Un Veneno – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: C. Tangana, Niño de Elche

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the soul of Spanish music with 'Un Veneno'! This song is a perfect gateway to learning Spanish through its intense poetic metaphors and the beautiful contrast between modern urban slang and traditional flamenco phrasing. Discover how language can express the complex duality of love and danger.

[English]

This boundless ambition

This boundless ambition

For the women, the money and the spotlights

For the women, the money and the spotlights

It's draining my life

It's draining my life

Little by little, bit by bit

Little by little, bit by bit

The press asks me: “Puchito, what’s the trick?”

The press asks me: “Puchito, what’s the trick?”

Without singing, without even hitting the right notes

Without singing, without even hitting the right notes

So all of Spain can hear me, hey!

So all of Spain can hear me, hey!

It’s a poison I carry inside

It’s a poison I carry inside

Embedded in my blood

Embedded in my blood

That will end up killing me

That will end up killing me

Even though you never loved me

Even though you never loved me

I did it for you (that’s how it is)

I did it for you (that’s how it is)

I did it for you (how could I not?)

I did it for you (how could I not?)

And I did it for you (I did it for you, babe)

And I did it for you (I did it for you, babe)

I did it for you (let’s go, let’s go)

I did it for you (let’s go, let’s go)

I did it for you (so you’ll look at me)

I did it for you (so you’ll look at me)

And I did it for you (so you’ll love me)

And I did it for you (so you’ll love me)

I did it for you

I did it for you

I was born a bohemian

I was born a bohemian

But your love has changed me

But your love has changed me

And now I want to succeed and win, to appear on TV and radio, hey!

And now I want to succeed and win, to appear on TV and radio, hey!

It’s a cruel, violent poison (ah)

It’s a cruel, violent poison (ah)

That you’re feeding

That you’re feeding

That will end up killing me

That will end up killing me

While everyone keeps watching

While everyone keeps watching

I did it for you (how?)

I did it for you (how?)

I did it for you (I did it for you, that’s it)

I did it for you (I did it for you, that’s it)

I did it for you (I did it for you)

I did it for you (I did it for you)

I did it for you (and it’s going to kill me)

I did it for you (and it’s going to kill me)

I did it for you (I did it for you)

I did it for you (I did it for you)

Oh God…

Oh God…

I still remember the hungry kid

I still remember the hungry kid

Who you never invited to the party

Who you never invited to the party

Back when I was innocent, before (haha)

Back when I was innocent, before (haha)

But before I was nobody (take that)

But before I was nobody (take that)

And now I’m partying all day long (ah)

And now I’m partying all day long (ah)

Escaping forward

Escaping forward

Trying to forget you, bullfighting memories that burn

Trying to forget you, bullfighting memories that burn

It’s a poison I carry inside

It’s a poison I carry inside

Embedded in my blood

Embedded in my blood

That will end up killing me

That will end up killing me

Even though you never loved me, hey

Even though you never loved me, hey

It’s a poison I carry inside

It’s a poison I carry inside

Embedded in my blood

Embedded in my blood

That will end up killing me

That will end up killing me

Even though you never loved me

Even though you never loved me

I did it for you (ruah, that’s it)

I did it for you (ruah, that’s it)

I did it for you (I did it for you, for you alone)

I did it for you (I did it for you, for you alone)

And I did it for you (I did it for you, wuh‑wuh, wuh‑wuh)

And I did it for you (I did it for you, wuh‑wuh, wuh‑wuh)

I did it for you (I did it for you, so you’ll love me)

I did it for you (I did it for you, so you’ll love me)

I did it for you (I did it for you, I did it for you, baby)

I did it for you (I did it for you, I did it for you, baby)

And I did it for you (I did it for you, for you only)

And I did it for you (I did it for you, for you only)

I did it for you (oh, I did it for you)

I did it for you (oh, I did it for you)

...

[Spanish]

Esta ambición desmedida

This excessive ambition

Por las mujeres, la pasta y los focos

for women, money and spotlights

Me está quitando la vida

is taking my life away

Poquito a poco a poquito a poco

little by little by little by little

Me pregunta la prensa: "¿Puchito, cuál es la maña?"

The press keeps asking me: "Puchito, what's the trick?"

Sin cantar, ni afinar

(without even singing in tune)

Pa' que me escuche to'a España, ¡hey!

to be listened by all Spain. Hey!

Es un veneno que llevo dentro

It's a poison that I carry

En la sangre metido

inside my blood

Que va a hacer que me mate

that is going to kill me

Sin que me hayas siquiera querido

without you having even loved me

Lo hice por ti (eso es)

♪...I did it for you♪

Lo hice por ti (¿cómo no?)

♪...I did it for you♪

Y yo lo hice por ti (lo hice por ti, mami)

♪...I did it for you♪

Yo lo hice por ti (vamos, vamos)

♪...I did it for you♪

Lo hice por ti (pa' que me mires)

♪...I did it for you♪

Y yo lo hice por ti (pa' que me quieras)

♪...I did it for you♪

Yo lo hice por ti

♪...I did it for you♪

Yo he nacido bohemio

I was born bohemian

Pero tu amor me ha cambiado

but your love has changed me

Y ahora quiero triunfar y ganar, y salir en la tele y la radio, ¡hey!

and now I want to succeed and win and appear on TV and radio. Hey!

