Home Spanish The refrains in Spain aren’t plain

The refrains in Spain aren’t plain

by Bernard O'Shea

Want to hum along to some catchy tunes in Spanish? Here are a couple of songs which, with their zippy choruses, are perfect for when you are quaffing a cerveza and chucking a chorizo on the barbecue. (I had to mention the choruses to justify the corny ‘refrains in Spain’ headline.) If you live in the northern hemisphere, now might not really be the time and the weather for having outdoor barbecues, but here in the southern hemisphere we are sweltering. Beer songs are exactly what we need, and Bernardo never says no to a sizzling sausage.

First up is a song that has been really popular in Spain for a singer by the name of Dani Martin, Cero (which means zero). I really like his all-girl back-up band: among them a chubby but adorable guitarist, a leggy bass player who looks like Grace Jones, and a keyboard player who wouldn’t look out of place playing a deadly Asiatic agent in a James Bond movie – watch out for the bit where she plays with one hand and smokes with the other, it’s hilarious.

If you click on this link to the Lyrics Translate website you can find a translation of the lyrics in English and there is an Italian option too.

Now here is the latest hit for a much loved artist, Malú, (“the grand queen of Spanish music”, I heard a Spanish radio announcer describe her) whose albums since 1998 have all been certified either gold, platinum, titanium and even aluminium in Spain, according to good old Wikipedia. I didn’t know albums could be certified aluminium, it doesn’t sound very glamorous. Still, better aluminium than asbestos, I suppose. The song is called A Prueba de Ti, which could be translated as “You proof” (that is, no longer affected by you). Once again, the translations of the lyrics from Spanish to English and Italian are here.

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2 comments

pianolearner 13/01/2014 - 9:09 pm

Great title!

Reply
Bernard O'Shea 14/01/2014 - 2:31 pm

Haha, a little forced methinks. But thanks anyway. Hope you have a good 2014. Cheers

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