I know I said that Obtener un Sí was the disc's gem but lately I've found myself loving Dia de Enero more. I still think the bossanova song was a breakthrough for Shakira, but while her bebel gilberto chanelling was perfect, it didn't have the smile-inducing effect the Antonio-dedicated song has. If I were him, I would've had to hold back my tears when listening to this verse:
"Y aunque hayas sido un extranjero hasta en tu propio país / Si yo te digo ¿como dices tu? / Tu aún dices ¿que decís? / Y lloras de emoción oyendo un bandoneón"
"even if you're a stranger in your own country / when i said 'how do you say?' / you still say 'what did you say?' (argentinean accent) / and you cried when listening to the bandoneon"
Short linguistics note to explain the how do you say/what did you say thing. Like French, Spanish has two words that means you: tú and vosotros (vos) with each its own conjugation form. While all through Latin America people use tú when speaking with someone close and vosotros otherwise, Argentines use vos (a shortened form of vosotros with identical conjugation) all the time. So this is what the lyrics meant: Shakira said it using tú conjugation and Antonio would reply using vos. It might just be the linguist in me, but I think she's a genius!
dia de enero january day
Te conocí un día de enero / con la luna en mi nariz
i met you on a january day, with the moon on my nose
Y como ví que eras sincero / En tus ojos me perdí
and as i saw you were sincere, i was lost in your eyes
Que torpe distracción / y que dulce sensación
what a clumsy distraction and what a sweet sensation
Y ahora que andamos por el mundo / como Eneas y Benitin
and now that we're walking around the world like Eneas & Benitin
Ya te encontre varios rasguños / que te hicieron por ahí
i've already noticed many cuts they've inflicted on you along the way
Pero mi loco amor / es tu mejor doctor
but my crazy love is the best doctor for you
Voy a curarte el alma en duelo / voy a dejarte como nuevo
i'll cure your mourning soul, i'll leave you like new
Y todo va a pasar / pronto verás el sol brillar
and everything will pass, soon you will see the sun shines
Tú más que nadie merecer ser feliz
you, more than anyone, deserve to be happy
Ya vas a ver como van sanando / poco a poco tus heridas
soon you will see how your wound are healing bit by bit
Ya vas a ver como va / la misma vida a decantar la sal que sobra del mar
soon you will se how this very life will pour out the excess salt from the sea
Y aunque hayas sido un extranjero / hasta en tu propio país
and even though you've been a foreigner in your own country
Si yo te digo ¿como dices tu? / Tu aún dices ¿que decís?
when i say "how do you say?" you still say "what did you say?"
Y lloras de emoción oyendo un bandoneón
and you cry with emotion when listening to a bandoneon
Y aunque parezcas despistado con ese caminar pausado
and though you seem to be absent-minded with that lazy walk
Conozco la razón que hace doler tu corazón
i know what hurts your heart
Por eso quise hacerte esta canción
that's why i wanted to write this song
Te conocí un día de enero / con la luna en mi nariz
i met you on a january day, with the moon on my nose
Y como ví que eras sincero / En tus ojos me perdí
and as i saw you were sincere, i was lost in your eyes
Que torpe distracción / y que dulce sensación
what a clumsy distraction and what a sweet sensation
Y ahora que andamos por el mundo / como Eneas y Benitin
and now that we're walking around the world like Eneas & Benitin
Ya te encontre varios rasguños / que te hicieron por ahí
i've already noticed many cuts they've inflicted on you along the way
Pero mi loco amor / es tu mejor doctor
but my crazy love is the best doctor for you
Voy a curarte el alma en duelo / voy a dejarte como nuevo
i'll cure your mourning soul, i'll leave you like new
Y todo va a pasar / pronto verás el sol brillar
and everything will pass, soon you will see the sun shines
Tú más que nadie merecer ser feliz
you, more than anyone, deserve to be happy
Ya vas a ver como van sanando / poco a poco tus heridas
soon you will see how your wound are healing bit by bit
Ya vas a ver como va / la misma vida a decantar la sal que sobra del mar
soon you will se how this very life will pour out the excess salt from the sea
Y aunque hayas sido un extranjero / hasta en tu propio país
and even though you've been a foreigner in your own country
Si yo te digo ¿como dices tu? / Tu aún dices ¿que decís?
when i say "how do you say?" you still say "what did you say?"
Y lloras de emoción oyendo un bandoneón
and you cry with emotion when listening to a bandoneon
Y aunque parezcas despistado con ese caminar pausado
and though you seem to be absent-minded with that lazy walk
Conozco la razón que hace doler tu corazón
i know what hurts your heart
Por eso quise hacerte esta canción
that's why i wanted to write this song
now you got me really curious with her album...
wit-wit--- mau dong lagunya. kirimkan dong. bisa tak? gue jadi penasaran juga. *wink*
are you praising someone who wrote "my breasts are small and humble so you dont confuse them with mountains" a genius?? lol! me and my mates couldnt stop laughing first time we heard it. hehauehhaue...
btw, i honestly think she wont make it if she looks like norah jones or michele mcmanus.
if you actually read the previous post, then you'll realize that "laundry service" was a dissapointment. and i think pretty much everyone who has liked her since "piez descalzos" hated the english album. and plus, people grow, they learn, artists evolve. i would rather listen to someone who makes good music now but cheesy lyrics before than the other way around.
but.. i partly agree with the last statement because i don't think ANYONE can make it in the us without the correct "look." e.g. utada, anggun, and slews of good artists that don't look american enough.
umm.. wat bout alanis moriset?
huheuhe. iya deh iya deh.. ampun mass!! emang kaga baca gua, cuman baca judul. males gila hurupnya kecil2 sih, banyak basa aneh pula.
yeee... kumaha ieu teh. hurup larareutik deui... yah setidaknya g masih nge-post hahaha.