I normally don’t post about Music. I am not into a lot of modern music, like pop music, modern rock music, alternative music or even country music. I’m just not into the new stuff. I like older music, especially folk songs. Lately, I have discovered a Spanish group called Los Guaraguaos. They are from Venezuela and were popular in the 1970′s.
In fact, they were so popular that their song Casas de Carton was the song of the EL Salvador guerrillas in the 1980′s. In English it means Cardboard Houses and talk about the poor. Most of their songs talk about the poor and the struggle against the status quo. It’s very pointed and beautiful music with a strong message.
Most music nowadays can’t carry a message. Movies don’t either. It seems like we are being lulled into a trance and just being entertained like the Roman Circuses. We are being entertained but not being told about the real problems and the real path to getting ourselves ahead.
We are being exploited by the media.
Anyways, here are some lyrics with my lousy translation on the side. Hope you enjoy them a little bit.
Cristo al servicio de Quien? Christ in who’s service?
Preguntaba Jaime Obrero Asked Joe Worker
Preguntaba Jaime Obrero Asked Joe Worker
Al servicio de unos pocos In the service of a few
que se lo llevaron preso that they have taken
disfrazandolo que lujos disguising that the luxuries
sabiendo que El es del pueblo knowing that He is a man of the people
Lo tiene encarcelado en palacios de concreto They have put themselves in concrete palaces
con pisos de puro marmol with floors of pure marble
de puera madera el techo with beautiful wood on the ceiling
templos que no se parecen Temples that don’t look like
a las casas de mi pueblo the houses of my people.
Casas de la calle Carton Houses on the street named Cardboard
techos rotos tierra el suelo with broken ceilings and dirt floors
Cristo al servicio de Quien? Christ in who’s service?
Preguntaba Jaime Obrero Asked Joe Worker
Preguntaba Jaime Obrero Asked Joe Worker
A Cristo hay que liberarlo Christ liberates you
El siempre quiso ser pueblo He always wanted to be with the people
y hoy lo exploitan los de arriba and today the important people exploit you.
Ricos, Iglesia y Gobierno The rich, the church and the government
Los señores de una iglesia The priests of a church
que esta muy lejos del pueblo that is very far from the people
que no sabe se miserias that doesn’t know the miseries
que no vive su evangelio that don’t live its gospel
y que no habla nuestro idioma and that doesn’t speak our language
cuando nos dice silencio then they tell us to be silent,
son cosas de Dios permite they are the things God permits
son cosas que manda el cielo they are the things that Heaven tells them
Cristo al servicio de Quien? Christ in who’s service?
Preguntaba Jaime Obrero Asked Joe Worker
Preguntaba Jaime Obrero Asked Joe Worker
A Cristo hay que liberarlo Christ is the liberator
me dicia Jaime Obrero so Joe Worker told me.
porque ellos se lo han robado because they have stolen!
y Cristo, Cristo es del pueblo and Christ, Christ is of the people
Iglesia que no denuncia la injusticia A church that doesn’t denounce the injustice
y la oprecion and the oppression
es una iglesia vendida Is a church that has sold out.
queremos resurreccion We want resurrection
queremos renovacion We want renovation
queremos revolucion We want revolution
Wow, I know my translation sucks, but you should understand the basic meaning of this song. If you can correct anything, please do it in comments!
6 comments ↓
Esa canción en realidad es de Alà Primera, la grabaron los Guaraguao
Christ In Whose Service?
-Los Guaragaos
Christ in whose service?
Asked Joe Worker
Asked Joe Worker
1
At the service of a few
Who put him under arrest
Disguising him with luxury
Knowing that He’s from the People.
They have him incarcerated in concrete palaces
With floors of pure marble
The roof of pure wood,
Temples that don’t look like
The houses of my town,
Cardboard houses,
Torn roofs, dirt floors.
2.
Christ must be liberated
He always wanted to be of the People
And today those above us exploit Him;
The rich, the church, the government.
The gentlemen of a church
That’s very far from town,
That knows nothing of misery,
That does not live by its Gospel,
And does not speak our language
When we are told to be silent.
These are things that God permits,
These things are sent by Heaven.
3.
Christ must be liberated,
Joe Worker used to tell me,
Because they have stolen Him
And Christ, Christ is of the People.
A church that does not denounce
Injustice and oppression
Is a church that has sold out.
We want resurrection.
We want renovation.
We want revolution.
Actually, the English equivalent to Jaime is “James”, but Joe is ok for the purpose of the translation.
