Introducción – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Willie Colón, Héctor Lavoe
• Album: Asalto Navideño

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the heart of Nuyorican culture with this high-energy introduction. While instrumental, this track is a perfect gateway to learning the rhythmic patterns and linguistic passion of Spanish salsa, offering a window into the vibrant street life of 1970s New York City.

[English]

How are you doing, my friends?

How are you all doing?

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

This is Polito Vega greeting you

And next, I would like to present to you

This long-playing album

By Willie Colón, featuring his singer Héctor Lavoe

Which contains traditional Christmas music

Dedicated to all our friends in Hispanic America

Especially to those on the Island of Enchantment

And we also want to introduce

All the guys who took part in this album

They are: Yomo Toro and Roberto García

On the chorus: Fania's dynamic duo

Pacheco and Justo Betancourt

And of course, the members of Willie Colón's orchestra

Who are: Jose Mangual, Willie Sweet Campbell

Santicho Flomo González, Professor Joe Torres

Milton Cardona, Louis "Timbalito" Romero

Miguel "el Túnel Magnos," who is the guy

I mean, the orchestra's timbalero

The kid who brought all the bottles

So that Willie Colón's musicians would feel

Really cool and comfortable while making this album for you

And of course, to avoid any racism, our engineer Irv Greenbaum

Who has nothing to do with "de Baum," hello Irv!

And with that, congratulations to everyone and a Happy New Year!

...

[Spanish]

¿Qué tal mis amigos?

¿Cómo están ustedes?

Feliz navidad y próspero año nuevo

Les saluda Polito Vega

Y a continuación quiero presentarles

Este disco de larga duración

De Willie Colón, con su cantante Héctor Lavoe

Que contiene música típica navideña

Dedicado a todos los amigos de hispano América

Muy especialmente a los de la isla del encanto

Y también queremos presentar

A todos los muchachos que tomaron parte en este álbum

Son ellos: Yomo Toro y Roberto García

En el coro: el dúo dinámico de la Fania

Pacheco y Justo Betancourt

Y claro, los integrantes de la orquesta de Willie Colón

Que son ellos: Jose Mangual, Willie Sweet Campbell

Santicho Flomo González, el profesor Joe Torres

Milton Cardona, Louis Timbalito Romero

Miguel el Túnel Magnos, que es el vale

Ósea el Tamboy de la orquesta

El muchacho que trajo todas las botellas

Para que los músicos de Willie Colón se sintieran

Bien Chévere, bien a gusto realizando este disco para ustedes

Y claro para evitar racismo, nuestro ingeniero Irv Greenbaum

Que de Baum no tiene nada, hello Irv

Así es que felicidades a todos y prospero año nuevo

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
navidad na-bi-dad A1	noun - Christmas
próspero pros-pe-ro B2	adjective - prosperous
presentar pre-sen-tar A2	verb - to present / to introduce
disco dis-ko A1	noun - record / disc
cantante kan-tan-te A1	noun - singer
música mu-si-ka A1	noun - music
típica ti-pi-ka B1	adjective - typical
dedicado de-di-ka-do B1	adjective / verb - dedicated
isla is-la A1	noun - island
encanto en-kan-to B2	noun - charm
integrantes in-te-gran-tes B2	noun - members
orquesta or-kes-ta A2	noun - orchestra
músicos mu-si-kos A1	noun - musicians
chévere che-ve-re C1	adjective - cool / great
felicidades fe-li-si-da-des A1	noun - congratulations

Key Grammar Structures

• ¿Cómo están ustedes?

  ➔ Interrogative pronoun + Verb 'estar' (present tense)

  ➔ The verb "estar" is used here to ask about the state or condition (health/well-being) of the listeners.

• A continuación quiero presentarles este disco

  ➔ Periphrastic construction (Querer + infinitive)

  ➔ The combination of "querer" and "presentar" expresses the desire or intention to introduce the album.

• Que contiene música típica navideña

  ➔ Relative pronoun 'que' (subject of the relative clause)

  ➔ The "que" acts as a connector, referring back to "este disco" to provide more information.

• Dedicado a todos los amigos

  ➔ Past participle used as an adjective

  ➔ "Dedicado" functions as an adjective modifying the implied subject (the album).

• Muchachos que tomaron parte en este álbum

  ➔ Preterite tense of 'tomar' + idiomatic expression

  ➔ "Tomar parte" is a fixed phrase meaning "to participate".

• Para que los músicos se sintieran bien

  ➔ Subjunctive mood (Imperfect subjunctive) after 'para que'

  ➔ "Para que" triggers the subjunctive mood to express the purpose of an action.

• De Baum no tiene nada

  ➔ Negative construction + 'tener' (idiomatic possession)

  ➔ This is a humorous way to say he has nothing in common with the name 'Baum'.

• Así es que felicidades a todos

  ➔ Conjunction/Connective phrase 'Así es que'

  ➔ "Así es que" is used here as a logical connector meaning "therefore" or "so".