November 29, 2010
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Song of the simple things
All day long, I have had a song rolling through my head. I finally looked it up online, and was blown away by the lyrics. It was written by Armando Tejada Gómez and César Isella, and recorded by Mercedes Sosa. Here is a video of our friend Esperanza singing it the evening of Thanksgiving Day.
Durante todo el día ha ido dando vueltas en mi cabeza una canción. Por fín la busqué en línea, y la letra me dejó completamente maravillado. Fue escrita por Armando Tejada Gómez y César Isella, y grabada por Mercedes Sosa. En este video la canta nuestra amiga Esperanza, en la tarde del Día de Acción de Gracias.
These are the lyrics. A translation (greatly improved by my sister Ruth) follows. Sigue una traducción (redactada por mi hermana Ruth).
Uno se despide insensiblemente de pequeñas cosas,
Lo mismo que un árbol en tiempos de otoño se queda sin hojas.
Al fin la tristeza es la muerte lenta de las simples cosas,
Esas cosas simples que quedan doliendo en el corazón.Uno vuelve siempre a los viejos sitios en que amó la vida,
Y entonces comprende como están de ausentes las cosas queridas.
Por eso muchacho no partas ahora soñando el regreso,
Que el amor es simple, y a las cosas simples las devora el tiempo.Demórate aquí, en la luz mayor de este mediodía,
Donde encontrarás con el pan al sol la mesa servida.Por eso muchacho no partas ahora soñando el regreso,
Que el amor es simple, y a las cosas simples las devora el tiempo.We say goodbye thoughtlessly to small things
Just as an autumn tree sheds its leaves
In the end, sadness is the slow death of simple things
Those simple things that stay aching in your heartWe always return to the old places where we loved life
And then we understand that the things we loved are gone
So, boy, don’t leave now dreaming that you'll come back
Because love is simple, and time devours all simple thingsLinger here in the bright light of this noontime
Where you’ll find the table set with bread and sunshineSo, boy, don’t leave now dreaming that you'll come back
Because love is simple, and time devours all simple things
Comments (23)
Thankfully, there's nothing I desire to go back to. I'm still moving forward. Now I am going to listen to the video~ I have some extra bandwidth today~ YAY!
Well, I guess not. My bandwidth can't support it. *kick grumble spit*
@WildWomanOfTheWest -
Sorry it didn't work for you. I found that the lyrics expressed at least the feelings stirred up by visiting the place where I grew up; I had missed it far more than I realized, and it was therapeutic to be there and to rediscover old friends. Not living in the past, because the place and people are far more interesting now; but renewing the bonds.
Simply beautiful, Tim. Thank you for posting this song, tonight.
@Harpos_Mark -
You're welcome. It really captures how I felt about this trip.
aw. beautiful song. I love these lyrics. Perfect nostalgia.
@UknowWutsux -
As nostalgic as they come.
@Roadkill_Spatula - I think, perhaps, the farther we get from childhood, the greater the desire to reconnect with it. It is good to revisit. I'm glad your trip went so well.
It was a lovely tune, she sang it well. "Renewing the bonds." Must be a very special feeling in your heart.
Such a lovely song! And I'm SO glad you had that soul-nurturing visit to our longtime home & old friends.
@RuthG -
I hadn't realized how much I needed it. Did you notice in the video when Alicia uncrossed Esperanza's arms? I found that amusing.
@peacefulmeadow -
The two sisters used to sing this song and others 35 years ago when we were all in high school. I hadn't had any contact with them since then, and back then I was too much of a dweeb to even talk to them.
Pretty song.
What a beautiful, heart-tugging song. I love the music, and her voice. Very soothing, kinda' haunting.
Thank you for sharing this with us. After the photos you shared, this was a perfect way to share another aspect of your wonderful trip. 
Hearing the language and song, seeing your friends. 
This is so pretty. Sad, with a hard ring of truth about it, but very beautifully sung!
@Roadkill_Spatula - It's so good to have a past that is healthy to revisit~ reconnect. I'm having to deal with issues I'd rather not~ but it is time. To go any further in my life~ I need to revisit and settle in my soul, places/events that I have no place to file. I've dump loaded it into the Freak File for way too long~ now it's time to sort through it all, throw some things away and rename that file. I know~ I'm probably not making sense. hahaha~
Was it hard to return back to the states~ would you have liked more time to spend there?
This is a beautiful song , a little bittersweet like many spanish or portuguese songs .
I wonder why the woman wearing a red jacket often holds the arm of the singer ; Probably she wanted to make the singer less nervous . It was imprssing to sing this for Esperanza .
Congrats to her and thanks to you
In friendship
Michel
@WildWomanOfTheWest - I would have been delighted to stay there another week or two. Next time I will definitely plan two weeks in Medellín. I have an idea of what you mean about the Freak File. It would be healthy to face those things, even though it would be gut-wrenchingly painful.
@fauquet - Alicia is Esperanza's sister. Esperanza was nervous because she hadn't rehearsed, and Alicia was supporting her. (She also uncrossed Esperanza's arms when she crossed them, a very sisterly or motherly thing to do.) The two sisters used to sing together when they were teenagers. Alicia is now a professional singer. She was the one who organized the sound system and the music tracks for the party.
@grannyinboxers - Thank you. I still have it running through my head.
@jacksoncroons - It's one of the most nostalgic songs ever. The two sisters have been singing it for at least 35 years.
@adamswomanlost - The girls threw a welcome party for me on Saturday, and then a goodbye party on Thanksgiving. I felt very, very blessed. The friends at the parties were some of my very oldest friends. I hadn't realized how badly I needed to get back to Medellín. It was a wonderful time.
Beautiful lyrics. I can see how this would mean so much to you after your recent trip back home. Such an appropriate song to come to you, a true ear worm.
@DistantShipSmoke -
Apparently the song has been around a long time, but I didn't remember hearing it before the party when I recorded it.