Todo Hombre es una Historia – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Kraken
• Album: Sencillo 1986

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic and cultural journey with Kraken's 'Todo Hombre es una Historia.' This iconic Colombian rock anthem is not just a song, but a powerful narrative of rebellion and self-realization. By learning its lyrics, you can practice Spanish vocabulary related to personal dreams, societal critique, and perseverance. The song's clear and emotive vocals make it an excellent tool for language learners to connect with the raw passion of Latin American rock.

[English]

They said he would return

As soon as he lost

The desire to fly

He was a boy from my neighborhood

Who was labeled ordinary

For not being like the others

And with his hair on his shoulders

He escaped

One day from all that oppression

No one ever sat down

To listen to what he thought

No one cared

He was a lover of life

Of the music that one day

Awoke his dreams

And with his hair on his shoulders

He escaped

One day from all that oppression

A thousand stories were told

Of that man who left

Ignoring what they would say

Not caring about the reason

A thousand stories were told

Of that man who left

Ignoring what they would say

Not caring about the reason

No!

...

Oh! Oh! No!

Time passed and I realized

That they were foolish words

Because he never lied to himself

Time passed, he has returned

He brings tired eyes

But he fulfilled his dreams

And with his hair on his shoulders

He escaped

One day from all that oppression

A thousand stories were told

Of that man who left

Ignoring what they would say

Not caring about the reason

A thousand stories were told

Of that man who left

Ignoring what they would say

Not caring about the reason

...

[Spanish]

Dijeron que volvería

Tan pronto se le irían

Las ganas de volar

Era un chico de mi barrio

Que tildaban de ordinario

Al no ser como los demás

Y con su pelo en hombros

Se le escapó

Un día a toda esa opresión

Nunca nadie se sentaba

A escuchar lo que pensaba

A nadie le importó

Era amante de la vida

De la música que un día

Sus sueños despertó

Y con su pelo en hombros

Se le escapó

Un día a toda esa opresión

Mil historias se contaron

De aquel hombre que marchó

Ignorando el que dirán

No importando la razón

Mil historias se contaron

De aquel hombre que marchó

Ignorando el que dirán

No importando la razón

No!

Oh! Oh! No!

Pasó el tiempo y me dí cuenta

Que eran palabras necias

Porque él nunca se mintió

Paso el tiempo, ha regresado

Trae ojos ya cansados

Mas sus sueños realizó

Y con su pelo en hombros

Se le escapó

Un día a toda esa opresión

Mil historias se contaron

De aquel hombre que marchó

Ignorando el que dirán

No importando la razón

Mil historias se contaron

De aquel hombre que marchó

Ignorando el que dirán

No importando la razón

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
volvería /bolβeˈɾi.a/ B1	verb - would return
opresión /opiˈsjoːn/ B2	noun - oppression
ganas /ˈɡa.nas/ A2	noun - desire, want
barro /ˈbarro/ B1	noun - clay
sueños /ˈswe.ɲos/ A2	noun - dreams
marchó /marˈtʃo/ B1	verb - walked away, left
agotado /a.ɣo.taˈðo/ B2	adjective - exhausted, worn out
realizó /rea.liˈθo/ B2	verb - realized, accomplished
temporal /tem.poˈɾal/ B2	adjective - temporary, fleeting
cansados /kanˈsa.ðos/ B1	adjective - tired
escondió /es.konˈðio/ B2	verb - hid
pensaba /penˈsa.βa/ B1	verb - thought, was thinking

Key Grammar Structures

• Dijeron que volvería

  ➔ Past tense and future conditional.

  ➔ The verb "dijeron" is in the past tense, while "volvería" indicates a future conditional action.

• Nunca nadie se sentaba

  ➔ Double negative.

  ➔ The phrase "nunca nadie" uses a double negative to emphasize that no one ever sat down.

• Era amante de la vida

  ➔ Imperfect tense.

  ➔ The verb "era" is in the imperfect tense, indicating a continuous state in the past.

• Mil historias se contaron

  ➔ Passive voice.

  ➔ The phrase "se contaron" is in the passive voice, indicating that stories were told without specifying who told them.

• Ignorando el que dirán

  ➔ Gerund phrase.

  ➔ The phrase "ignorando" is a gerund, indicating an ongoing action of ignoring what others say.

• Trae ojos ya cansados

  ➔ Present tense.

  ➔ The verb "trae" is in the present tense, indicating a current action of bringing tired eyes.

• Sus sueños realizó

  ➔ Simple past tense.

  ➔ The verb "realizó" is in the simple past tense, indicating a completed action of realizing dreams.