Sunday 27 July 2014

Songs in Catalan II

Here's the second part of the post! :)


Blaumut - "Pa amb oli i sal"


This is a more recent song, one I used to hate last year when I lived in Catalonia. Distance has made me appreciate it, and now I really like it, especially the lyrics! :)


"Pa amb oli i sal"


Fes una foto del terrat,

que des d'aquí es pot veure Mart.
La roba estesa, el meu agost, 
un camp d'espigues i cargols.
Esperarem que passi el fred
i sota l'arbre parlarem de tot.

Un bioritme elemental,
un mar d'antenes i animals.
(chorus)
Els astronautes volen baix,
els núvols passen com qui no diu res.
Amb les butxaques a les mans, 
caminarem les passes d'altres peus.
Esmorzarem pa amb oli i sal,
ho vestirem amb unes copes de vi.
Deixant de banda la ciutat,
la tarda és llarga, i potser més, 
molt més, la nit.

Un altre lloc, un altre temps,
on parlarem amb altres déus.
El meu secret subtitulat, 
camins d'arròs, camins de blat.
Esperarem que baixi el sol,
i sota l'arbre parlarem del temps.

Un bioritme elemental,
un tros de vida artificial.

(chorus)
"Bread with (olive) oil and salt"

Take a photograph from the roof deck,
because you can see Mars from here.
Hanging clothes, my August,
a field of cereal ears and snails.
We'll wait until the cold is gone
and under the tree we'll talk about everything.
An elemental biorhythm,
a sea of antennae and animals.

(chorus)
The astronauts fly low,
the clouds pass by offhandedly.
Pockets in hands,
we'll walk other feet's steps.
We'll breakfast on bread with oil and salt,
we'll dress it up with glasses of wine.
Leaving the city aside,
the afternoon is long, and maybe 
the night more, much more so.

Some other place, some other time,
where we'll talk to other gods.
My subtitled secret,
paths of rice, paths of wheat.
We'll wait until the sun comes down,
and under the tree we'll talk about the weather.
An elemental biorhythm,
a piece of artificial life.

(chorus)


Antònia Font - "Alegria"


This is the only one of all the songs here that is in a different dialect of Catalan than my own, so apologies if the translation is a bit wobbly! In case you're curious, I speak a variety called "central Catalan", and this song is in Balearic Catalan: here, have a look. Again, I love this song because of the lyrics, you'll see what I mean.


 "Alegria"

Cau es sol de s'horabaixa
dins s'horitzó
damunt sa mar arrissada es avions.

Cau es sol de s'horabaixa
vermell i calent,
me sala i m'arengada sa pell.

Es penya-segat
i una pluja suau
de pols estel·lar.

Cau es sol de s'horabaixa
i plàcidament,
sa gent de dutxa i omple es carrers.

Cau es sol de s'horabaixa
dins es meu cor,
tothom s'estima i jo estim tothom.

Falla sa corrent
ses fireres no
vendran cacauets.

I alegria,
ses velles se xapen de riure,
es dies s'acaben
i es fars il·luminen
ses góndoles entre ses cases.

I alegria,
ses òrbites en sincronia,
i es ovnis se pinyen
i deixen un cràter
per sempre dins sa meva vida.

I alegria.

Cau es sol de s'horabaixa
dins s'horitzó
damunt sa mar arrissada es avions.

Cau es sol de s'horabaixa
vermell i calent,
me sala i m'arengada sa pell.

Es municipals, és evident,
fan aparcar bé sa gent.

I alegria,
ses velles se xapen de riure,
es dies s'acaben
i es fars il·luminen
ses góndoles entre ses cases.

I alegria,
ses òrbites en sincronia,
i es ovnis se pinyen
i deixen un cràter
per sempre dins sa meva vida.

I alegria,
ses velles se xapen de riure,
es dies s'acaben
i es fars il·luminen
ses góndoles entre ses cases.
 "Happiness"

The evening sun goes down
into the horizon,
over the choppy sea, the planes.

The evening sun goes down,
red and hot,
it salts and sardinizes my skin. (*1)

The cliff
and a soft rain
of stardust.

The evening sun goes down,
and placidly,
people shower and fill up the streets.

