Cisne Cuello Negro – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Basilio

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the profound messages within Basilio's "Cisne Cuello Negro." This song uses poetic imagery of swans and contrasting elements to explore themes of duality and unity, offering listeners a chance to reflect on the complexities of life and relationships.

[English]

There is no black lake

There is a white lake, there is a white lake

There is a vast lake full of mud, full of mud

There is no black silence, nor white crying, nor white crying

There is only silence and crying, silence and crying

There is no black field, there is a white field, there is a white field

There is a vast field to plant, to plant

There is no black moan, nor white song, nor white song

There is only moan and song, moan and song, lalalaaa

Black-necked Swan, White-necked Swan

...

That hurt each other

That kiss each other

Joy and tears

...

There is no black sky, there is a white sky, there is a white sky

There is a vast sky to look at, to look at

There is no black trail, nor white plain, nor white plain

There is only trail and plain, trail and plain

There is no black world, there is a white world. there is a white world

There is a vast world that must be cared for, that must be cared for

There is no black road, nor white step, nor white step

There is only road and step, road and step, lalala

Black-necked Swan, White-necked Swan

That love each other

That deny each other

Joy and tears

Black-necked Swan, White-necked Swan

...

[Spanish]

No hay un lago negro

hay un lago blanco, hay un lago blanco

Hay un lago inmenso lleno de fango, lleno de fango

No hay silencio negro, ni llanto blanco, ni llanto blanco

hay solamente silencio y llanto, silencio y llanto

No hay campo negro, hay campo blanco, hay campo blanco

hay un campo inmenso para sembrarlo, para sembrarlo

no hay quejido negro, ni canto blanco, ni canto blanco

hay solamente quejido y canto, quejido y canto, laralaaa

Cisne cuello negro, Cisne cuello blanco

que se van hiriendo

que se van besando

alegría y llanto

No hay un cielo negro, hay un cielo blanco, hay un cielo blanco

hay un cielo inmenso para mirarlo, para mirarlo

No hay sendero negr, ni llano blanco, ni llano blanco

Hay solamente sendero y llano, sendero y llano

No hay un mundo negro, hay un mundo blanco. hay un mundo blanco

Hay un mundo inmenso que hay que cuidarlo, que hay que cuidarlo

No hay camino negro, ni paso blanco, ni paso blanco

Hay solamente camino y paso, camino y paso, larala

Cisne cuello negro, Cisne cuello blanco

que se van queriendo

que se van negando

alegría y llanto

Cisne cuello negro, Cisne cuello blanco

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
lago /ˈlaɣo/ A1	noun - lake
negro /ˈneɣɾo/ A1	adjective - black
blanco /ˈblaŋko/ A1	adjective - white
hay /ai/ A1	verb - there is, there are
silencio /siˈlenθjo/ A2	noun - silence
llanto /ˈʎanto/ A2	noun - weeping, crying
campo /ˈkampo/ A2	noun - field
canto /ˈkanto/ A2	noun - song, singing
cuello /ˈkweʎo/ A2	noun - neck
cisne /ˈθisne/ B1	noun - swan
inmenso /inˈmenso/ B1	adjective - immense, huge
mundo /ˈmundo/ A1	noun - world
sendero /senˈdeɾo/ B1	noun - path
camino /kaˈmino/ A2	noun - road
alegría /aleˈɣɾia/ B1	noun - joy
fango /ˈfaŋɡo/ B2	noun - mud
llano /ˈʎano/ B1	noun - plain adjective - flat
paso /ˈpaso/ A2	noun - step

Key Grammar Structures

• hay solamente silencio y llanto

  ➔ Use of 'hay' to indicate existence or presence of something.

  ➔ 'Hay' is an impersonal verb in Spanish used to express 'there is' or 'there are'.

• No hay un lago negro

  ➔ Negative construction with 'no' + 'hay' to negate the existence of something.

  ➔ 'No hay' means 'there is no' or 'there are no', used to negate existence.

• hay un campo inmenso para sembrarlo

  ➔ Use of 'para' + infinitive to express purpose or intent.

  ➔ 'Para' + infinitive indicates purpose or goal of an action.

• No hay camino negro, ni paso blanco

  ➔ Use of 'ni' to connect two negative alternatives, meaning 'nor' or 'neither' between them.

  ➔ 'Ni' links two negative options, similar to 'nor' in English.

• Cisne cuello negro, Cisne cuello blanco

  ➔ Use of noun phrases to describe different characteristics or identities, often as a metaphor.

  ➔ Noun phrases highlight different qualities or roles, often symbolizing duality or contrast.

• Que se van queriendo, que se van negando

  ➔ Use of 'se' with plural reflexive verb forms to indicate reciprocal actions or states.

  ➔ 'Se' is a reflexive pronoun used to form reciprocal actions or reflect mutual states.