HAVANA – English Lyrics

• By: WILLIE COLON, HECTOR LAVOE
• Album: THE HUSTLER

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the evocative world of Willie Colón and Héctor Lavoe's "Havana," a soulful bolero that beautifully articulates a deep longing for home. Through Héctor Lavoe's impeccable Spanish vocals, you can immerse yourself in expressions of love, nostalgia, and a vivid appreciation for culture and place. This song offers a perfect entry point to understanding the emotional depth and lyrical richness of classic salsa and bolero music.

[English]

Ha- [00:17.88] vana, her- [00:19.36] mo- [00:20.06] sa Ha- [00:22.10] va- [00:23.73] na.

Be- [00:28.06] llo es tu cie- [00:30.09] lo.

Lin- [00:31.35] das tus mu- [00:33.12] je- [00:33.74] res.

Be- [00:34.63] llo es tu [00:36.12] mar.

Ha- [00:41.97] va- [00:42.58] na.

A- [00:45.42] quí lle- [00:47.35] gó tu [00:48.34] can- [00:50.38] to.

Co- [00:51.32] mo el ge- [00:52.55] mir de vio- [00:54.29] li- [00:55.28] nes que [00:56.95] can- [00:58.00] tan.

Pa- [00:57.81] ra [00:59.42] ti.

Se [01:02.86] ven, en tu cie- [01:05.04] lo a- [01:06.53] zul vo- [01:08.80] lar.

Pa- [01:14.06] lo- [01:15.06] mas, co- [01:16.34] mo sím- [01:17.65] bo- [01:18.74] los de [01:20.09] paz.

Es la glo- [01:24.87] ria pa- [01:26.64] ra ti.

Ha- [01:32.83] va- [01:33.71] na.

Be- [01:37.07] llo es tu [01:38.28] cie- [01:39.04] lo.

Lin- [01:43.20] das tus mu- [01:45.45] je- [01:45.86] res.

Bo- [01:46.51] ni- [01:47.15] tos tus va- [01:48.26] lles.

Be- [01:49.13] llo es tu [01:50.42] mar.

Ha- [01:56.80] va- [01:57.35] na.

A- [02:00.79] quí lle- [02:02.00] gó tu [02:02.86] can- [02:04.68] to.

Co- [02:06.71] mo el ge- [02:07.72] mir de vio- [02:09.51] li- [02:10.21] nes que [02:11.81] can- [02:12.56] tan.

Pa- [02:13.82] ra [02:14.89] ti.

Se [02:18.58] ven, en tu cie- [02:20.55] lo a- [02:21.76] zul vo- [02:23.84] lar.

Pa- [02:30.68] lo- [02:31.69] mas, co- [02:33.11] mo sím- [02:34.50] bo- [02:35.74] los de [02:37.18] paz.

Es la glo- [02:41.09] ria pa- [02:43.15] ra ti.

Ha- [02:48.88] va- [02:49.43] na.

¡Ha!

(Instrumental Break)

Ha- [03:29.53] va- [03:30.03] na.

Voy a vol- [03:33.61] ver al- [03:34.88] gún [03:36.05] dí- [03:37.27] a.

Vol- [03:38.00] ve- [03:38.52] ré.

Pa- [03:39.27] ra la Ha- [03:40.83] va- [03:42.06] na.

Voy a vol- [03:44.66] ver al- [03:45.60] gún [03:46.62] dí- [03:48.72] a.

Vol- [03:49.47] ve- [03:51.31] ré.

Ha- [03:52.15] va- [03:52.82] na tie- [03:53.98] rra qui- [03:55.55] ri- [03:57.59] da.

No [03:58.63] pue- [03:59.20] do vi- [04:00.12] vir sin [04:02.61] ver- [04:03.47] te.

Ha- [04:03.33] va- [04:04.02] na tie- [04:05.07] rra qui- [04:06.04] ri- [04:08.93] da.

No [04:09.83] pue- [04:10.36] do vi- [04:11.18] vir sin [04:12.38] ver- [04:14.47] te.

Por- [04:15.21] que mi [04:16.37] fin es [04:17.98] que- [04:18.86] rer- [04:20.26] te.

Te a- [04:21.21] ma- [04:22.00] ré to- [04:23.62] da la [04:24.64] vi- [04:26.39] da.

Pa- [04:24.37] ra la Ha- [04:26.01] va- [04:27.72] na.

Voy a vol- [04:29.59] ver al- [04:30.76] gún [04:32.45] dí- [04:33.19] a.

Vol- [04:34.12] ve- [04:34.69] ré.

Pa- [04:35.44] ra la Ha- [04:37.15] va- [04:38.80] na.

Voy a vol- [04:40.67] ver al- [04:41.57] gún [04:42.69] dí- [04:44.74] a.

Vol- [04:45.43] ve- [04:45.86] ré.

