En Algun Lugar – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Duncan Dhu

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the poignant beauty of Duncan Dhu's "En Algún Lugar," a Spanish rock classic that delves into themes of utopia and societal disillusionment. By exploring its evocative lyrics, you'll gain insight into Spanish culture, expand your vocabulary, and connect with the song's yearning for a better world. This song offers a unique opportunity to learn about Spanish music and its profound messages.

[English]

Somewhere in a great country

...

They forgot how to build

...

A home where the sun doesn't burn

...

And at birth, no one has to die

And in the shadows, geniuses die without knowing

Of their magic

Granted without asking

Long before they're born

...

There's no path that leads here

And then they try to leave

With the sunset’s fiery glow

The grass burns

...

Somewhere in a great country

They forgot how to build

...

A home where the sun doesn't burn

And at birth, no one has to die

...

A whistle crosses the town and is seen

A rider

Whose journey is with the wind

While shouting he won't return

And the earth here is of a different color

The dust blinds you

People no longer know if they are who they are

But they want to believe

Mothers who no longer know how to cry

Watch their children leave

Sadness here has no place

When living itself is sorrow

Nananananá-nana, nanananá

Nana-nanana-ná

Nananananá-nana, nanananá

Nana-nanana-ná

Nananananá-nana, nanananá

Nana-nanana-ná

Nananananá-nana, nanananá

Nana-nanana-ná

...

[Spanish]

En algún lugar de un gran país

Olvidaron construir

Un hogar donde no queme el sol

Y al nacer, no haya que morir

Y en las sombras mueren genios sin saber

De su magia

Concedida sin pedirlo

Mucho tiempo antes de nacer

No hay camino que llegue hasta aquí

Y luego prentenda salir

Con el fuego de el atardecer

Arde la hierba

En algún lugar de un gran país

Olvidaron construir

Un hogar donde no queme el sol

Y al nacer, no haya que morir

Un silbido cruza el pueblo y se ve

Un jinete

Que se marcha con el viento

Mientras grita que no va a volver

Y la tierra aquí es de otro color

El polvo no te deja ver

Los hombres ya no saben si lo son

Pero, lo quieren creer

Las madres que ya no saben llorar

Ven a sus hijos partir

La tristeza aquí no tiene lugar

Cuando lo triste es vivir

Nananananá-nana, nananananá

Nana-nanana-ná

Nananananá-nana, nananananá

Nana-nanana-ná

Nananananá-nana, nananananá

Nana-nanana-ná

Nananananá-nana, nananananá

Nana-nanana-ná

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
lugar /luˈɣaɾ/ A1	noun - place
país /paˈis/ A1	noun - country
hogar /oˈɣaɾ/ A2	noun - home
morir /moˈɾiɾ/ A2	verb - to die
sombra /ˈsombɾa/ B1	noun - shadow
magia /ˈma.xi.a/ B1	noun - magic
camino /kaˈmi.no/ B1	noun - path
fuego /ˈfwe.ɣo/ B1	noun - fire
tierra /ˈtjera/ B1	noun - earth/land
hombre /ˈom.bɾe/ B1	noun - man
madre /ˈma.ðɾe/ B1	noun - mother
tristeza /tɾisˈteθa/ B2	noun - sadness
silbido /silˈβi.ðo/ B2	noun - whistle
jinete /xiˈnete/ B2	noun - horseman/rider
color /koˈloɾ/ B2	noun - color
partir /paɾˈtiɾ/ B2	verb - to leave/depart

Key Grammar Structures

• En algún lugar de un gran país Olvidaron construir

  ➔ Impersonal 'se' construction (passive)

  ➔ While not explicitly present, the idea that *someone* forgot to build is implied without specifying *who*. 'Olvidaron construir' acts in a passive manner, since there is not an explicit subject. One might expect 'Se olvidó construir' which is also gramatically correct. However, using the third-person plural as such is a very common construction in Spanish to express a passive, impersonal idea.

• Un hogar donde no queme el sol

  ➔ Subjunctive mood in adjective clauses.

  ➔ The subjunctive mood ('queme') is used because the existence of a home where the sun *doesn't* burn is uncertain or hypothetical. The adjective clause 'donde no queme el sol' modifies 'hogar' (home).

• Y al nacer, no haya que morir

  ➔ Impersonal expression + Subjunctive.

  ➔ 'Haya que morir' is an impersonal expression meaning 'it is necessary to die'. The subjunctive 'haya' is used because it expresses a subjective idea, a desire, or a lack of certainty that someone *must* die after being born. It follows the impersonal expression.

• Y en las sombras mueren genios sin saber De su magia

  ➔ Preposition 'sin' + infinitive.

  ➔ The structure 'sin + infinitive' ('sin saber') expresses 'without knowing'. It's a concise way to indicate a lack of knowledge or awareness.

• No hay camino que llegue hasta aquí

  ➔ Subjunctive in relative clauses with indefinite or uncertain antecedent.

  ➔ The subjunctive 'llegue' is used because the existence of a road that reaches here is uncertain. Since there isn't a road that we know exists with certainty, we use the subjunctive.

• Y luego prentenda salir

  ➔ Subjunctive after 'que' in clauses expressing purpose or consequence (implied)

  ➔ The subjunctive 'prentenda' is used here because the road is not necessarily successful in trying to leave. There's an implication of wanting to avoid this outcome (the road leaving).

• Mientras grita que no va a volver

  ➔ Future tense ('va a volver')

  ➔ 'Va a volver' is the periphrastic future, formed with 'ir a + infinitive'. It indicates a future action.

• Pero, lo quieren creer

  ➔ Use of the pronoun *lo* as a direct object pronoun

  ➔ The pronoun *lo* in this sentence replaces a concept or idea mentioned previously, the sentence literally translates to: "But, they want to believe it"