Christ in whose service?
-Los Guaraguao
Christ in whose service?
Asked Joe the worker
Asked Joe the worker
At the service of a few
who took him prisoner
disguising him in luxury
knowing that he belongs to the people.
They have incarcerated him
in concrete palaces
with marbled floors
and wooden ceilings
temples that do not resemble
the houses of my people
houses made of tin and cardboard
with broken roofs, and the soil as floor.
Christ in whose service?
Asked Joe the worker
asked Joe the worker
Christ must be liberated
he always wanted to be of the people
and today those above us exploit him
the rich, the church and the government
the lords of a church
so far away from the people
that knows nothing of misery
that doesn’t live up to its gospel
and who doesn’t speak our language
when they order us into silence
these are things that God allows
these are things dictated by heaven.
Christ in whose service?
Asked Joe the worker
Asked Joe the worker
Christ must be liberated
Joe the worker used to say
because they took him away
and Christ, Christ is of the people
A church that doesn’t denounce
injustice and oppression
is a church that has sold out
we want a resurrection
we want a renovation
we want a revolution
esa canción relata de cuerpo entero la posición de algunos jerarcas de algunas iglesias católicas y/o evangélicas quienes con sus acciones legitiman la opresión de los pueblos pobres y respalndan a las oligarquías más crueles y groseras en el mundo
I think my Spanish is a little better than yours, you did get some of the pronouns wrong. Beyond that there are a lot of subjective judgments in translation, so I’m not supposing here to be always right.
Also, I have a general interest in finding out the words to spanish songs. Is there any general way of going about it?
Anyway, here’s my idea of a translation.
Cristo al servicio de Quien? – Christ is in the service of who?
Preguntaba Jaime Obrero – I asked Jamie the worker. (I think the “I” is usefull here)
Preguntaba Jaime Obrero – I asked Jamie the worker,
Al servicio de unos pocos who is in the service of a few,
que se lo llevaron preso the few who have placed him in a prison,
disfrazandolo que lujos that is disguised as luxury,
sabiendo que El es del pueblo – knowing that he is from the people. (or is the people?)
Lo tiene encarcelado en palacios de concreto – He remains a prisoner in a palace of concrete
con pisos de puro marmol – with floors of marble
de puera madera el techo – and a roof of the finest wood.
templos que no se parecen – A temple that doesn’t look like
a las casas de mi pueblo -the houses of my people —
Casas de la calle Carton – cardboard houses in an ally,
techos rotos tierra el suelo – with broken roofs and dirt floors.
Cristo al servicio de Quien? – Christ is in service of who?
Preguntaba Jaime Obrero – I asked Jamie the worker.
Preguntaba Jaime Obrero – I asked Jamie the worker.
A Cristo hay que liberarlo – (Said Jamie) There is a Christ who liberates.
El siempre quiso ser pueblo – He always wanted to be one of the people,
y hoy lo exploitan los de arriba – but today he is exploited,
Ricos, Iglesia y Gobierno – by the rich, the church, and the government.
Los se̱ores de una iglesia РThe higher ups in the church,
que esta muy lejos del pueblo – that are far from the people
que no sabe se miserias – and know nothing of there miseries,
que no vive su evangelio – and no longer live their faith,
y que no habla nuestro idioma – and do not speak in our language
cuando nos dice silencio – when they tell us to be silent
son cosas de Dios permite – and the things that God permits,
son cosas que manda el cielo – the things that are mandated from heaven.
Cristo al servicio de Quien? – Christ is in the service of who?
Preguntaba Jaime Obrero – I asked Jamie the worker,
Preguntaba Jaime Obrero – I asked Jamie the worker,
A Cristo hay que liberarlo – There is a Christ that liberates,
me dicia Jaime Obrero – I was told by Jamie Obero.
porque ellos se lo han robado – Because others have robbed us of Christ,
y Cristo, Cristo es del pueblo – the Christ of the people.
Iglesia que no denuncia la injusticia – A church that doesn’t denounce injustice
y la oprecion – or opression,
es una iglesia vendida – is a church that has sold out.
queremos resurreccion – We want resurrection!
queremos renovacion – We want change!
queremos revolucion – We want revolution!
disculpa mercedes…estas errada la cancion cristo al servicio de quien fue escrita por el vocalista de los guaraguao eduardo martinez en el año 1974
doy fe de ello ya que soy la hija de el bajista del grupo los guaraguao jesus cordero….
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