A la orilla del río – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Robe, Roberto Iniesta

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic journey with Robe's "A la orilla del río," a song that masterfully blends evocative Spanish poetry with compelling rock melodies. Through the metaphor of a weeping willow, you'll discover expressions of deep emotion and unrequited love, making it an excellent piece for learning nuanced Spanish vocabulary and understanding cultural storytelling in music.

[English]

Living on the riverbank

Thinking about his love affairs

There's a weeping willow that sings

I'd strip down for you

Even if you don't want to come

I don't understand distances

Look, sometimes, when the air brushes it

It sways and seems to dance

And sometimes, when it reflects in the water

It sways and seems to dance

...

I never see you smile anymore

Not even with a desire to live

I think you've become a bit bitter

I always remember you

But you never remember me

You say I have no substance

Look, sometimes, when the air ruffles me

I swell and seem to dance

And sometimes, if I stumble but don't fall

I rise and seem to dance

...

Sometimes

With just a breath of air

And, oh, oh, oh, oh

It grows

And it even seems to dance

And, oh, oh, oh, oh

It sways

And if it reflects in the water

And, oh, oh, oh, oh

It grows

Because it seems to dance

And, oh, oh, oh, oh

And on the bank a weeping willow

That is in full bloom

Waiting for the wind to help it

I just want to pollinate

Just pollinate

I just want to pollinate you

Look, sometimes, when the air brushes it

It sways and seems to dance

And sometimes, when it reflects in the water

It sways and seems to dance

And sometimes, when the air brushes it

It sways and seems to dance

And sometimes, when it reflects in the water

It sways and seems to dance

...

[Spanish]

Viviendo a la orilla del río

Pensando en sus amoríos

Hay un sauce llorón que canta

Me deshojaría por ti

Aunque no quieras venir

Que yo no entiendo de distancias

Mira, a veces, cuando lo acaricia el aire

Se mece y parece que baile

Y a veces, que se refleja en el agua

Se mece y parece que baila

Ya nunca te veo sonreír

Ni con ganas de vivir

Creo que te has vuelto un poco rancia

Yo siempre me acuerdo de ti

Pero tú nunca de mí

Dices que no tengo sustancia

Mira, a veces, cuando me alborota el aire

Me crezco y parezco que baile

Y a veces, si tropiezo y no me caigo

Me crezco y parezco que bailo

A veces

Con solo un soplo de aire

Y, ay, ay, ay, ay

Se crece

Y hasta parece que baile

Y, ay, ay, ay, ay

Se mece

Y si se refleja en el agua

Y, ay, ay, ay, ay

Se crece

Porque parece que baila

Y, ay, ay, ay, ay

Y a la orilla un sauce llorón

Que está en plena floración

Espera que le ayude el aire

Solo quiero polinizar

Solo polinizar

Solo quiero polinizarte

Mira, a veces, cuando lo acaricia el aire

Se mece y parece que baile

Y a veces, que se refleja en el agua

Se mece y parece que baila

Y a veces, cuando lo acaricia el aire

Se mece y parece que baile

Y a veces, que se refleja en el agua

Se mece y parece que baila

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
vivir /biˈβiɾ/ A2	verb - to live
orilla /oˈriʝa/ A2	noun - shore, riverbank
río /ˈri.o/ A1	noun - river
pensar /penˈsaɾ/ A2	verb - to think
amar /aˈmaɾ/ A2	verb - to love
llorón /ʝoˈɾon/ B2	adjective - crybaby, tearful
cantar /kanˈtaɾ/ A1	verb - to sing
deshojar /des.oˈxaɾ/ C2	verb - to strip leaves off
acariciar /akaɾiˈθjaɾ/ B2	verb - to caress
aire /ˈaiɾe/ A2	noun - air, breeze
mecer /meˈθeɾ/ C1	verb - to sway, to rock gently
reflejar /refleˈxaɾ/ B2	verb - to reflect
sonreír /sonˈɾeiɾ/ A2	verb - to smile
rancio /ˈranθjo/ C1	adjective - stale, rancid or figuratively outdated
sustancia /susˈtanθja/ B2	noun - substance, essence
crecer /kɾeˈseɾ/ A2	verb - to grow
tropieza /tɾoˈpjeθa/ B1	verb (3rd person singular of tropezar) - to stumble, trip
polinizar /poliniˈθaɾ/ C2	verb - to pollinate

Key Grammar Structures

• Viviendo a la orilla del río

  ➔ Present participle

  ➔ The word 'Viviendo' is the present participle of the verb 'vivir', used here to describe an ongoing action.

• Me deshojaría por ti

  ➔ Conditional tense

  ➔ 'Deshojaría' is in the conditional tense, expressing a hypothetical action dependent on a condition.

• Aunque no quieras venir

  ➔ Subjunctive mood

  ➔ 'Quieras' is in the subjunctive mood, used to express a wish, desire, or uncertainty.

• Se mece y parece que baile

  ➔ Present subjunctive in conjunction

  ➔ 'Parezca' is the present subjunctive used in a subordinate clause after 'que', expressing uncertainty or subjectivity.

• Creo que te has vuelto un poco rancia

  ➔ Present perfect tense

  ➔ 'Has vuelto' is in the present perfect tense, indicating an action that began in the past and has results in the present.

• Solo quiero polinizar

  ➔ Present indicative

  ➔ 'Quiero' is in the present indicative, used to express a current desire or action.