Here's an interpretation from Miguel Poveda of the popular Bulerías de Cádiz reflecting upon the current-day situation in Andalucía and Spain in general.
Scroll down for an out-of-control amazing video of a live performance, ¡Qué compás y gracia! with José Quevedo, Diego del Morao, El Londro, Luis Cantarote, and my (not real) boyfriend's real brother, Carlos Grilo.
Bulerías de Cai
¡Qué disparate!
Con el caray, caray, caray,
éstas son las cosas que pasan en Cai,
que ni la hambre la vamos a sentir,
que mire usted qué gracia tiene este país.
Tú lo que tienes es mucho age,
pero eres poco favorecía,
no te pareces a tu mare,
y aunque to el mundo te lo diga.
Ay, ¡qué disparate!
Cómo nos gusta el atún de Barbate,
pero la hambre la vamos a sentir,
que mire usted qué crisis tiene este país.
Va diciendo tu mare
que con otro te ibas a casar,
tendrá mucho dinero,
pero mu cortito de compás,
ay perrete, perrete…
dineritos que ganas
¿dónde los metes?
A la verita del puerto
me encontré con mi prima hermana
y le dije que se asomara un ratito a la ventana.
Mercé, Mercedita…
tírame los beso por la ventana
lerelele
zapatos blancos me pongo yo.
Ay, con el caray, caray, caray,
que éstas son las cosas que pasan en Cai,
que ni la hambre la vamos a sentir,
mire usted que fiesta,
mire usted que gracia
mire usted que crisis tiene este país;
que la hambre la vamos a sentir,
mire usted que fiesta tiene este país.
Bulerías from Cádiz
Nonsense!
Oh my gosh, my gosh, my gosh,
these are the things that happen in Cádiz,
we won't notice the hunger,
look how much flair this country has.
What you have is a lot of flair,
but you're not very fortunate,
you don't look like your mother,
even though everyone in the world says so.
Oh, nonsense!
Oh, how we love the tuna from Barbate,
but we're going to go hungry,
look at the economic crisis this country is in.
Your mother keeps saying
that you're going to marry another,
He must have a lot of money,
but very little rhythm,
ay perrete, perrete*…
so exciting, a little bit of money,
Where do you put it?
By the port I ran into my first cousin,
and I told her to come to the window a little while.
Mercé, Little Mercedes,
blow kisses to me from the window.
Oh my gosh, my gosh, my gosh,
these are the things that happen in Cádiz,
we won't even feel hungry
look at how festive,
look at how much charm,
look at what a crisis this country is in;
we'll go hungry,
look at what spirit this country has.
I didn't know how to translate much of this. It's so colloquial. I don't know. But I am stubborn and wanted to post it today! I asked Regular Ricardo for help with parts. Like age for example ...
age - is similar to salero or arte
EDIT: Please see comments below for Salvador’s notes on ‘age’ and ‘perrete’.
He says age is an Andalusian pronunciation of ángel in this case meaning charm or flair.
And he says perrete is a diminutive of perro, less aggressive than calling somebody dog but still not very nice.
¡¡Muchas gracias, Salvador!!
And gracia, well, how do you really say that in English and get the right feeling? I used a couple of different words but don't feel very satisfied with either ...
gracia - flair, charm
Mercedes
I like how in the video El Londro sings the part where the name Mercedes is. Because he is often her singer. And she plays his music in her studio all of the time. Remember this video of them?
I'm going to Jerez to study with her in May, and I'd love for you to join me. (Cadiz is a short train ride from Jerez. Some people like to go there on their free day during the Flamenco Tour.)
Check out this review of a performance she did with Marco Flores, Laura Rosalén, and Olga Pericet the other day in London, "but Mercedes Ruiz made my evening. She was huge on the stage, her dance brought the cliché "on fire" to life, every atom of her twisting body was a statement of elegant strength while her moves spoke of generous lives well lived. On stage she's so much larger than life that I'm always surprised how small she really is," Carole Edrich, London Duende