesting to find artists who usually sing in English having a go at Spanish. Sometimes the results are awful, but here the Monkees are surprisingly great. It’s also a cool alternative Christmas track.

MI MOSCA FAVORITA by NUEVOS HORIZONTES

From 1969, this was the second single by Nuevos Horizontes, and like their first it was written by Vainica Doble. It can’t quite match the brilliance of “El Afinador De Cítaras”, but it’s still a lot of fun.

MI MOSCA FAVORITA Tú, tú, tú, siempre tú Y tú con tus rarezas Tú, tú, tú, siempre tú Me quiebras la cabeza No puedo comprender cómo te han hecho Que siempre te paseas por el techo Y no te puedo ver nunca al derecho Y tú me ves siempre al revés Y tú me ves siempre al revés Tú, tú, baja los pies Y ponlos en el suelo Ya que así no podrás Jamás mirar al cielo No podemos seguir de esta manera Comprende que por mucho que yo te quiera No puedo estar subido en la escalera Y tú me ves siempre al revés Y tú me ves siempre al revés Tú, tú, tú, siempre tú Y tú con tus manías Conseguiste amargar Nuestros mejores días Ven, ven, ven junto a mí Y zúmbame al oído Esa negra canción De tan dulce sonido Y tú me ves siempre al revés

MY FAVOURITE FLY You, you, you, always you And you with your eccentricities You, you, you, always you You do my head in I can't understand how they made you You're always walking on the ceiling And I can never see you the right way up And you always see me upside down And you always see me upside down You, you, lower your feet And put them on the floor Since that way you won't Ever be able to look at the sky We can't go on this way Understand that as much as I love you I can't be at the top of the stairs And you always see me upside down And you always see me upside down You, you, you, always you And you with your obsessions You got bitter Our best days Come, come, come with me And buzz me in my ear That dark song That sounds so sweet And you always see me upside down

SE ME ESCAPÓ UNA ILUSIÓN by NUEVOS HORIZONTES

Spanish Rock in the Seventies Part 2: Rock Family Trees

I don’t know if a Spanish version of ‘Rock Family Trees’ exists, but if there does this will be an interesting page. Nuevos Horizontes have featured previously on this blog, with their great single ‘El Afinador De Cítaras’ from 1969 (written by Vainica Doble). However, by the early seventies the hits had dried up and their female vocalist left the group. Carrying on as ‘The Spanish Mamas & Papas’ was no longer an option…

Meanwhile the promising quartet Solera, who we have seen previously with ‘Linda Prima’, released their debut album in 1973. However the group then split up when both Rodrigo García and José Guzman moved on to form Cánovas, Rodrigo, Adolfo y Guzmán. Usually known as CRAG, this ‘supergroup’ enjoyed success with the single ‘Señora Azul’ (another track you can find on Spanish Pop Lyrics). But what about the talented brothers José and Manuel Martín who had been left behind?

In 1974 Nuevos Horizontes and the the Martín brothers joined forces to record ‘Telaraña’ (‘Spider’s Web’). The two halves worked well together and although the album wasn’t a hit it is now considered a classic of Spanish rock. Like CRAG and Solera they combined strong songs with adventurous arrangements. ‘Se Me Escapó Una Ilusión’ is a rich ballad, epic enough to have been included on at least one prog rock compilation.

SE ME ESCAPÓ UNA ILUSIÓN Ya amanece otra vez, Parece que ella hace un rato anochecer, El alba me sorprendió, Su rayos hilo de cera me incendió, Un pensamiento de ayer, La imagen que no olvidé De la araña que su enredo me tejió Unos sinsabores y el recuerdo de un antiguo amor. Se me escapó una ilusión, Que brilla fuerte en mi mente como un sol, Se me escapó una ilusión, Y nos quedamos sin noche y sin amor Hiciste tu libertad, Tu pudiste (?) aceptar, Pues, vencido ante el destino Liberé las mil cadenas que Oprimían tus viajeros pies. Se me escapó una ilusión, Pues, puedo aún recobrar la para mí, Se me escapó una ilusión, Quizás tú quieras guardarla para ti, Yo te prometo luchar con armas que me darás Con tus besos, con tu vida y con tu amor Y viviremos hasta siempre o hasta sabe en Dios.