Es un veneno cruel y violento (ah)

It's a cruel and violent poison (ah)

Que estáis alimentando

that you're all feeding

Que va a hacer que me mate

that is going to make me kill myself

Mientras todos seguís ahí mirando

while you keep watching

Lo hice por ti (¿cómo?)

♪...I did it for you♪

Lo hice por ti (yo lo hice por ti, eso es)

♪...I did it for you♪

Yo lo hice por ti (lo hice por ti)

♪...I did it for you♪

Yo lo hice por ti (y va a matarme)

♪...I did it for you♪

Lo hice por ti (lo hice por ti)

♪...I did it for you♪

Ay, Dios...

Oh, God...

Aún recuerdo al chaval hambriento

I still remember the hungry kid

Que no invitabais al baile

that you didn't invite to the party

Antes cuando era inocente, antes (je)

before when I was innocent, before (heh)

Pero antes yo no era nadie (toma)

but before I was nobody (take this)

Y ahora to' el día metido en farra' (ah)

And now everyday is a party (ah)

Escapando p'alante

escaping forward

Intentando olvidarte, toreando recuerdos que arden

trying to forget you, bullfighting memories that burn

Es un veneno que llevo dentro

It's a poison that I carry

En la sangre metido

inside my blood

Que va a hacer que me mate

that is going to kill me

Sin que me hayas siquiera querido, hey

without you having even loved me, hey

Es un veneno que llevo dentro

It's a poison that I carry

En la sangre metido

inside my blood

Que va a hacer que me mate

that is going to make me kill myself

Sin que me hayas siquiera querido

without you having even loved me

Lo hice por ti (ruah, eso es)

♪...I did it for you♪ (ruah, that's it)

Lo hice por ti (lo hice por ti, por ti na' má')

♪...I did it for you♪ (I did it for you, only for you)

Y yo lo hice por ti (yo lo hice por ti, wuh-wuh, wuh-wuh)

♪...I did it for you♪ (I did it for you, wuh-wuh, wuh-wuh)

Yo lo hice por ti (lo hice por ti, pa' que me quieras)

♪...I did it for you♪ (I did it for you, so you'd love me)

Lo hice por ti (yo lo hice por ti, lo hice por ti, bebé)

♪...I did it for you♪ (I did it for you, I did it for you, baby)

Y yo lo hice por ti (yo lo hice por ti, por ti na' má')

♪...I did it for you♪ (I did it for you, only for you)

Yo lo hice por ti (ay, yo lo hice por ti)

♪...I did it for you♪ (oh, I did it for you)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ambición ambición B2	noun - ambition
desmedida desmedida C1	adjective - excessive, uncontrolled
pasta pasta B1	noun - money (slang)
focos focos B1	noun - spotlights, focus lights
veneno veneno B1	noun - poison
sangre sangre A2	noun - blood
metido metido B1	adjective - inserted, stuck in
maña maña B2	noun - trick, knack
cruel cruel B1	adjective - cruel
violento violento B1	adjective - violent
alimentando alimentando B2	verb - feeding, nourishing
bohemio bohemio B2	adjective - bohemian
triunfar triunfar B2	verb - to succeed, to win
farra farra B2	noun - party, binge
toreando toreando C1	verb - to bullfight (figurative, to grapple with memories)
hambriento hambriento B2	adjective - hungry
chaval chaval B1	noun - kid, lad
inocente inocente B1	adjective - innocent
escuche escuche B2	verb - (subj.) may I listen / that you listen

Key Grammar Structures

• Me está quitando la vida

  ➔ Present progressive with reflexive pronoun

  ➔ The verb phrase "está quitando" is in the present progressive, showing an ongoing action that affects the speaker.

• Por las mujeres, la pasta y los focos

  ➔ Prepositional phrase with "por" indicating cause/motive

  ➔ The preposition "por" introduces the reasons – "las mujeres, la pasta y los focos" – for the singer's ambition.

• Me pregunta la prensa: "¿Puchito, cuál es la maña?"

  ➔ Indirect question with interrogative pronoun "cuál"

  ➔ The clause "cuál es la maña" is an indirect question embedded after the reporting verb "pregunta".

• Sin cantar, ni afinar

  ➔ "Sin + infinitive" construction expressing absence

  ➔ "Sin" followed by the infinitives "cantar" and "afinar" means "without singing or tuning".

• Que va a hacer que me mate

  ➔ Periphrastic future "ir a + infinitive" + subordinate clause

  ➔ The phrase "va a hacer" ("is going to do") followed by another clause "que me mate" expresses a future action that will cause the speaker's death.

• Yo lo hice por ti (eso es)

  ➔ Preterite simple "hice" expressing a completed past action with motive "por"

  ➔ The verb "hice" is in the preterite, showing that the speaker performed the action fully in the past, and "por ti" indicates the reason – "for you".

• Antes cuando era inocente, antes

  ➔ Imperfect tense "era" describing a past state or habit

  ➔ The verb "era" (imperfect of "ser") sets a background situation – "when I was innocent" – rather than a finished event.

• Intentando olvidarte, toreando recuerdos que arden

  ➔ Gerundial phrase + relative clause with present indicative "que arden"

  ➔ "Intentando" (gerund) shows a simultaneous ongoing activity, while "que arden" is a relative clause describing "recuerdos" (memories) that are currently burning.

• Aún recuerdo al chaval hambriento

  ➔ Personal "a" before a direct object + adjective after the noun

  ➔ The preposition "a" marks "al chaval" as a personal direct object, and the adjective "hambriento" follows the noun, a common pattern in Spanish.