Periodico De Ayer – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Hector Lavoe
• Album: De Ti Depende

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the passion and poetry of salsa with Héctor Lavoe's iconic song, “Periódico de Ayer.” This track is a fantastic entry point for English speakers looking to learn Spanish through music. Its clear, metaphorical lyrics about a love affair being like 'yesterday's news' offer a rich opportunity to understand figurative language in Spanish. The song's classic salsa rhythm and Lavoe's emotive delivery make it a cultural and linguistic gem.

[English]

Your love is yesterday's newspaper

That no one else seeks to read anymore

Sensational when it came out in the early morning

By noon, it was confirmed news

And in the afternoon, forgotten material

Your love is yesterday's newspaper

It was a headline that filled an entire page

That's why they already know you everywhere

Your name has been a report that I kept

And in the album of forgetfulness, I stuck it

Your love is yesterday's newspaper

That no one else seeks to read anymore

The comment that was born in the early morning

And we were both the news that spread

And in the afternoon, forgotten material

Your love is yesterday's newspaper

(And why read yesterday's newspaper?)

Hey, news that everyone knows

I no longer want to read (And why read yesterday's newspaper?)

You were no good for anything, babe

And I threw you in the trash (And why read yesterday's newspaper?)

Go, walk, stay away from my side

Stay away from me (And why read yesterday's newspaper?)

You are the daily La Prensa

Radio Bemba, Radio Bemba

Shake it off, double ugly!

(And why read yesterday's newspaper?)

Why would I read the story of a love I can't even believe?

(And why read yesterday's newspaper?)

I loved you, I had you, I kept you, but I no longer love you

(And why read yesterday's newspaper?)

I'm not going to your house, Polito, it drives me crazy, crazy

(And why read yesterday's newspaper?)

In the album of my life, on a hidden page, there I found you

(And why read yesterday's newspaper?)

Come on, go away from my side, good thing, I don't even want to see you

(And why read yesterday's newspaper?)

What's wrong with you, are you crying? You have a paper soul

(And why read yesterday's newspaper?)

And just like paper can take everything

That's how I treated you (And why read yesterday's newspaper?)

Analyze your story

And then you will understand

...

[Spanish]

Tu amor es un periódico de ayer

Que nadie más procura ya leer

Sensacional cuando salió en la madrugada

A medio día, ya noticia confirmada

Y en la tarde, materia olvidada

Tu amor es un periódico de ayer

Fue titular que alcanzó página entera

Por eso ya te conocen donde quiera

Tu nombre ha sido un reporte que guardé

Y en el álbum del olvido lo pegué

Tu amor es un periódico de ayer

Que nadie más procura ya leer

El comentario que nació en la madrugada

Y fuimos ambos la noticia propagada

Y en la tarde, materia olvidada

Tu amor es un periódico de ayer

(¿Y para qué leer un periódico de ayer?)

Oye, noticia que todos saben

Ya yo no quiero leer (¿y para qué leer un periódico de ayer?)

Tú no serviste pa nada, mami

Y al zafacón yo te eché (¿y para qué leer un periódico de ayer?)

Echa, camina, apártate de mi vera

Apártate de mi lado (¿y para qué leer un periódico de ayer?)

Tú eres el diario La Prensa

Radio Bemba, Radio Bemba

¡Sacude, doble fea!

(¿Y para qué leer un periódico de ayer?)

¿Para qué voy a leer la historia de un amor que no puedo ni creer?

(¿Y para qué leer un periódico de ayer?)

Te quise, te tuve, te mantuve, pero ya no te quiero

(¿Y para qué leer un periódico de ayer?)

A tu casa yo no voy, Polito, va, me tumba la chaveta, la chaveta

(¿Y para qué leer un periódico de ayer?)

En el álbum de mi vida, en una página escondida, allí te encontré

(¿Y para qué leer un periódico de ayer?)

Anda, vete de mi vera, cosa buena, ya no te quiero ni ver

(¿Y para qué leer un periódico de ayer?)

¿Qué te pasa, estás llorando? Tienes alma de papel

(¿Y para qué leer un periódico de ayer?)

Y como el papel aguanta todo

Así mismo te traté (¿y para qué leer un periódico de ayer?)

Analízate tu historia

Y así podrás comprender

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
amor /aˈmor/ A1	noun - love
periódico /peɾioˈðiko/ B1	noun - newspaper
noticia /noˈtisia/ A2	noun - news
olvidada /olβiˈðaða/ B2	adjective - forgotten
casa /ˈkasa/ A1	noun - house
historia /isˈtoɾja/ A2	noun - history/story
camina /kaˈmina/ A2	verb - to walk
quiero /ˈkjeɾo/ A1	verb - I want
nombre /ˈnomβɾe/ A1	noun - name
materia /maˈteɾia/ B1	noun - matter/subject
reporte /reˈpoɾte/ B2	noun - report
sabe /ˈsaβe/ A2	verb - he/she knows
vida /ˈbiða/ A1	noun - life
alma /ˈalma/ B2	noun - soul
papel /paˈpel/ A1	noun - paper
tarde /ˈtaɾðe/ A1	noun - afternoon

Key Grammar Structures

• Tu amor es un periódico de ayer

  ➔ Use of 'ser' to indicate identity or characteristic

  ➔ 'Es' is the third person singular form of 'ser', used here to define what 'tu amor' (your love) is.

• Que nadie más procura ya leer

  ➔ Use of 'más' to indicate comparison or 'additionality'

  ➔ 'Más' means 'more' or 'additional', emphasizing that no one else is interested in reading anymore.

• Y en la tarde, materia olvidada

  ➔ Use of 'materia olvidada' as a noun phrase meaning 'forgotten matter'

  ➔ 'Materia olvidada' is a noun phrase meaning 'forgotten matter' or 'forgotten issue'.

• ¿Y para qué leer un periódico de ayer?

  ➔ Use of 'para qué' to ask 'what is the point of' or 'why'

  ➔ 'Para qué' is a question phrase meaning 'what is the use of' or 'why'.

• Tú no serviste pa nada, mami

  ➔ Use of 'serviste' as past tense of 'servir' to indicate a completed action

  ➔ 'Serviste' is the second person singular past tense of 'servir', meaning 'you served' or 'you were of use'.

• Anda, vete de mi vera, cosa buena, ya no te quiero ni ver

  ➔ Use of 'vete' (imperative form of 'ir') and 'de mi vera' (idiomatic expression meaning 'away from me')

  ➔ 'Vete' is the imperative form of 'ir', meaning 'go away'. 'De mi vera' idiomatically means 'away from my side'.