Historias de Danzón y de Arrabal – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Aleks Syntek

Lyrics & Translation

[Spanish]

[English]

Hay historias que son de danzón y de arrabal

There are stories of danzón and the slums

Hay placeres que embriagan y saben a traición

There are pleasures that intoxicate and taste like betrayal

En los tugurios, todos los amantes bailan en la oscuridad

In the dives, all the lovers dance in the dark

Y en los rincones son las seducciones, una danza de exquisita debilidad

And in the corners there are seductions, a dance of exquisite weakness

...

...

Hay historias de barrios y bailes de salón

There are stories of neighborhoods and ballroom dances

Hay pecados que dejan marcado el corazón

There are sins that leave their mark on the heart

De rodillas, mordiendo los tacones y en la boca lleva el alcohol

On my knees, biting the heels and with alcohol in my mouth

(La lujuria y la alucinación, me hacen perder el control)

(Lust and hallucination, make me lose control)

Cuando el diablo me quiera llevar

When the devil wants to take me away

Y la muerte este rondando cerca

And death is lurking nearby

Cuando mi alma tenga que entregar

When my soul has to be given

Historias de danzón y de arrabal

Stories of danzón and the slums

Cuando el diablo me quiera llevar

When the devil wants to take me away

Condenado por las tentaciones

Doomed by temptations

Cuando ya no tenga a quien amar

When I no longer have anyone to love

Historias de danzón y de arrabal

Stories of danzón and the slums

Hay pasiones que viven en luces de burdel

There are passions that live in brothel lights

Hay amores que dejan heridas en la piel

There are loves that leave wounds on the skin

En los suburbios todas las parejas, tienen algo que ocultar

In the suburbs all couples have something to hide

(La lujuria y la alucinación, me hacen perder la razón)

(Lust and hallucination, make me lose my mind)

Cuando el diablo me quiera llevar

When the devil wants to take me away

Y la muerte este rondando cerca

And death is lurking nearby

Cuando el alma tenga que entregar

When my soul has to be given

Historias de danzón y de arrabal

Stories of danzón and the slums

Cuando el diablo me quiera llevar

When the devil wants to take me away

Condenado por las tentaciones

Doomed by temptations

Cuando ya no tenga a quien amar

When I no longer have anyone to love

Historias de danzón y de arrabal

Stories of danzón and the slums

...

...

De danzón y de arrabal

Of danzón and the slums

...

...

De danzón y de arrabal

Of danzón and the slums

...

...

De danzón y de arrabal

Of danzón and the slums

...

...

De danzón y de arrabal

Of danzón and the slums

...

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
historias /isˈtoɾjas/ A2	noun - stories
danzón /danˈson/ B2	noun - a Cuban dance
arrabal /a.raˈβal/ C1	noun - outskirts, slum
placeres /plaˈθeɾes/ B1	noun - pleasures
tugurios /tuˈɣuɾjos/ C2	noun - shacks, hovels
amantes /aˈmantes/ B1	noun - lovers
oscuridad /os.ku.ɾiˈðað/ B2	noun - darkness
rincones /rinˈkones/ A2	noun - corners
seducciones /se.ðukˈθjo.nes/ C1	noun - seductions
danza /ˈdanθa/ A2	noun - dance
debilidad /de.βi.liˈðað/ B2	noun - weakness
pecados /peˈkaðos/ B1	noun - sins
corazón /ko.ɾaˈθon/ A1	noun - heart
diablo /ˈdjaβlo/ B1	noun - devil
muerte /ˈmweɾte/ A2	noun - death
alma /ˈalma/ B1	noun - soul
tentaciones /ten.taˈθjo.nes/ B2	noun - temptations
pasiones /paˈsjo.nes/ B1	noun - passions
burdel /buɾˈðel/ C1	noun - brothel
heridas /eˈɾi.ðas/ B1	noun - wounds
piel /pjel/ A2	noun - skin

Key Grammar Structures

• Hay historias que son de danzón y de arrabal

  ➔ Use of "hay" as an impersonal verb

  ➔ "Hay" is used to indicate the existence of something (there is/are). It is impersonal and does not conjugate based on the number of the things it refers to.

• Hay placeres que embriagan y saben a traición

  ➔ Relative pronoun "que"

  ➔ "Que" connects the relative clause "que embriagan y saben a traición" to the noun "placeres".

• En los tugurios, todos los amantes bailan en la oscuridad

  ➔ Use of "en" to indicate location

  ➔ "En" indicates the location where the action (dancing) takes place. "En los tugurios" - In the slums.

• De rodillas, mordiendo los tacones y en la boca lleva el alcohol

  ➔ Gerund phrases as adverbs of manner

  ➔ "Mordiendo los tacones" describes how the person is acting (biting the heels). It's an adverbial phrase of manner, explaining how they are on their knees.

• Cuando el diablo me quiera llevar

  ➔ Subjunctive mood in "cuando" clauses expressing future uncertainty

  ➔ The use of "quiera" (subjunctive) instead of "quiere" (indicative) after "cuando" indicates that the speaker is talking about a future event that is not certain to happen.

• Y la muerte este rondando cerca

  ➔ Subjunctive mood after "y" with uncertainty

  ➔ The subjunctive "esté" (instead of the indicative "está") reflects a degree of uncertainty or hypotheticality related to death lurking nearby. This use is less common and more stylistic.

• Cuando el alma tenga que entregar

  ➔ Future subjunctive after "cuando"

  ➔ "Tenga" is the subjunctive form of "tener". After "cuando," it shows a future uncertain event, the soul having to be given up.

• Cuando ya no tenga a quien amar

  ➔ Personal "a" with a direct object that is a person

  ➔ The "a" before "quien" is the personal "a", which is used before a direct object when the object is a person or group of people. It's required in this context. "A quien amar" - Whom to love.