"La Negra" by La Santa Cecilia, English translation of lyrics
"The Dark Woman"
Style: Contemporary dance, lively, traditional instruments, Day of the Dead celebration
Country: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Listen:
This is a Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) themed song. Great vocals and background music! As expected of a Day of the Dead song, it is very lively. Watch the live music videos at YouTube here and here.
[Expand embedded video]Live concert video (good sound):
BAMM.tv Presents video:
Translation:
Cuando la Negra te invite a bailar, no le digas no, (x2)
Porque no sabes si puede ser la flaca disfrazada, [*alt. ...la gorda disfrazada]
Porque no sabes que vas a perder así.
When the Dark Woman invites you to dance, do not turn her down, (x2)
Because you don’t know if she could be the Gaunt Lady disguised, [*alt. ...the Fat Lady disguised]
Because you don’t know that you are going to lose like that.
Eh heh, uh huh. (x2)
Cuando la luna sale a brillar, todo puede suceder, (x2)
Porque no sabes que vas a vender aquí,
Porque no sabes que vas a perder, más que…
When the moon comes out to shine, anything can happen, (x2)
Because you don’t know that you are going to sell here,
Because you don’t know that you are going to lose, what’s more that...
Eh heh, uh huh. (x2)
[Musical interlude]
...Que la lujuria y el deseo
Son dos fuegos que queman aquí.
Que la lujuria y el deseo,
Ay, son dos fuegos que queman.
...That lust and desire
Are two fires that burn here.
That lust and desire,
Ay, are two fires that burn.
[Musical interlude]
Cuando la luna sale a brillar,
Cuando esa Negra te invite a bailar...
(x2)
When the moon comes out to shine,
When the Dark Woman invites you to dance...
¡No le digas no! No, no, no.
Ay, no le digas. No, no, no.
Y que no, que no, que no. Tú dile que sí.
Ay, no le digas no, que no, que no. Tú dile que sí. (x2)
Don’t tell her no! No, no, no.
Ay, don’t tell her. No, no, no.
And no! No, no! You tell her yes.
Ay, don’t tell her no, no, no. You tell her yes. (x2)
Translation Notes:
Some of the musical interludes between stanzas include non-word syllables sung for their sound (e.g. rattan, tucuban tucuban tucuban, pa-pa-pow). These are part of the music. They represent percussion instruments.
---
La Negra
The Dark Woman
The Black Woman [*lit.]
La Flaca
The Gaunt Lady
The Skinny/Thin/Gaunt/Lanky Lady [*alt.]
La Gorda
The Fat Lady
I translate La Negra as "The Dark Woman" because in this context the color black does not refer to race or skin color. La Flaca and La Negra are both euphemistic names for La Santa Muerte (Saint Death) in Mexico. In later versions, La Santa Cecilia has also been using La Gorda (The Fat Lady) instead of La Flaca, which I think is a reference to the saying, "it isn't over until the Fat Lady sings," traditionally referring to the end of operas, but here meaning the end of life.
La Santa Muerte’s most famous representation comes from "La Calavera Catrina" (The Elegant Skull) a painting by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada in the 1910s, shown above. Posada personifies La Santa Muerte as a skeletal woman wearing a long-brimmed decorative hat with flowers. Other depictions show her in fine, upper-class clothing or conversely in an outfit similar to that of the Virgin Mary or La Virgen de Guadalupe (The Virgin of Guadalupe).
The image of La Santa Muerte is an icon of El Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) celebrations in early November.
---
No le digas no, que no, que no
Don’t turn her down, don’t, don’t
Don’t tell her no, (that) no, (that) no [*lit.]
The que adds emphasis here. It often precedes repeated dialogue.
For example:
Person 1: ¿Qué dijieron?
Person 2: Dijeron que no. Dijeron que mejor mañana.
Person 1: What did they say?
Person 2: They said that no. They say that tomorrow is better.
Style: Contemporary dance, lively, traditional instruments, Day of the Dead celebration
Country: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Listen:
This is a Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) themed song. Great vocals and background music! As expected of a Day of the Dead song, it is very lively. Watch the live music videos at YouTube here and here.
[Expand embedded video]Live concert video (good sound):
BAMM.tv Presents video:
Translation:
Cuando la Negra te invite a bailar, no le digas no, (x2)
Porque no sabes si puede ser la flaca disfrazada, [*alt. ...la gorda disfrazada]
Porque no sabes que vas a perder así.
When the Dark Woman invites you to dance, do not turn her down, (x2)
Because you don’t know if she could be the Gaunt Lady disguised, [*alt. ...the Fat Lady disguised]
Because you don’t know that you are going to lose like that.
Eh heh, uh huh. (x2)
Cuando la luna sale a brillar, todo puede suceder, (x2)
Porque no sabes que vas a vender aquí,
Porque no sabes que vas a perder, más que…
When the moon comes out to shine, anything can happen, (x2)
Because you don’t know that you are going to sell here,
Because you don’t know that you are going to lose, what’s more that...
Eh heh, uh huh. (x2)
[Musical interlude]
...Que la lujuria y el deseo
Son dos fuegos que queman aquí.
Que la lujuria y el deseo,
Ay, son dos fuegos que queman.
...That lust and desire
Are two fires that burn here.
That lust and desire,
Ay, are two fires that burn.
[Musical interlude]
Cuando la luna sale a brillar,
Cuando esa Negra te invite a bailar...
(x2)
When the moon comes out to shine,
When the Dark Woman invites you to dance...
¡No le digas no! No, no, no.
Ay, no le digas. No, no, no.
Y que no, que no, que no. Tú dile que sí.
Ay, no le digas no, que no, que no. Tú dile que sí. (x2)
Don’t tell her no! No, no, no.
Ay, don’t tell her. No, no, no.
And no! No, no! You tell her yes.
Ay, don’t tell her no, no, no. You tell her yes. (x2)
Translation Notes:
Some of the musical interludes between stanzas include non-word syllables sung for their sound (e.g. rattan, tucuban tucuban tucuban, pa-pa-pow). These are part of the music. They represent percussion instruments.
---
La Negra
The Dark Woman
The Black Woman [*lit.]
La Flaca
The Gaunt Lady
The Skinny/Thin/Gaunt/Lanky Lady [*alt.]
La Gorda
The Fat Lady
I translate La Negra as "The Dark Woman" because in this context the color black does not refer to race or skin color. La Flaca and La Negra are both euphemistic names for La Santa Muerte (Saint Death) in Mexico. In later versions, La Santa Cecilia has also been using La Gorda (The Fat Lady) instead of La Flaca, which I think is a reference to the saying, "it isn't over until the Fat Lady sings," traditionally referring to the end of operas, but here meaning the end of life.
La Santa Muerte’s most famous representation comes from "La Calavera Catrina" (The Elegant Skull) a painting by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada in the 1910s, shown above. Posada personifies La Santa Muerte as a skeletal woman wearing a long-brimmed decorative hat with flowers. Other depictions show her in fine, upper-class clothing or conversely in an outfit similar to that of the Virgin Mary or La Virgen de Guadalupe (The Virgin of Guadalupe).
The image of La Santa Muerte is an icon of El Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) celebrations in early November.
---
No le digas no, que no, que no
Don’t turn her down, don’t, don’t
Don’t tell her no, (that) no, (that) no [*lit.]
The que adds emphasis here. It often precedes repeated dialogue.
For example:
Person 1: ¿Qué dijieron?
Person 2: Dijeron que no. Dijeron que mejor mañana.
Person 1: What did they say?
Person 2: They said that no. They say that tomorrow is better.