La Petite Mort – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: José Madero

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful tool, and José Madero's “La Petite Mort” offers a unique opportunity to explore the poetic and introspective side of Spanish. This song is special because it uses a sophisticated metaphor, the French concept of "the little death," to discuss complex emotions like loneliness and the futile search for connection. By engaging with its lyrics, you can learn vocabulary related to emotions and introspection, as well as appreciate the nuanced and artistic storytelling that is a hallmark of Madero's songwriting.

[English]

Looking for air deep inside

This naked body is suffocating me

This bad talk lasted only a few minutes

A false love with no direction

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Let's keep lying to ourselves, let's keep lying to ourselves

Let's die for a moment

Oh-oh-oh-oh

Let's keep lying to ourselves

In this crypt, there’s no love

That’s not the way

Little death, take me for a second

Then I’ll realize how big this mistake was

"It's not over there, it's not over there," the world screams at me

My mind is knotted

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Let's keep lying to ourselves, let's keep lying to ourselves

Let's die for a moment

Oh-oh-oh-oh

Let's keep lying to ourselves

In this crypt, there’s no love

That’s not the way

Between smoke and alcohol

I come back to reason, but I’m without pants

Let the show begin, I come and go

Among sheets and alcohol, I won’t find love

...

Little death, you gave me a scare

I know the emptiness I feel now is fair

This isn’t the way, but it’s my only gain

The heart is tough

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Let's keep lying to ourselves, let's keep lying to ourselves

Let's die for a moment

Oh-oh-oh-oh

Let's keep lying to ourselves

In this grave, there’s no love

That’s not the way

Oh-oh-oh-oh

Let's keep lying to ourselves

Let's keep lying to ourselves

This isn’t the right path

Oh-oh-oh-oh

Let's keep lying to ourselves

The cry means nothing

If I hurt you, I regret it

It’s clear to me

Among sheets and alcohol, I won’t find love

...

[Spanish]

Ando buscando aire en lo profundo

Me está sofocando este cuerpo desnudo

Duró pocos minutos este mal discurso

Un falso amor sin rumbo

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Sigamos mintiéndonos, sigamos mintiéndonos

Muramos un momento

Oh-oh-oh-oh

Sigamos mintiéndonos

En esta cripta no existe amor

Ese no es el sendero

Pequeña muerte, llévame un segundo

Después me daré cuenta de este error menudo

"No es por ahí, no es por ahí", me grita el mundo

Mi mеnte tiene un nudo

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Sigamos mintiéndonos, sigamos mintiéndonos

Muramos un momеnto

Oh-oh-oh-oh

Sigamos mintiéndonos

En esta cripta no existe amor

Ese no es el sendero

Entre humo y alcohol

Entro en razón, pero ya sin pantalón

Que empiece la función, me vengo y me voy

Entre sábanas y alcohol, no encontraré amor

Pequeña muerte, me sacaste un susto

Sé que el vacío que ahora siento es justo

No es por aquí, pero es mi único usufructo

El corazón es duro

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Sigamos mintiéndonos, sigamos mintiéndonos

Muramos un momento

Oh-oh-oh-oh

Sigamos mintiéndonos

En esta tumba no existe amor

Ese no es el sendero

Oh-oh-oh-oh

Sigamos mintiéndonos

Sigamos mintiéndonos

No es el camino correcto

Oh-oh-oh-oh

Sigamos mintiéndonos

No significa nada el clamor

Si te herí, lo lamento

Me queda claro

Entre sábanas y alcohol no encontraré amor

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
aire /ˈaɪ̯ɾe/ A1	noun - air
cuerpo /ˈkweɾpo/ A1	noun - body
amor /aˈmoɾ/ A1	noun - love
muerte /ˈmweɾte/ A2	noun - death
momento /moˈmento/ A2	noun - moment
razón /raˈθon/ B1	noun - reason
vacío /baˈsi.o/ B1	adjective - empty
susto /ˈsusto/ B2	noun - fright
clamar /klaˈmaɾ/ B2	verb - to cry out
sendero /senˈdeɾo/ B2	noun - path
función /funˈθjon/ B2	noun - function
nudo /ˈnuðo/ B2	noun - knot
alcohol /alˈko.l/ B2	noun - alcohol
error /eˈroɾ/ B2	noun - error
dura /ˈduɾa/ B2	adjective - hard

Key Grammar Structures

• Ando buscando aire en lo profundo

  ➔ Present continuous tense.

  ➔ The phrase "Ando buscando" uses the present continuous to indicate an ongoing action.

• Sigamos mintiéndonos

  ➔ Imperative mood.

  ➔ The phrase "Sigamos mintiéndonos" is in the imperative mood, suggesting an action to be taken.

• En esta cripta no existe amor

  ➔ Negative form.

  ➔ The phrase "no existe amor" uses the negative form to express the absence of love.

• Pequeña muerte, llévame un segundo

  ➔ Direct address.

  ➔ The phrase "Pequeña muerte" is a direct address, indicating that the speaker is speaking to someone or something.

• No es por ahí, no es por ahí

  ➔ Repetition for emphasis.

  ➔ The repetition of "no es por ahí" emphasizes the speaker's insistence on the wrong path.

• Entre humo y alcohol

  ➔ Prepositional phrase.

  ➔ The phrase "Entre humo y alcohol" is a prepositional phrase indicating a state or condition.

• Si te herí, lo lamento

  ➔ Conditional clause.

  ➔ The phrase "Si te herí" introduces a conditional clause, indicating a situation that depends on another.