Nana Del Mediterráneo – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: María José Llergo

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the soul-stirring "Nana del Mediterráneo" by María José Llergo, a song that blends traditional flamenco with a modern message. By exploring its poignant lyrics, you'll gain insight into the Mediterranean migration crisis and appreciate Llergo's unique ability to transform sorrow into a powerful call for empathy and awareness. It is a chance to connect with the beauty and pain of the human experience through music.

[English]

Ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah-ah

Ah-ah

White foam that washes the sea

You made him a cradle of water and salt

The little stars of the sky

With mother-of-pearl comb his hair

Sleep, my child, cry no more

Serene waters, serene waters

Rock you, now

Eh y oh-oh

Le-eh, la-oh

Le-eh, ah-oh

The skies cry, the sea howls

Dreams die overseas

The waves seal his tomb

Europe loses its nails

Sleep, my child, cry no more

Serene waters, serene waters

Rock you, now

Eh-ah-ah

Le-eh, la-oh

Le-eh, ah-oh

Le-eh, ah-ah-ah

Le-eh, ah-le-eh-eh-le

Hey-ah, la-ah, la-ah, la-ah, ah-ah

Le-ah, lah-ah-ah-ah, oh

...

[Spanish]

Ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah-ah

Ah-ah-ah-ah

Ah-ah

Espuma blanca que lava el mar

Le hiciste cuna de agua y sal

Las estrellitas del cielo

Con nácar peinan su pelo

Duerme, mi niño, no llores más

Aguas serenas, aguas serena'

Te mecen, ya

Eh y oh-oh

Le-eh, la-oh

Le-eh, ah-oh

Lloran los cielos, aúlla el mar

Mueren los sueños en ultra mar

Las olas sellan su tumba

Europa pierde las uñas

Duerme, mi niño, no llores más

Aguas serenas, aguas serena'

Te mecen, ya

Eh-ah-ah

Le-eh, la-oh

Le-eh, ah-oh

Le-eh, ah-ah-ah

Le-eh, ah-le-eh-eh-le

Hey-ah, la-ah, la-ah, la-ah, ah-ah

Le-ah, lah-ah-ah-ah, oh

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
espuma /esˈpu.ma/ A2	noun - foam, froth
blanca /ˈb (l)anka/ A2	adjective - white
lava /ˈla.βa/ A2	verb - to wash, to rinse
mar /mar/ A2	noun - sea, ocean
cuna /ˈku.na/ B1	noun - crib, cradle
sal /sal/ A2	noun - salt
estrella /esˈtɾe.ʝa/ A2	noun - star
cielo /ˈθje.lo/ (Spain) A2	noun - sky
pelo /ˈpe.lo/ A2	noun - hair
dulce /ˈdul.θe/ (Spain) A2	adjective - sweet
niño /ˈni.ɲo/ A1	noun - child, boy
more /moˈɾe/ B2	adverb - more
parar /paˈɾaɾ/ B1	verb - to stop

Key Grammar Structures

• Le hiciste cuna de agua y sal

  ➔ Past tense of 'hacer' in the second person singular (tú) as 'hiciste' indicating 'you made/fabricated'.

  ➔ The verb 'hacer' means 'to do' or 'to make', and 'hiciste' is its preterite form used for completed actions in the past.

• Las olas sellan su tumba

  ➔ The verb 'sellar' in the present tense third person plural ('sellan'), meaning 'to seal' or 'to close'.

  ➔ The verb 'sellar' means 'to seal' or 'to close', indicating the waves are sealing the child's tomb metaphorically.

• Duerme, mi niño, no llores más

  ➔ Imperative mood used with 'duerme' (sleep) to give a soothing command or reassurance.

  ➔ The verb 'duerme' is in the imperative form, used here to comfort the child and suggest sleeping peacefully.

• Las estrellas del cielo

  ➔ Noun phrase 'las estrellas' (the stars) as the subject, with 'del cielo' indicating possession or location (of the sky).

  ➔ The phrase 'las estrellas del cielo' refers to 'the stars' in the sky, emphasizing their location as part of the celestial scene.

• Ah-ah-ah

  ➔ Onomatopoeic expressions representing sounds or emotional expressions, not grammatical structures.

  ➔ The sequences 'Ah-ah' are onomatopoeic, used to evoke feelings or sound effects without grammatical function.