THE DREAM SLIPPED AWAY Now that it is dawn again, It seems like she went dark just a while ago, The dawn surprised me, Its rays, threads of wax, set me alight A thought of yesterday, The image I haven't forgotten Of the spider that wove a tangled web around me Of troubles and the memory of an old love. The dream slipped away from me That shone so strongly in my mind like a sun, The dream slipped away from me And we are left without night and without love You took your freedom, You could accept, Well, defeated by fate I released the thousand chains that Were oppressing your travelling feet. The dream slipped away from me Well, I can still recover it for myself The dream slipped away from me Perhaps you want to keep it for yourself, I promise to fight with weapons that you'll give me With your kisses, your life and your love And we will live forever, or until God knows when.

Prog, Psych and Beyond from Spain, Argentina & Mexico (1970-79)

To celebrate the 200th post from Spanish Pop Lyrics, here is this blog’s second compilation, a sequel to the first which covered the years 1964-69.

All the songs are originals sung in Spanish. Mostly I would file them under progressive rock or psychedelia, but I have also thrown in a couple of blasts of blues rock and a few of the more progressive singer-songwriters from the period. It is split fairly evenly between bands from Spain and Argentina, but two groups from Mexico also make an appearance. Download

Almost all the songs have been featured on this blog (the couple which haven’t will appear in the near future). Anyway, you know where to look for the lyrics…

Pop, Rock, Psych and Garage from Spain and Latin America (1964-69)

To celebrate four years of Spanish Pop Lyrics, and also as a kind of Xmas gift, here is this blog’s first ever compilation / mix-tape (much of it in authentic low fidelity). Download

All the songs are sung in Spanish, and all but a handful are original songs rather than covers.

It’s generally up tempo, but there are a couple of slower tracks at the end.
Almost all the songs have been featured on this blog, and those that aren’t may well appear in the near future. Anyway, you know where to look for the lyrics… 

UPDATE (Nov 2017): Now the lyrics to all 28 songs are available on this blog. The download link has also been updated.

EL AFINADOR DE CÍTARAS By NUEVOS HORIZONTES

Part 5: Psychedelic Pop and the End of the Sixties

We round up our look at the sixties with a track from the end of the decade by Spain’s answer to the Mamas and Papas – Nuevos Horizontes. This was their first single, a top ten hit in 1969. It was written for them by Vainica Doble, the female duo who would go on to become one of the most interesting Spanish groups of the seventies. The duo wrote some pretty strange and psychedelic sounding songs, but because they had a background in kid’s TV, the censors must have assumed it was just innocent childish fun – and maybe it was!

Here is some more info about Vainica Doble: http://www.oocities.org/soho/suite/4686/

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EL AFINADOR DE CÍTARAS ESTRIBILLO: ¿Sois acaso el afinador de cítaras? Calle del Álamo, número 27 - E ¿Vive aquí acaso el afinador de cítaras? No, señor (x3) No señor, soy un humilde pintor voy en busca de un color que se fue de mi taller Dígale si se lo encuentra usted que no puedo trabajar sin el ¡Ay, señor! el color se llama azul lo guardaba en un baúl pero un día se escapo Y ha quedado a medio terminar el retrato de mi tía Pilar ESTRIBILLO No señor, soy un fracasado actor voy buscando un director que me dé un buen papel Dígale si acaso le ve usted que soy alto, guapo y hablo inglés Puedo hacer de vaquero o de galán indio, espía o capitán de valiente o de traidor De playboy galante estoy mejor porque soy moreno y seductor ESTRIBILLO (pero cambia a ‘Sí, señor’) Sí señor, yo soy el afinador que de puerta en puerta va soy el rey del diapasón Sé afinar lo mismo un clavecín que un trombón un arpa o un violín Ahora ya nunca más afinaré y lo siento, sí señor, porque se ha perdido el "Do" Dígale si se lo encuentra usted que lo esperan "Mi", "Fa", "Sol", "La", "Si" y el "Re" ¿Sois acaso el afinador de cítaras? ¿Vive aquí acaso? ¿Vive aquí acaso el afinador de cítaras? ¿Vive aquí acaso? Calle del Álamo, número 27

