Honestly, I’m translating this because I feel like it and because I want to talk about this hauntingly beautiful song and the story behind it.

The story behind what inspired the song:

Alfonsina Storni was an argentine poet who had breast cancer and treated it the first time but was not willing to go through the same process a second time when it came back, so in true Alfonsina Storni form a woman with a strong character that let no one lead her life, she decided to handle it her way, she had already voiced her thoughts about suicide on a poem when her friend (Alleged lover) and poet Horacio Quiroga committed suicide, I find the poem slightly eerie because it kind of foretell her own death

She traveled to Mar del Plata, a city located on the Atlantic coast, she stayed there a few days and wrote her last poem “Me voy a dormir” (I’m going to sleep) and send it to the journal La Nación.

The song pays homage and is slightly inspired by the last poem and the way Alfonsina Storni committed suicide.

There are many versions out there of this tragically beautiful song, my favorites are the original version by Mercedes Sosaand this cover by Amaia (starts at 1:35). Mind you this is not a proper translation because I’m not a professional translator there might be a few mistakes here and there I just wanted to share this song because is so beautiful. You should definitely check some of her work or read about her, she was an impressive person.

Por la blanda arena que lame el mar

By the soft sand that the sea licks

Su pequeña huella no vuelve más

Her small footprint won’t come back

Un sendero solo de pena y silencio llegó

A path only of sorrows and silence arrived

Hasta el agua profunda

Down to the deep water

Un sendero solo de penas mudas llegó

A path only of unspoken sorrows arrived

Hasta la espuma

To the sea foam

Sabe Dios que angustia te acompañó

God only knows what anguish accompanied you

Que dolores viejos calló tu voz

What old pains your voice silenced

Para recostarte arrullada en el canto de las

To lay down lulled to sleep by the singing of the

Caracolas marinas

Seashells

La canción que canta en el fondo oscuro del mar

The song that is sang in the dark depths of the sea by

La caracola

The seashell

Te vas Alfonsina con tu soledad

You leave Alfonsina with your loneliness

¿Qué poemas nuevos fuiste a buscar?

What new poems did you went to find?

Una voz antigua de viento y de sal

An old voice of wind and salt

Te requiebra el alma y la está llevando

Breaks your soul and is taking it

Y te vas hacia allá, como en sueños

And you go over there, like in a dream

Dormida, Alfonsina, vestida de mar

Asleep, Alfonsina, dressed by the sea

Cinco sirenitas te llevarán

Five little mermaids will take you

Por caminos de algas y de coral

Through paths of seaweed and coral

Y fosforescentes caballos marinos harán

And phosphorescent seahorses will make

Una ronda a tu lado

A round by your side

Y los habitantes del agua van a jugar

And the inhabitants of the waters will play

Pronto a tu lado

Soon by your side

Bájame la lámpara un poco más

Lower the lights a little bit more

Déjame que duerma Nodriza en paz

Let me sleep, nursemaid, in peace

Y si llama él no le digas que estoy

And if he calls, don’t tell him I’m here

Dile que Alfonsina no vuelve

Tell him that Alfonsina won’t come back

Y si llama él no le digas nunca que estoy

And if he calls don’t ever tell him I’m here

Di que me he ido

Say that I’ve left

Te vas Alfonsina con tu soledad

You leave, Alfonsina with your loneliness

¿Qué poemas nuevos fuiste a buscar?

What new poems did you went to find?

Una voz antigua de viento y de sal

An old voice of wind and salt

Te requiebra el alma y la está llevando

Breaks your soul and is taking it

Y te vas hacia allá como en sueños

And you go over there, like in a dream

Dormida, Alfonsina, vestida de mar

Asleep, Alfonsina, dressed by the sea

Most of these bands are from Argentina but I think there might be a few from Uruguay. Anyways enjoy because all of them are amazing if you don’t have the willingness to listen to all of them right now, at least listen to my favorite ones because those are extremely amazing, I’ll mark them with this (F).

1.       Me gustas mucho – Viejas Locas

2.       La flor más bella – Memphis La Blusera

3.       Campanas en la noche – Los tipitos

4.       En la ciudad de la furia – Soda Stereo

5.       De música ligera – Soda Stereo (F)

6.       Canción de cuna – Los piojos or Ciro y los persas¹(F)

7.       Prohibido – Callejeros ²(F)

8.       Profugos – Soda Stereo

9.       Madrugada – La Beriso

10.   9 de julio – Callejeros (F)

11.   Una nueva noche fría – Callejeros

12.   Balada del diablo y la muerte – La renga (F)

13.   Mil horas – Los abuelos de la nada

14.   Amor de verano – Airbag

15.   Arde la ciudad – La mancha de rolando

16.   Ruta 66 – Pappo, Pappo’s Blues

17.   Juntos a la par – Pappo

18.   Sigue girando – Ratones paranoicos

19.   Personalmente – Las pelotas

20.   La razón que te demora – La renga

21.   Como Ali – Los piojos or Ciro y los persas

22.   La bestia pop – Patricios Rey y sus redonditos de ricota

23.   Ji Ji Ji – Patricio Rey y sus redonditos de ricota

24.   Crimen – Gustavo Cerati

25.   ¿Qué ves? – Divididos

26.   Verano del 92 – Los piojos

27.   Avanti Morocha – Los caballeros de la quema

28.   Ese maldito momento – No te va a gustar

29.   Descontrolado – Jóvenes pordioseros

30.   Solo voy – La 25

31.   Mujer amante – Rata blanca

32.   Lamento boliviano – Los enanitos verdes

33.   Rock del gato – Ratones paranoicos

34.   Aire – Estelares

35.   El revelde – La renga (F)

I had to physically stop myself from adding more songs, there are too many amazing rock songs from Argentina (and Uruguay), maybe I’ll do a second part of rock songs, I don’t know.

