Mercedes – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: José Madero

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the evocative Spanish lyrics of José Madero's "Mercedes" to experience a rich tapestry of emotion and poetic metaphor. This song offers a unique opportunity to explore vocabulary related to intense love, dependence, and internal conflict, while appreciating the nuanced storytelling characteristic of Latin American rock. Its profound exploration of human relationships makes it a compelling piece for language learners and music enthusiasts alike.

[English]

Lyrics by: José Madero Vizcaíno

Music by: José Madero Vizcaíno

I see the truth when I breathe in your scent

I try to reason even though I'm stupid

I harden myself even though I'm soft inside

And it's true, you crush the pain grain by grain

You silence that bad narrator

I light up, even if only for a moment, mmmh-mmmm

You burn me, I already know

But this flame is sweet

You kill me, I already know

And I'm alone in this tunnel

Take me everywhere, forever

Strip me, drag me, don't let my feet go

Without you, I want to become a stranger to myself

Without you, I have nothing left to do here

Without you, I have nothing left to do here

It's true, what's the use of a heart?

If it beats with a faulty rhythm

Your cadence is constant in my body

When I take your hand I know there'll be no direction

I'll get lost sitting in the armchair

Even if my universe shrinks, mmmh-mmmm

You take me to Eden

Yes, you lead me to the summit

You tempt me to fall

But you're also my cloud

Take me everywhere, forever

Strip me, drag me, don't let my feet go

Contemplate me, turn to see me again, don't be so cruel

Hurt me, feed me

Come, pierce my skin

Come, pierce my skin

Come, pierce my skin

Without you, a “when” becomes a “why”

Without you, when I pray I skip the “amen”

[Spanish]

作词 : José Madero Vizcaíno

作曲 : José Madero Vizcaíno

La verdad la veo cuando inhalo tu flor

Razono aunque estúpido estoy

Me endurezco aunque suave por dentro

Y es verdad, destrozas gramo a gramo el dolor

Silencias a ese mal narrador

Me ilumino aunque sólo un momento, mmmh-mmmm

Me quemas, ya lo sé

Pero es dulce esta lumbre

Me matas, ya lo sé

Y voy solo en este túnel

Llévame por siempre y doquier

Desnúdame, arrástrame, no sueltes mis pies

Sin ti, me quiero desconocer

Sin ti, no tengo aquí ya qué hacer

Sin ti, no tengo aquí ya qué hacer

Es verdad, ¿de qué me sirve un corazón?

Si palpita con un ritmo en error

Tu cadencia es constante en mi cuerpo

Al tomar tu mano sé que no habrá dirección

Me perderé sentado en el sillón

Aunque mi universo se haga pequeño, mmmh-mmmm

Me llevas al Edén

Sí, me llevas a la cumbre

Me incitas a caer

Mas también eres mi nube

Llévame por siempre y doquier

Desnúdame, arrástrame, no sueltes mis pies

Contémplame, voltéame a ver, no seas tan cruel

Lastímame, aliméntame

Ven, punza mi piel

Ven, punza mi piel

Ven, punza mi piel

Sin ti, un "cuándo" es un "por qué"

Sin ti, al rezar omito el "amén"

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
inhalo i.na.lo A2	verb - to inhale
endurezco en.du.ˈreθ.ko B1	verb - to harden
destrozas des.ˈtɾo.θas A2	verb - to destroy
silencias si.len.ˈθjas A2	verb - to silence
ilumino i.lu.ˈmi.no A2	verb - to illuminate
quemas ˈke.mas A1	verb - to burn
lumbre ˈlum.bɾe B1	noun - fire, light
doquier do.ˈkje.ɾe B2	adverb - everywhere
desnúdame des.ˈnu.ða.me A2	verb - to undress
arrástrame a.ˈras.tɾa.me A2	verb - to drag
contémplame kon.ˈtem.pla.me B1	verb - to contemplate
voltéame bol.ˈte.a.me A2	verb - to turn
lastímame las.ˈti.ma.me A2	verb - to hurt
aliméntame a.li.ˈmen.ta.me A2	verb - to feed
punza ˈpun.θa B1	verb - to prick
palpita pal.ˈpi.ta B1	verb - to throb
cadencia ka.ˈden.θja B2	noun - cadence
cumbre ˈkum.bɾe A2	noun - summit
nube ˈnu.be A1	noun - cloud

Key Grammar Structures

• La verdad la veo cuando inhalo tu flor

  ➔ Present indicative + temporal conjunction "cuando"

  ➔ The word "cuando" introduces a temporal clause: "when I inhale".

• Me endurezco aunque suave por dentro

  ➔ Concessive clause with "aunque" + adjective

  ➔ "aunque" means "even though"; here it links "although I become hard" with the description "soft inside".

• Me quemas, ya lo sé

  ➔ "ya" + present simple to express known fact

  ➔ "ya" emphasizes that the speaker already knows: "I already know it".

• Llévame por siempre y doquier

  ➔ Imperative verb + direct object pronoun "me"

  ➔ "Llévame" is the imperative of "llevar" with the attached pronoun "me" meaning "take me".

• Sin ti, no tengo aquí ya qué hacer

  ➔ "no tener + que + infinitive" to express lack of purpose

  ➔ "no tengo ... qué hacer" = "I have nothing to do"; the infinitive "hacer" follows "qué".

• ¿De qué me sirve un corazón?

  ➔ Rhetorical question with "de qué sirve" (purpose/benefit)

  ➔ "de qué me sirve" asks about usefulness: "What good does a heart do for me?"

• Al tomar tu mano sé que no habrá dirección

  ➔ "al + infinitive" to indicate simultaneity (when)

  ➔ "Al tomar" = "when I take"; the infinitive "tomar" follows "al" to show the action occurs at the same time as the main clause.

• Mas también eres mi nube

  ➔ Coordinating conjunction "mas" (but) with contrast

  ➔ "Mas" connects two clauses with opposing ideas: "but also you are my cloud".

• Sin ti, un "cuándo" es un "por qué"

  ➔ Copular verb "es" linking two nouns; use of quotation marks for lexical items

  ➔ The verb "es" (= "is") equates "cuándo" and "por qué"; both words are placed in quotation marks to show they are being discussed as terms.