A Don Ata – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Soledad

Lyrics & Translation

"A Don Ata" is a cornerstone of Argentine folk music, famously performed by Soledad Pastorutti. Learning this song offers a vibrant entry into the Spanish language, particularly the rich vocabulary of Argentine culture and its profound connection to the land and its iconic figures. Its evocative lyrics and traditional melodies provide an authentic glimpse into the heart of Argentine folklore, making it a special piece for language and cultural immersion.

[English]

On the path of the Indian and the spirit of Don Ata

He saw him pass on his chestnut horse, the vidala

The mountain air, the flowers of the valley

They get tangled in the soul, oh oh oh, Don Ata

...

A Tucuman moon that lights stones and roads

And beside the poor one, mountains and rivers mourn for him

Through Tafí Del Valle, fields of Acheral

Also through La Bamba and Lules, just like in Amaichá

...

The little criolla from Santiago to warm her up from the cold

Knits a poncho for the pursued payador

Over there in Barrancas and in Salavina

The humble one looks for shelter with her gaze

There goes Don Atahualpa on the roads of the world

For a couplet, for a lance marking the four directions

May God bless him, keep him in glory

For so many beautiful memories and for his memory

...

A lonely muleteer passed through Altamirano

With a nostalgic whistle in search of his brothers

Driving away his sorrows for not finding them

He went slowly from the Entre Ríos area

The day is clearing up over Cerro Colorado

And at the corners of Churqui, a broken lightning strikes

The yearning awakens by the gulchaqueña

San Francisco del Chañar and also Santa Elena

A breeze from Buenos Aires gave him its wind song

And he fell asleep in a trace, in a timeless style

Over there in Pergamino, perhaps Santa Rosa

All of La Pampa mourns him in a bordona

There goes Don Atahualpa on the roads of the world

For a couplet, for a lance marking the four directions

May God bless him, keep him in glory

For so many beautiful memories and for his memory

...

[Spanish]

Por el camino del indio y el ánima de Don Ata

En su alazán montado lo vió pasar la vidala

El aire del cerro las flores del valle

Se le enredan en el alma ay ay ay a Don Ata

Una luna tucumana que aluna piedra y caminos

Y junto a la pobrecita lo lloran montes y ríos

Por Tafí Del Valle campos de acheral

También por la Bamba y Lules igual por Amaichá

La criollita santiagueña para aliviarla del frío

Le teje un poncho pampa al payador perseguido

Allá por Barrancas y por Salavina

La humilde con la mirada le busca guarida

Ahí anda Don Atahualpa por los caminos del mundo

Por una copla, por lanza marcando los cuatro rumbos

Que Dios lo bendiga, lo tenga en la gloria

Por tantos recuerdos lindos y por su memoria

Un arriero solitario pasó por Altamirano

Con un silbo nostalgioso en busca de sus hermanos

Arriando sus penas por no encontrarlos

Se fue yendo despacito del pago entrerriano

Se viene aclarando el día por el Cerro Colorado

Y en las esquinas del Churqui se estrella un rayo cortado

Despierta la añera por la gulchaqueña

San Francisco del Chañar y también Santa Elena

Un aire de Buenos Aires le dió su canto de viento

Y se durmió en una huella en un estilo sin tiempo

Allá en Pergamino tal vez Santa Rosa

Lo llora toda La Pampa en una bordona

Ahí anda Don Atahualpa por los caminos del mundo

Por una copla por lanza marcando los cuatro rumbos

Que Dios lo bendiga, lo tenga en la gloria

Por tantos recuerdos lindos y por su memoria

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
camino /kaˈmi.no/ A2	noun - path or route
indio /ˈin.ðjo/ B1	noun - indigenous person from the Americas
ánima /ˈa.ni.ma/ B2	noun - soul or spirit
montado /monˈtaðo/ B1	adjective - mounted, on horseback
pasar /paˈsaɾ/ A2	verb - to pass by, to go through
llorar /ʝoˈɾaɾ/ A2	verb - to cry
montes /ˈmon.tes/ B1	noun - mountains
ríos /ˈri.os/ A2	noun - rivers
gloria /ˈɡlo.ɾja/ B2	noun - glory, fame
recuerdos /reˈkweɾðos/ B1	noun - memories
bordona /bɔɾˈdo.na/ C1	noun - ballad or song, especially in traditional or folk style
caminos /kaˈmi.nos/ A2	noun - plural of camino; ways or paths
gloria /ˈɡlo.ɾja/ B2	noun - glory, praise

Key Grammar Structures

• Se le enredan en el alma ay ay ay a Don Ata

  ➔ The use of indirect object pronoun 'se le' plus reflexive verb 'enredan' to indicate the actions happening to the indirect object.

  ➔ The phrase "se le" indicates the action is happening to the indirect object, in this case, Don Ata. The verb "enredan" means "are tangled" or "are ensnared."

• Por el camino del indio y el ánima de Don Ata

  ➔ Prepositional phrase 'Por el camino de...' to indicate 'along the way of...' or 'through the...' and use of possessive 'de Don Ata' to denote possession.

  ➔ The preposition "Por" introduces the phrase indicating movement along or through a certain place. "De Don Ata" shows that the path or soul belongs to Don Ata.

• Que Dios lo bendiga, lo tenga en la gloria

  ➔ Use of the subjunctive "bendiga" (from 'bendecir') to express a wish or hope, and the verb "tenga" (from 'tener') in a subjunctive or imperative sense to express a blessing.

  ➔ The verb "bendiga" is in the present subjunctive mood, used here to express a wish for God's blessing. "Tenga" is also in the subjunctive, used to express a blessing or good wish.

• Una luna tucumana que aluna piedra y caminos

  ➔ Use of relative clause "que aluna piedra y caminos" to describe the moon, with the verb "aluna" from 'alunar' meaning 'moonlight' or 'illuminate'.

  ➔ The relative pronoun "que" introduces this clause, describing the moon. "Aluna" comes from 'alunar', meaning to shine or reflect moonlight on stones and paths.