"La Historia de Juan" by Juanes, English translation of lyrics
"The Story of Juan"
Album: Un Día Normal (A Normal Day), 2002
Style: Soft rock, social commentary, poverty awareness
Country: Colombia
Listen:
This song brings awareness to child homelessness. The lyrics follow the story of a boy named "Juan" (a very common name) and explain his progression through poverty. Listen to the song at YouTube here.
[Expand embedded video]
Translation:
Esta es la historia de Juan,
El niño que nadie amó,
Que por las calles creció,
Buscando el amor bajo el sol.
This is the story of Juan,
The boy who nobody loved,
Who grew up in the streets, [*alt. Who grew up roaming through the streets]
Looking for love under the sun.
Su madre lo abandonó,
Su padre lo maltrató,
Su casa fue un callejón,
Su cama un cartón,
Su amigo Dios.
His mother abandoned him,
His father mistreated him,
His home was an alley,
His bed a cardboard box,
His friend, God.
Juan preguntó por amor
Y el mundo se lo negó.
Juan preguntó por honor
Y el mundo le dio deshonor.
Juan asked for love
And the world denied (it to) him.
Juan asked for honor
And the world gave him dishonor.
Juan preguntó por perdón
Y el mundo lo lastimó.
Juan preguntó y preguntó
Y el mundo jamás lo escuchó.
Juan asked for forgiveness
And the world wounded him.
Juan asked and asked
And the world never listened to him.
Chorus:
--------------------------------
Él sólo quiso jugar,
Él sólo quiso soñar,
Él sólo quiso amar,
Pero el mundo lo olvidó.
He only wanted to play,
He only wanted to dream,
He only wanted to love,
But the world forgot him.
Él sólo quiso volar,
Él sólo quiso cantar,
Él sólo quiso amar,
Pero el mundo lo olvidó.
He only wanted to fly,
He only wanted to sing,
He only wanted to love,
But the world forgot him.
--------------------------------
[Musical break]
Tan fuerte fue su dolor
Que un día se lo llevó.
Tan fuerte fue su dolor
Que su corazón se apagó.
So strong was his pain
That one day it took him.
So strong was his pain
That his heart snuffed out. [*lit. That his heart turned off (or blew out, like a candle)]
Tan fuerte fue su temor
Que un día sólo lloró.
Tan fuerte fue su temor
Que un día su luz se apagó.
So strong was his fear
That one day he only wept.
So strong was his fear
That one day his light extinguished (itself).
[Chorus: "El sólo quiso jugar..." x2]
Translation Notes:
Juan - this the most common male name in Spanish-speaking countries. Juanes uses it to make the point that this could be any boy.
By the way, the singer Juanes’ own real first and middle names are Juan Esteban. Both of those names are common. "Juanes" is his celebrity name because it is rare and gets way better specific Google hits.
Album: Un Día Normal (A Normal Day), 2002
Style: Soft rock, social commentary, poverty awareness
Country: Colombia
Listen:
This song brings awareness to child homelessness. The lyrics follow the story of a boy named "Juan" (a very common name) and explain his progression through poverty. Listen to the song at YouTube here.
[Expand embedded video]
Translation:
Esta es la historia de Juan,
El niño que nadie amó,
Que por las calles creció,
Buscando el amor bajo el sol.
This is the story of Juan,
The boy who nobody loved,
Who grew up in the streets, [*alt. Who grew up roaming through the streets]
Looking for love under the sun.
Su madre lo abandonó,
Su padre lo maltrató,
Su casa fue un callejón,
Su cama un cartón,
Su amigo Dios.
His mother abandoned him,
His father mistreated him,
His home was an alley,
His bed a cardboard box,
His friend, God.
Juan preguntó por amor
Y el mundo se lo negó.
Juan preguntó por honor
Y el mundo le dio deshonor.
Juan asked for love
And the world denied (it to) him.
Juan asked for honor
And the world gave him dishonor.
Juan preguntó por perdón
Y el mundo lo lastimó.
Juan preguntó y preguntó
Y el mundo jamás lo escuchó.
Juan asked for forgiveness
And the world wounded him.
Juan asked and asked
And the world never listened to him.
Chorus:
--------------------------------
Él sólo quiso jugar,
Él sólo quiso soñar,
Él sólo quiso amar,
Pero el mundo lo olvidó.
He only wanted to play,
He only wanted to dream,
He only wanted to love,
But the world forgot him.
Él sólo quiso volar,
Él sólo quiso cantar,
Él sólo quiso amar,
Pero el mundo lo olvidó.
He only wanted to fly,
He only wanted to sing,
He only wanted to love,
But the world forgot him.
--------------------------------
[Musical break]
Tan fuerte fue su dolor
Que un día se lo llevó.
Tan fuerte fue su dolor
Que su corazón se apagó.
So strong was his pain
That one day it took him.
So strong was his pain
That his heart snuffed out. [*lit. That his heart turned off (or blew out, like a candle)]
Tan fuerte fue su temor
Que un día sólo lloró.
Tan fuerte fue su temor
Que un día su luz se apagó.
So strong was his fear
That one day he only wept.
So strong was his fear
That one day his light extinguished (itself).
[Chorus: "El sólo quiso jugar..." x2]
Translation Notes:
Juan - this the most common male name in Spanish-speaking countries. Juanes uses it to make the point that this could be any boy.
By the way, the singer Juanes’ own real first and middle names are Juan Esteban. Both of those names are common. "Juanes" is his celebrity name because it is rare and gets way better specific Google hits.