Vine del Norte – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Ismael Serrano

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic and cultural journey with Ismael Serrano's 'Vine del Norte.' This song offers a unique opportunity to learn Spanish through a narrative rich with poetic imagery and historical references. By exploring its lyrics, you'll not only improve your language skills but also gain a deeper understanding of Chile's recent history and the power of song as a form of testimony.

[English]

Coming from the north searching for a song and a cross,

And there a comet crossed my path, and in its trail was you.

In Madrid it would keep on raining, sad as I left it,

And in Santiago with your lights, I burned in November.

And it was after a concert, one night at your university,

There I found you again, "Tonight, let's go out and roll."

"Gladly I accept your offer, just one condition:

That this night never ends and I don’t fall in love."

Walking through La Alameda, you started to tell me

Stories, coincidences, struggles, these days passing by

In front of La Moneda, you hummed Jara.

You looked at me, "So tough, you have an air of Guevara."

And we entered a dive bar, and someone there was singing Fito.

"At this rate, I’ll fall for you, I just need another pisco."

"Stop with the stories, jump up here, and sing me a Silvio song."

"Only if you give me a kiss," and everyone sang along with me.

We left the bar drunk, holding hands,

And on the street, as always, the cops were messing around.

You shouted at them, "Murderers!" and we both ran off.

You were laughing, and in your laughter, I saw myself fall.

But, "Where have you been all this time? It's getting late, go home,"

And in your distant embrace, I thought I heard the Parra,

Singing just for us. I better go.

There I was, alone, shouting, without you, "I remember you, Amanda."

"I remember you, Amanda."

In time I reached my north, with a song and a cross,

With the trail of a comet, with your lies and your light.

In Madrid it kept on raining, just like I left it,

And in Santiago, so many things, today I long to return.

Today I long to return.

...

[Spanish]

Vine del norte buscando una canción y una cruz,

Y allí se cruzó un cometa, y en su estela estabas tú.

En Madrid seguiría lloviendo, triste como lo dejé,

Y en Santiago con tus luces y su noviembre me quemé.

Y fue después de un concierto, una noche en tu universidad,

Allí te encontré de nuevo, "Hoy te invito a carretear".

"Acepto gustoso tu oferta, sólo con una condición:

Que no se acabe esta noche y que no me enamore yo".

Andando por La Alameda, tú me empezaste a contar

Causas, azares y luchas, en estos días y al pasar

Por delante de La Moneda, tú tarareaste a Jara.

Me miraste, "Así tan duro, tienes un aire a Guevara".

Y entramos en un bareto, y allí alguien cantaba a Fito.

"A este paso me enamoro, sólo me falta otro pisco".

"Déjate de historias, súbete ahí, y cántame una de Silvio".

"Sólo si me das un beso", y todos cantaron conmigo.

Salimos del bar borrachos, agarrados de la mano,

Y en la calle como siempre jodiendo andaban los pacos.

Tú les gritaste "¡Asesinos!", y los dos echamos a correr.

Tú reías, y en tu risa yo me veía caer.

Pero, "¿Dónde has estado este tiempo? Se hace tarde, vete a casa",

Y en tu abrazo a lo lejos, creí oír a los Parra,

Cantando para nosotros. Será mejor que me vaya.

Ahí quedé, solo, gritando, sin ti, "Te recuerdo, Amanda".

"Te recuerdo, Amanda".

Al tiempo llegué a mi norte, con una canción y una cruz,

Con la estela de un cometa, con tu mentira y con tu luz.

En Madrid seguía lloviendo, tal y como lo dejé,

Y en Santiago tantas cosas, hoy me muero por volver.

Hoy me muero por volver.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
norte /ˈnorte/ A1	noun - north
canción /kanˈsjon/ A1	noun - song
cruz /kɾus/ A1	noun - cross
cometa /koˈmeta/ A2	noun - comet
lloviendo /ʝoˈβjendo/ A2	verb - raining
triste /ˈtɾiste/ A2	adjective - sad
luz /luθ/ A1	noun - light
universidad /uniβeɾsiˈðað/ B1	noun - university
enamorar /ena.moˈɾaɾ/ B1	verb - to fall in love
gritar /ɡɾiˈtaɾ/ B1	verb - to shout
correr /koˈreɾ/ A2	verb - to run
caer /kaˈeɾ/ B1	verb - to fall
recuerdo /reˈkweɾðo/ B2	noun - memory
casa /ˈkasa/ A1	noun - house
noche /ˈnotʃe/ A1	noun - night
luchar /luˈtʃaɾ/ B2	verb - to fight

Key Grammar Structures

• Vine del norte buscando una canción y una cruz.

  ➔ Past tense (preterite) to indicate completed actions.

  ➔ The phrase "Vine del norte" uses the preterite form of the verb "venir" to indicate a completed action in the past.

• Y allí se cruzó un cometa, y en su estela estabas tú.

  ➔ Imperfect tense to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

  ➔ The phrase "estabas tú" uses the imperfect tense of the verb "estar" to indicate a state of being that was ongoing in the past.

• Y fue después de un concierto, una noche en tu universidad.

  ➔ Use of conjunctions to connect clauses.

  ➔ The conjunction "y" connects two independent clauses, indicating a continuation of thought.

• Al tiempo llegué a mi norte, con una canción y una cruz.

  ➔ Use of prepositions to indicate relationships.

  ➔ The preposition "a" indicates direction or destination in the phrase "llegué a mi norte".

• Hoy me muero por volver.

  ➔ Present tense to express current feelings or desires.

  ➔ The phrase "me muero por volver" uses the present tense to express a strong desire to return.