THE ZITHER TUNER CHORUS: Are you the zither tuner by any chance? Alamo street, number 27 – E Does the zither tuner live here by any chance? No, sir (x3) No sir, I’m a humble painter I'm looking for a colour that disappeared from my workshop Tell him if you find him that I can’t work without him Oh, sir! The colour is called blue I kept him in a trunk but one day he escaped And it’s been left half finished the portrait of my Aunt Pilar CHORUS No sir, I'm a failed actor I'm looking for a director Who will give me a good part Tell him, if you should see him That I'm tall, handsome and speak English I can be a cowboy or a ladies’ man Indian, spy or captain brave or traitor But I’m better at gallant playboys because I’m dark and charming CHORUS (but change to ‘Yes, sir’) Yes sir, I am the tuner who works from door to door I'm the king of the tuning fork I also know how to tune the spinet the trombone, the harp and the violin Now I will never tune again I’m sorry sir because the "Do" has got lost Tell him if you find him that they’re waiting for him "Mi", "Fa", "Sol", "La", "Si" and "Re" Are you the zither tuner by any chance? Does he live here by any chance? Does the zither tuner live here by any chance? Does he live here by any chance? Alamo street, number 27

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CHORDS
Chorus / Estribillo:
Am – Am – D – D
D5 – D5 – F – E  
F – F – Am – Am 
D – F – Am (x3) 

Verse / Estrofa:
C – G – Am – E 
E – A – F# – B

CARAMELO DE LIMÓN by VAINICA DOBLE

Vainica Doble were two thirty-something women whose psychedelic pop releases must have raised a few eyebrows at the time. This track featured on their debut LP in 1971. They also wrote songs for other groups, notably Nuevos Horizontes.

If you want to know more there’s a lot of info here: http://www.distrimagen.es/vainica/info.htm

Also, the song was #91 in a Rolling Stone list of the greatest Spanish pop songs: http://zonaforo.meristation.com/topic/2160665/

UPDATE (Oct 2015): RIP Gloria Van Aerssen (her bandmate Carmen Santonja died in 2000).

CARAMELO DE LIMÓN ESTRIBILLO: Caramelo de limón (ah-ah-ah-ah) El sol de mi país Caramelo de limón, el sol de mi país Sol de mi país Cielo blanquecino y gris, Palomita de anís (ah…) Mermelada de ciruela, El mar que en sueños vi (ah…) Que al romper las olas Se convierte en chantillí (ah…) Caramelo de limón, el sol de mi país Sol de mi país, Viento norte viento triste, Un arco iris sin fin (ah…) Bosques de castaños, Los que siempre yo soñé Que eran marron glacé Nubes escarchadas, Ventisqueros de cristal, Marismas de niebla y sal. Caramelo de limón, el sol de mi país.

LEMON DROP CHORUS: Lemon drop (ah-ah-ah-ah) My country’s sun, Lemon drop, my country’s sun, My country's sun, Sky whitish and gray Aniseed liquor with water (ah…) Plum jam, The sea I saw in dreams (ah…) Breaking waves That turn into whipped cream (ah…) Lemon drop, my country’s sun, My country's sun, Sad north wind, A rainbow without end. Chestnut trees, Those I always dreamt about That were brown glacé Frosty clouds, Glass glaciers Misty salt marshes. Lemon drop, my country’s sun,

CHORDS / ACORDES:

Intro:
E (with riff and descending scale)

Chorus / Estribillo:
E – F# – B – F# – Am – E – F#

Verse / Estrofa:
A – Bm – G – D – C – A
Bm – G – D – C – A
Bm – G – D – C