El Rey – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: José Alfredo Jimenez
• Album: Tu Recuerdo

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the timeless anthem "El Rey" by José Alfredo Jiménez, a cornerstone of Mexican music. Learn about its profound message of self-reliance and pride, which continues to inspire listeners worldwide. Through its powerful lyrics and evocative melody, "El Rey" offers a unique insight into the spirit of resilience and independence.

[English]

I know full well that I’m outside

But the day I die

I know you’ll have to cry

Cry and cry

Cry and cry

You’ll say you didn’t love me

But you’ll be very sad

And that’s how you’ll end up

With money and without money

I always do what I want

And my word is law

I have no throne or queen

Nor anyone who understands me

But I still remain The King

...

A stone in my path

Taught me that my destiny

Was to roll and roll

Roll and roll

Roll and roll

Then a muleteer told me

That you don’t have to be first to arrive

But you have to know how to arrive

With money and without money

I always do what I want

And my word is law

I have no throne or queen

Nor anyone who understands me

But I still remain The King

...

[Spanish]

Yo sé bien que estoy afuera

Pero el día en que yo me muera

Sé que tendrás que llorar

Llorar y llorar

Llorar y llorar

Dirás que no me quisiste

Pero vas a estar muy triste

Y así te vas a quedar

Con dinero y sin dinero

Hago siempre lo que quiero

Y mi palabra es La Ley

No tengo trono ni reina

Ni nadie que me comprenda

Pero sigo siendo El Rey

Una piedra del camino

Me enseñó que mi destino

Era rodar y rodar

Rodar y rodar

Rodar y rodar

Después me dijo un arriero

Que no hay que llegar primero

Pero hay que saber llegar

Con dinero y sin dinero

Hago siempre lo que quiero

Y mi palabra es La Ley

No tengo trono ni reina

Ni nadie que me comprenda

Pero sigo siendo El Rey

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
mentira /menˈtiɾa/ B1	noun - lie, falsehood
llorar /ʝoˈɾaɾ/ A2	verb - to cry
dinero /diˈneɾo/ A2	noun - money
romper /romˈpeɾ/ B1	verb - to break
destino /desˈtino/ B2	noun - destiny, fate
camino /kaˈmi.no/ A2	noun - road, path
destrozar /des.tɾoˈsaɾ/ B2	verb - to destroy
ley /lei/ A2	noun - law
rey /rei/ A2	noun - king
piedra /ˈpjeð.ɾa/ A1	noun - stone
camino /kaˈmi.no/ A2	noun - road, path
reina /ˈrei.na/ A2	noun - queen

Key Grammar Structures

• Sé que estoy afuera

  ➔ Use of the indicative mood with the verb "saber" (sé) and the subordinate clause "que estoy afuera" to express certainty.

  ➔ The phrase "sé que" expresses the speaker's certainty about something.

• Hago siempre lo que quiero

  ➔ Present tense of "hacer" (hago) combined with "siempre" (always) and the subordinate clause "lo que quiero" to indicate habitual action and desire.

  ➔ The phrase "hago siempre" emphasizes habituality in the speaker's actions.

• Mi palabra es La Ley

  ➔ Use of the verb "ser" (es) in the present tense to state a defining characteristic — the speaker's word is "La Ley".

  ➔ The phrase "mi palabra es La Ley" signifies that the speaker's word is as authoritative as law.

• No tengo trono ni reina

  ➔ Use of the verb "tener" (tengo) in the present tense with negation to express lack of honorific titles.

  ➔ The phrase "No tengo" indicates lack of possession or status.

• Pero sigo siendo El Rey

  ➔ Use of the verb "seguir" (sigo) in the present tense with "siendo" (gerund form of "ser") to indicate ongoing state or identity.

  ➔ The phrase "sigo siendo" emphasizes the ongoing state of being the king.