CORLEONE – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Nathy Peluso
• Album: GRASA

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the world of Nathy Peluso through her cinematic song 'CORLEONE.' This track offers a unique opportunity to learn Spanish through its rich, metaphorical lyrics that delve into complex emotions. The song's theatricality and connection to the classic film 'The Godfather' make it a captivating way to explore themes of power and vulnerability while expanding your vocabulary.

[English]

She feels her own ambition slowly consuming her.

She confides this to her friend Tatiana.

She’s stuck waiting at the airport,

chatting through a video call.

She wonders if the ray of sunlight entering the window

might actually be God’s presence.

Every day at six in the morning,

she lights a cigarette,

crying with pain,

then finding brief moments of glory and peace.

Even when she has everything,

she always wants more.

She counts her money,

recalls her lovers,

brushes her hair,

and asks the waiter for a sweet Martini

to help her stay calm.

She speaks proudly of having an empire,

a shining palace,

yet also carries a deep sorrow.

She invites whoever wishes to listen,

to drown the bitterness of what’s coming,

offering to buy everyone a round.

She swears to her friend,

that if she died tomorrow,

she wouldn’t rest easy.

She would still need to close her business deals

and leave her will

to her sister, Sofía.

[Spanish]

Esta ambición me está matando

Le dije a mi amiga Tatiana

Clavada en el aeropuerto

Conexión videollamada

Me pregunto si es Dios

El rayo de sol que entra por la ventana

Cada día a las 6 AM de la mañana

Me fumo un cigarrillo

Llanto y pena

Gloria y paz

Y aunque yo lo consiga todo

Siempre quiero más

Cuento plata

Cuento amores

Me cepillo la melena

Y le pido al mozo Martini dulce

Para estar serena

Yo tengo un imperio

Un palacio brillante

Y una pena muy honda

Escúcheme el que quiera

Ahogar lo amargo que se venga

Yo le invito a una ronda

Nena yo te lo aseguro

Si mañana yo me muero

No me quedo tranquila

Tengo que cerrar negocios

Y dejarle el testamento

A mi hermana Sofía

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ambición /am.biˈθjon/ B2	noun - ambition
matando /maˈtan.do/ B1	verb - killing
aeropuerto /a.e.roˈpweɾ.to/ A2	noun - airport
videollamada /bi.ðe.o.ʎaˈma.ða/ B1	noun - video call
imperio /imˈpe.ɾjo/ B2	noun - empire
brillante /bɾiˈʎan.te/ B1	adjective - brilliant
pena /ˈpe.na/ A2	noun - sorrow
consiga /konˈsi.ɣa/ B1	verb - achieve
plata /ˈpla.ta/ A2	noun - silver/money
martini /marˈti.ni/ A2	noun - martini
serena /seˈre.na/ B1	adjective - serene
palacio /paˈla.θjo/ B1	noun - palace
ahogar /a.oˈɣar/ B2	verb - to drown
amargo /aˈmaɾ.ɣo/ B1	adjective - bitter
testamento /tes.taˈmen.to/ B2	noun - will

Key Grammar Structures

• Le dije a mi amiga Tatiana

  ➔ Indirect object pronoun (le) + preterite of decir

  ➔ The pronoun "Le" indicates the person to whom the speaker said something.

• Me pregunto si es Dios

  ➔ Reflexive verb + indirect yes‑no question introduced by si

  ➔ "Me" marks the verb as reflexive: I ask myself.

• Cada día a las 6 AM de la mañana

  ➔ Specific time expression with preposition a + hour

  ➔ "a" introduces the exact hour: "at 6 AM".

• Y aunque yo lo consiga todo

  ➔ Subordinating conjunction aunque + present subjunctive

  ➔ "consiga" is the present subjunctive of "conseguir", used after "aunque".

• Siempre quiero más

  ➔ Simple present to express desire

  ➔ "quiero" (I want) is in the present indicative.

• Cuento plata

  ➔ Verb contar in present indicative meaning ‘to count’

  ➔ "Cuento" means ‘I count’ (not ‘I tell’ here).

• Yo tengo un imperio

  ➔ Present simple of tener for possession

  ➔ "tengo" is the first‑person singular present of "tener" (to have).

• Si mañana yo me muero

  ➔ Si‑clause with present indicative for a real future condition

  ➔ "muero" is present indicative of "morir" used after "si" for a possible future event.

• Tengo que cerrar negocios

  ➔ Obligation periphrastic construction "tener que" + infinitive

  ➔ "Tengo que" means ‘I have to’, followed by the infinitive "cerrar".