Los piojos or Ciro y los persas¹= You can google it either way, the thing is Los Piojos splitted and the singer of the band did some old songs with his new band

Prohibido – Callejeros²= I’m clarifying this for anyone who’s Spanish is not that good yet, in a part of the song they say homosexuality is a bad word and is not something normal people do, along with a lot of stereotypes from the decade, what the song does is criticize that kind of thoughts that’s why later on the song it says “I don’t listen and I keep going, because a lot of the things that are “forbidden” make me happy” just in case your brain goes all what the fuck when you listen that line, the song is against narrow minded and conservative thoughts.

Now that I said everything, enjoy!!

Spanish music playlist pt. 2

Ok, so a couple of days ago I shared a playlist with the music that’s poppin in Argentina nightclubs right now.

But now I have to share this playlist because is key when it comes to Argentina music, these songs fall either under the genre of Cuarteto or Cumbia they are a part of what we in Argentina refer to as “Movida tropical” (tropical movement)

Now Cuarteto is a music genre that was born in Cordoba, one of Argentina provinces, on the other hand, Cumbia is a genre that’s part of many other Latin-American countries, and even in Argentina is has its own subdivisions, the cumbia in this playlist, for the most part, is going to be argentine but there are some other countries here too.

I’m going to share with you my all-time favorites, that are widely popular in Argentina.

1.       Que Ironía – Rodrigo

2.       Y volo volo – Rodrigo

3.       Ocho Cuarenta – Rodrigo

4.       Soy Cordobes – Rodrigo

5.       Figurate tu – Rodrigo, Alejandra Romero

6.       Lo mejor del amor – Rodrigo

7.       Adicto a ti – Walter Olmos

8.       Por lo que yo te quiero – Walter Olmos

9.       Que Bonito – Banda XXI

10.   Voy a olvidarme de ti – Mario Luis

11.   Hoja en blanco – Mario Luis

12.   Lo intentamos – La poderosa sonora master

13.   Mientes tan bien – La poderosa sonora master

14.   Amor Prohibido – Selena

15.   Una cerveza – Rafaga

16.   Una ráfaga de amor - Rafaga

17.   Lloraras mas de diez veces – Leo Mattioli, Karina

18.   Le pido a Dios – Leo Mattioli

19.   Muero por ti – Dalila

20.   Mas hombre que tu – Dalila

21.   Se que lloraras – Dalila

22.   Y que de mí – Dalila

23.   Yo tomo licor – Amar Azul

24.   Yo me enamore – Amar Azul

25.   Dime – La nueva luna

26.   No me arrepiento de este amor – Gilda

27.   Se me ha perdido un corazón - Gilda

28.   Me muero de amor – El viejo Marquez

29.   Olvidala – Los Palmeras

30.   Costumbres – Sonora Skandalo

Mind you, most of these songs are late 90’s or early 00’s, nonetheless, all of these songs are bops, there is not one bad song here, there are even more that I wanted to add, but I think this is a good amount for now. I highly doubt you’ll ever meet an Argentinian that has never heard any of these songs, because they are iconic, if you ever do meet one that doesn’t know them, they were highly deprived of these genres growing up because I have no explanation why they wouldn’t know any of them.

I hope your little hearts move happily to the rhythm of these songs cuz’ they are amazing, even the slow-ish ones.

Spanish (Clubbing) music playlist

In honor of being friday and the weekend coming up (mostly I made this playlist because I’m going out today and wanted to get in the party mood but also thought it was a good idea to share it) here is a playlist with the music that’s poppin’ in nightclubs in Argentina, and in young people houses while they are getting ready to go out or waiting for friends to come over and hang out.

1.       La cobra – J mena

2.       China – Anuel AA, Daddy Yankee, KAROL G, J Balvin, Ozuna

3.       Otro trago – Sech, Darell (The remix is also a bop)

4.       Cuaderno – Dalex, Nicky Jam, Justin Quiles, Sech, Lenny Tavarez

5.       Nada – Cazzu, Lyanno, Rauw Alejandro, Dalex

6.       Mucha Data – Cazzu

7.       Tal vez – Paulo Londra

8.       Se acabo – J mena

9.       22 – TINI, Greeicy

10.   Pa Mi – Remix – Dalex, Rafa Pabön, Khea, Sech, Feid, Cazzu, Lenny Tavarez

11.   Te Robare – Remix – Nicky Jam, Ozuna

12.   Adan y Eva – Paulo Londra

13.   Con Calma – Daddy Yankee

14.   Rebota - Guaynaa

15.   Si Supieras – Daddy Yankee, Wisin & Yandel

16.   Callaita – Bad Bunny, Tainy

17.   Soltera – Remix – Lunay, Daddy Yankee, Bad Bunny

18.   No me conoce – Remix- Jhay Cortez, J Balvin, Bad Bunny

19.   Con Altura – ROSALIA, J Balvin, El guincho

20.   LA CANCION – J Balvin, Bad Bunny

21.   Secreto – Anuel AA, KAROL G

22.   Bellacoso – Residente, Bad Bunny

23.   Visto a las 00:00 – Cazzu

24.   Contra la pared – Sean Paul, J Balvin

25.   Si se da - Myke Towers, Farruko

BTW, don’t let songs that start slow fool you, they are bops.

Honorable mention to: Yo x Ti, Tu x Mi – ROSALIA, Ozuna. Because it came out on Thursday but I’m sure it’ll be poppin’ soon in nightclubs.