La Sed Verdadera – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Luis Alberto Spinetta
• Album: Artaud - Pescado Rabioso

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the poetic brilliance of Luis Alberto Spinetta with 'La Sed Verdadera.' This song is a perfect gateway for learners of Spanish to explore high-level metaphorical language and philosophical vocabulary, all set to a masterclass in Latin American art rock.

[English]

I know very well you’ve heard of me

And today we meet here

But the peace

In me, you’ll never find it

If not within yourself

In me, you’ll never find it

Whether in your living room or outside, you’re not there

But there’s another who is

And I’m not him

I’m only speaking to you from here

He must be the music you never made

You saw the skin

You believed in everything I gave you

Nothing came from you

Ah, look at the fire

The lights leaping in the distance

They’re not waiting for you to put them out

Never...

[Spanish]

Se muy bien que has oído hablar de mí

Y hoy nos vemos aquí

Pero la paz

En mí nunca la encontrarás

Si no es en vos

En mí nunca la encontrarás

Por tu living o fuera de allí no estás

Pero hay otro que está

Y yo no soy

Yo solo te hablo desde aquí

Él debe ser la música que nunca hiciste

Viste la piel

Creíste en todo lo que te di

Nada salió de vos

Ah, mira el fuego

Las luces que saltan a lo lejos

No esperan que vayas a apagarlas

Jamás...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
oír oˈiɾ B1	verb - to hear
paz pas A2	noun - peace
encontrar enkonˈtɾaɾ B1	verb - to find
vos bos A2	pronoun - you (informal, Spain)
música ˈmusika A2	noun - music
piel pjel A2	noun - skin
creer kɾeˈeɾ B1	verb - to believe
salir saˈliɾ A2	verb - to go out, to come out
fuego ˈfweɣo A2	noun - fire
luces ˈluses A2	noun - lights
saltar salˈtaɾ B1	verb - to jump
apagar apaˈɣaɾ B1	verb - to turn off, to extinguish
jamás xaˈmas B1	adverb - never
living ˈliβiŋ B2	noun - living room
esperar espeˈɾaɾ B1	verb - to wait, to expect

Key Grammar Structures

• Se muy bien que has oído hablar de mí

  ➔ Present perfect tense

  ➔ The phrase uses the present perfect tense with 'has oído' to indicate an action that occurred in the past but is relevant to the present.

• Pero la paz en mí nunca la encontrarás

  ➔ Double negative

  ➔ The phrase uses a double negative with 'nunca la encontrarás' to emphasize the absence of peace.

• Si no es en vos

  ➔ Conditional clause

  ➔ The phrase uses a conditional clause with 'si no es' to express a condition related to finding peace.

• Él debe ser la música que nunca hiciste

  ➔ Present subjunctive

  ➔ The phrase uses the present subjunctive with 'debe ser' to express a possibility or uncertainty.

• No esperan que vayas a apagarlas

  ➔ Subjunctive mood in dependent clause

  ➔ The phrase uses the subjunctive mood with 'vayas a apagarlas' in a dependent clause to express a wish or expectation.