¡Happy Birthday Guadalupe! – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: The Killers

Lyrics & Translation

Explore "¡Happy Birthday Guadalupe!" by The Killers, a unique Christmas song that blends American rock with Mariachi flair. Learn about its creation, inspired by a desire to escape worldly troubles during the holidays, and discover how its narrative of a festive, yet complex, holiday encounter offers a unique perspective on love and connection.

[English]

Well, I woke up Christmas morning and what did I see?

I saw a lovely young woman looking back at me

Named Guadalupe, with big brown eyes

Boy, what did you do this time?

I made my excuses and made a beeline for the bedroom door

She was begging and pleading, screaming, "Please,

My birthday, stay with me,

Baby, it's cold outside"

We are living in a difficult time

...

We've been walking down a difficult line

...

Put your feet up, baby, it's Christmas time

Happy birthday

Happy Birthday Guadalupe

(Our time will come)

(We both hold on)

She gave me coffee and tortillas to soothe my head

Prepared the slippers for my feet before she made our bed

And blew the candles from her favorite cake

And we kissed beneath the mistletoe

I pulled her body close to mine and I had just one chance

I whispered, "Baby, will you marry me for just one dance?"

Infatuation, the things you say

I got scared and I left that night

'Cause we are living in a difficult time

...

We've been walking down a difficult line

...

Put your feet up, baby, it's Christmas time

Happy birthday

Happy Birthday Guadalupe

Deck the halls with rosaries

Wish upon a Christmas tree

Silent night, please come to me

Bearing gifts from my... my Mexican angel

...

At night I wake up cold and lonely, bursting at the seams

She haunts the early morning hours of December dreams

My Guadalupe, with big brown eyes

I wanna break the spell tonight

'Cause we are living in a difficult time

We've been walking down a difficult line

...

Put your feet up, baby, it's Christmas time

Happy birthday

Happy Birthday Guadalupe

...

Happy Birthday Guadalupe

...

[Spanish]

Well I woke up Christmas morning and what did I see?

I saw a lovely señorita looking back at me

Named Guadalupe, with big brown eyes

Boy what did you do this time?

Made my excuses and a beeline for the bedroom door

She was beggin' and a-pleadin', screamin', "Por favor,

Mi cumpleaños, stay with me,

Baby it's cold outside"

We are livin' in a difficult time

We've been walkin' down a difficult line

Put your feet up baby, it's Christmas time

Cumpleaños feliz

Happy Birthday Guadalupe

(Our time will come)

(We both hold on)

She gave me coffee and tortillas to console my head

Prepared the slippers on my feet before she made our bed

And blew the candles from her favourite cake

And we kissed beneath the mistletoe

I pulled her body close to mine and I had just one chance

I whispered, "Baby will you marry me for just one dance?"

Infatuation, the things you say

I got scared and I left that night

'Cause we are livin' in a difficult time

We've been walking down a difficult line

Put your feet up baby, it's Christmas time

Cumpleaños feliz

Happy Birthday Guadalupe

Deck the halls with rosaries

Wish upon a Christmas tree

Silent night please come to me

Bearing gifts from my... my Mexican angel

At night I wake up cold and lonely, bustin' at the seams

She haunts the early morning hours of December dreams

My Guadalupe, with big brown eyes

I wanna break the spell tonight

'Cause we are livin' in a difficult time

We've been walkin' down a difficult line

Put your feet up baby, it's Christmas time

Cumpleaños feliz

Happy Birthday Guadalupe

Happy Birthday Guadalupe

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
Guadalupe /ɡwɑːdəˈluːpeɪ/ A1	noun - a female given name
cumpleaños /kumpleˈaɲos/ A1	noun - birthday
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - the organs of sight
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - a period during which something occurs
baby /ˈbeɪbi/ A1	noun - a very young child
cold /koʊld/ A2	adjective - having a low temperature
difficult /ˈdɪfɪkəlt/ B1	adjective - hard to do or deal with
walkin' /ˈwɔːkɪn/ A2	verb - to move by putting one foot in front of the other
kissed /kɪst/ A2	verb - to touch with the lips as a sign of love or greeting
chance /tʃæns/ B1	noun - a possibility of something happening
haunts /hɔːnts/ B2	verb - to visit often or continually
angel /ˈeɪndʒəl/ B1	noun - a spiritual being believed to act as a messenger of God
favourite /ˈfeɪvərɪt/ B2	adjective - preferred before all others
prepared /prɪˈpɛrd/ B2	verb - to make something ready for use
console /kənˈsoʊl/ B2	verb - to comfort someone in grief or disappointment

Key Grammar Structures

• Well I woke up Christmas morning and what did I see?

  ➔ Past simple tense

  ➔ The phrase uses the past simple tense to describe a completed action in the past, specifically 'I woke up' and 'what did I see'.

• She was beggin' and a-pleadin', screamin', 'Por favor,'

  ➔ Past continuous tense

  ➔ The phrase uses the past continuous tense to indicate actions that were ongoing in the past, such as 'was beggin' and 'was screamin'.

• Put your feet up baby, it's Christmas time

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The phrase uses the imperative mood to give a command or suggestion, specifically 'Put your feet up'.

• I whispered, 'Baby will you marry me for just one dance?'

  ➔ Indirect question

  ➔ The phrase contains an indirect question, which is a question embedded within a statement, specifically 'will you marry me'.

• At night I wake up cold and lonely, bustin' at the seams

  ➔ Present simple tense

  ➔ The phrase uses the present simple tense to describe a habitual action, specifically 'I wake up cold and lonely'.

• My Guadalupe, with big brown eyes

  ➔ Noun phrase with descriptive adjective

  ➔ The phrase uses a noun phrase 'My Guadalupe' followed by a descriptive adjective 'with big brown eyes' to provide more information.

• Deck the halls with rosaries

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The phrase uses the imperative mood to give a command, specifically 'Deck the halls'.