Es- [04:46.64] cu- [04:47.34] cha bien mi [04:49.24] can- [04:50.40] tar.

El que te de- [04:54.61] di- [04:55.56] co [04:57.53] yo.

Es- [04:59.29] cu- [04:59.73] cha bien mi [05:01.32] can- [05:02.41] tar.

El que te de- [05:06.05] di- [05:06.86] co [05:08.16] yo.

Yo te can- [05:11.47] to con el [05:13.06] al- [05:14.83] ma.

Y con to- [05:17.52] do el co- [05:19.26] ra- [05:20.29] zón.

Pa- [05:20.26] ra la Ha- [05:22.06] va- [05:23.33] na.

Voy a vol- [05:25.13] ver al- [05:26.26] gún [05:28.12] dí- [05:28.93] a.

Vol- [05:29.66] ve- [05:30.14] ré.

Pa- [05:31.00] ra la Ha- [05:32.83] va- [05:34.47] na.

Voy a vol- [05:36.50] ver al- [05:37.53] gún [05:38.71] dí- [05:39.65] a.

Vol- [05:40.42] ve- [05:41.39] ré.

Pa- [05:42.27] ra la Ha- [05:44.08] va- [05:45.79] na.

Voy a vol- [05:47.71] ver al- [05:48.77] gún [05:50.83] dí- [05:51.75] a.

Vol- [05:51.52] ve- [05:52.46] ré.

Pa- [05:53.31] ra la Ha- [05:55.14] va- [05:56.71] na.

Voy a vol- [05:58.57] ver al- [05:59.47] gún [06:01.77] dí- [06:02.51] a.

Vol- [06:02.32] ve- [06:03.28] ré.

Pa- [06:04.16] ra la Ha- [06:05.84] va- [06:07.52] na.

Voy a vol- [06:09.63] ver al- [06:10.50] gún [06:12.97] dí- [06:13.74] a.

Vol- [06:13.69] ve- [06:16.10] ré.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
Havana həˈvænə A1	noun - The capital city of Cuba.
bello ˈbɛloʊ A1	adjective - Beautiful.
cielo siˈɛloʊ A1	noun - Sky.
lunas ˈluːnəz A1	noun - Moons.
mar mɑːr A1	noun - Sea.
canto ˈkæntoʊ A1	noun - Song. verb - To sing.
gemir dʒəˈmɪr B1	verb - To moan.
volar voʊˈlɑːr A1	verb - To fly.
algún ælˈɡʌn A2	adjective - Some.
tierra ˈtjɛrə A1	noun - Earth.
querida keˈriːdə A2	noun - Darling.
vivir vɪˈviːr A1	verb - To live.
corazón kɔːrəˈzoʊn A1	noun - Heart.
alma ˈɑːlmə A2	noun - Soul.
escucha ɛˈskʊtʃə A1	verb - Listen.

Key Grammar Structures

• Ha- [00:17.88] vana, her- [00:19.36] mo- [00:20.06] sa Ha- [00:22.10] va- [00:23.73] na.

  ➔ Vocative Case

  ➔ The word 'Hava-na' is used as a direct address, which is a vocative expression.

• Be- [00:28.06] llo es tu cie- [00:30.09] lo.

  ➔ Possessive Adjective

  ➔ 'Tu' is a possessive adjective meaning 'your', referring to possession or relationship.

• A- [00:45.42] quí lle- [00:47.35] gó tu [00:48.34] can- [00:50.38] to.

  ➔ Verb Conjugation (Past Tense)

  ➔ 'Llegó' is the past tense of 'llegar', indicating a completed action in the past.

• Se [01:02.86] ven, en tu cie- [01:05.04] lo a- [01:06.53] zul vo- [01:08.80] lar.

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase

  ➔ 'En tu cielo' is a prepositional phrase indicating location or context.

• Es la glo- [01:24.87] ria pa- [01:26.64] ra ti.

  ➔ Definite Article

  ➔ 'La' is a definite article used to specify a particular noun.

• Voy a vol- [03:33.61] ver al- [03:34.88] gún [03:36.05] dí- [03:37.27] a.

  ➔ Future Tense with 'Ir a'

  ➔ 'Voy a volver' uses 'ir a' to express a future action.

• No [03:58.63] pue- [03:59.20] do vi- [04:00.12] vir sin [04:02.61] ver- [04:03.47] te.

  ➔ Double Negative

  ➔ 'No puedo vivir sin verte' uses double negation, which is common in Spanish.

• Te a- [04:21.21] ma- [04:22.00] ré to- [04:23.62] da la [04:24.64] vi- [04:26.39] da.

  ➔ Direct Object Pronoun

  ➔ 'Te' is a direct object pronoun meaning 'you', used as the recipient of the action.

• El que te de- [04:54.61] di- [04:55.56] co [04:57.53] yo.

  ➔ Relative Pronoun

  ➔ 'Que' is a relative pronoun introducing a relative clause.