The evening sun goes down
inside my heart,
everyone loves one another and I love everyone.

There's a power cut,
the fair stall ladies won't
sell any peanuts. (*2)

And happiness,
the old women are in stitches,
the days are ending
and the lighthouses shed light on
the gondolas in between the houses.

And happiness,
orbits in synchrony,
and UFOs crash
and leave a crater
forever in my life.

And happiness.

The evening sun goes down
into the horizon,
over the choppy sea, the planes.

The evening sun goes down
red and hot,
it salts and sardinizes my skin.

The municipal (police), it's obvious,
make people park properly.

And happiness,
the old women are in stitches,
the days are ending
and the lighthouses shed light on
the gondolas in between the houses.

And happiness,
orbits in synchrony,
the UFOs crash
and leave a crater 
forever in my life.

And happiness,
the old women are in stitches,
the days are ending
and the lighthouses light
the gondolas in between the houses.


Translation notes

1 - I obviously invented the word "sardinize", haha, but just because the songwriter invented the Catalan equivalent too! A more elaborate explanation would be "The sea turns my skin into that of a sardine preserved in salt" ('arengada'). 
2 - The relationship between the power cut and not selling any peanuts might be a mystery for non Catalan speakers (unless you think it's because it's dark and people can't see the stalls). I rather think it's because those peanuts are "garrapinyades". This is a traditional Catalan way of preparing any kind of nuts (with a crusty coat of browned sugar), and it's typically sold from fair stalls. These fair stalls usually prepare the nuts on site with a special (electric) machine, which is why they won't be able to sell any if there's no electricity.

"Quan somrius"


This is a song recorded for a record called "Altres cançons de Nadal" (other Christmas songs), and several Catalan musicians have a part in it. It's one of my favourite Christmas songs ever (though be warned for cheesiness, as in all Christmas songs.)


"Quan somrius"

Ara que la nit s'ha fet més llarga,
ara que les fulles ballen danses al racó,
ara que els carrers estan de festa,
avui la fred duu tants records...

Ara que sobren les paraules,
ara que el vent bufa tan fort,
avui que no em fa falta veure't
ni tan sols parlar,
per saber que estàs al meu costat.

(chorus)
És Nadal al meu cor,
quan somrius content de veure'm,
quan la nit es fa més freda,
quan t'abraces al meu cos.
I les llums de colors 
m'il·luminen nit i dia
les encens amb el somriure
quan em parles amb el cor.

És el buit que deixes quan t'aixeques,
és el buit que es fa a casa
quan no hi ha ningú.
Són petits detalls tot el que em queda,
com queda al jersei un cabell llarg.

Vas dir que mai més tornaries,
el temps pacient ha anat passant.
Qui havia de dir que avui estaries esperant
que ens trobéssim junts al teu costat?

(modified chorus)
És Nadal al teu cor,
quan somric content de veure't,
quan la nit es fa més neta,
quan m'abraço al teu cos.
I les llums de colors 
m'il·luminen nit i dia
les encèn el teu somriure
quan et parlo amb el cor.
"When you smile"

Now that nights are longer,
now that leaves dance in the corner,
now that streets are decorated for a party,
today that the cold brings back many memories...

Now that words are unnecessary,
now that the wind blows with so much strength,
today that I don't need to see you
or even talk,
to know that you are by my side.

(chorus)
It's Christmas in my heart,
when you smile, happy to see me,
when nights become colder,
when you cuddle up to me.
And the colourful lights
shed light on me night and day
you light them up with your smile
when you talk to me with your heart.

It's the emptiness you leave when you wake up,
it's the emptiness that takes the house
when there's no one there.
It's just little details all I have left,
like a long hair on a jumper.

You said you'd never come back,
time has gone by patiently.
Who would've said that today, you'd be waiting
for us to meet by your side?


(modified chorus)
It's Christmas in your heart,
when I smile happy to see you,
when nights become fresher,
when I cuddle up to you.
And the colourful lights
shed light on me night and day,
your smile lights them up
when I talk to you with my heart.

I hope you liked the songs, the music and the translations, and that you go on to listen to some music in Catalan. Again, if you have any recommendations, both in Catalan or in any other language, they'll be more than welcome! :)


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