Translation of the song Lineas artist Leo Masliah

Alcmeón vivía en un pueblo.

Alcmeón lived in a town.

Sus padres habían muerto.

His parents were dead.

Pero tenia novia.

But he had a girlfriend.

Se llamaba Noelia.

Called Noelia.

No el.

Not him.

El se llamaba Alcmeón.

His name was Alcmeón.

Noelia era el nombre de su novia.

Noelia was the name of his girlfriend.

Y, en otro sentido, era también su novia.

And, in other sense, she was also his girlfriend.

No era bonita.

She wasn't beautiful.

Era hábil.

She was skillful.

Había sido electa reina de la vendimia.

She had been elected as the grape harvest queen.

En el pueblo no había vendimia.

There wasn't grape harvest in the town.

En los alrededores tampoco.

Neither in the outskirts.

Pero había una reina de la vendimia.

But there was grape harvest queen.

Era una zona ganadera.

It was a livestock zone.

Vacas, novillos y terneras.

Cows, bullocks and heifers.

Eso no daba para reinas.

That didn't allow for queens.

No había reinas de carnear vacas.

There weren't queens of butchering cows.

No la habían instituido.

They haven't established it.

No querían festejar la matanza.

They didn't want to celebrate the killing.

De haberlo hecho, se habrían descubierto.

Of doing it, they would be exposed.

Se habría descubierto que les gustaba matar.

They would find out that they loved to kill.

Por eso tomaron un desvío.

That's why they took a detour.

Pusieron reina de la vendimia.

They established a grape harvest queen.

Noelia había salido electa.

Noelia had been elected.

No por bonita.

Not for being beautiful.

Por culta.

For being educated.

Las concursantes no solo debían desfilar semidesnudas.

The contestants not only had to model half naked.

También desnudas.

Also naked.

No; mentira.

No; it's a lie.

Debian recitar una poesía.

They had to recite a poem.

El jurado elegía a la que recitaba mejor.

The jury picked the one who recited the best.

Si no, se habrían deschavado.

If else, they would be exposed.

Habría quedado al descubierto su lubricidad.

Their lewdness would be exposed.

Para ocultarla, tenían una triquiñuela.

To conceal it, they had a trick.

En el jurado agregaban señoras respetables.

On the jury they added respectable women.

Y fingían interesarse en la poesía.

And faked to be interested in poetry.

Noelia declamo muy bien.

Noelia recited very well.

Fue fea su poesía.

Her poem was ugly.

Pero la supo decir.

But she could say it.

Pronuncio todas las eses.

She pronounced all the Ss.

Dejo un silencio siempre que venía una hache.

She left a silence every time an H appeared.

Se había preparado bien.

She prepared herself so well.

Muchos ensayos frente al espejo.

Many rehearsals before the mirror.

Y frente a la ex-directora escolar.

And in front of the former school principal.

La antigua directora,

The former principal,

Se habría ofrecido gentilmente para preparala.

Offered herself gently to prepare her.

¡Que buena la antigua directora!

How nice the former principal!

Le había enseñado a declamar.

She had taught her to recite.

La había alentado y la había embebido de su aliento.

She had encouraged her and soaked her of her breath.

Le recitaba de cerca.

She recited to her from close.

Le hacía vivir cada palabra.

She made her live every word.

Se le escupía en la cara.

She was spitting in her face.

Noelia resistía heroicamente.

Noelia resisted heroically.

Quería ser reina.

She wanted to be a queen.

Quería súbditos.

She wanted subjects.

Quería el premio.

She wanted the reward.

La poesía era un medio.

Poetry was a mean.

Después vería si seguía recitando.

Later she'd see if she'd keep reciting.

La directora le insistía.

The principal was insisting her.

No era sólo para el concurso.

It wasn't only for the contest.

Noelia tenía condiciones.

Noelia had skills.

Podía declamar en todas las grandes ocasiones.

She could recite in all the great occasions.

Podía enaltecer los festejos patrios.

She could praise the national festivities.

Después del concurso, tenía que seguir,

After the contest, she had to continue,

Todos los días de ocho a doce declamación.

Everyday recitation from eight to twelve.

La antigua directora era jubilada,

The former principal was retired,

Y no tenía nada que hacer.

And she had nothing to do.

Podía darle clases hasta los domingos.

She could give her classes even on Sundays.

Después de la misa, declamación.

After the church, recitation.

Y no le cobraba nada.

And she didn't charge anything.

Noelia sólo tenía que prepararle el té.

Noelia only had to prepare her a cup of tea.

Ponerle miel a la grappa.

To pour honey to the grappa.

Y ayudarla a vestirse.

And help her to get dressed.

Y hacerle mandados.

And doing the shopping.

Y dar de comer a los gatos.

And feeding the cats.

Noelia se la bancaba porque tenía fé.

Noelia tolerated that because she had faith.

En la fé que le tenía la señora directora.

In the faith that Mrs principal had on her.

Cada día recitaba mejor.

Every day she recited better.

Aunque había que alcanzar un nivel superior.

Though she had to reach a higher level.

Siempre había algo para corregir.

There was always something to correct.

Algunas partes de la cara de Noelia estaban intactas.

Some parts of Noelia's face were still intact.

Estaban aún sin escupir.

They were without spitting yet.

La antigua directora era fuente inagotable de saliva.

The former principal was an endless fountain of saliva.

Hasta que una vez que estaba recitandole Ruben Darío,

Until one day when she was reciting Ruben Darío,

Le vomitó.

She puked on her.

En la marcha triunfal, cuando fue a decir “panoplias”, lanzó

On the Triumphal March, when she said Panoplies, she spit out

Y eso sí que Noelia no se lo tragó.

And indeed Noelia didn't swallow that.

Y a la ex directora la abandonó.

And abandoned the former principal.

Y se fue a elegir la malla que usaría en el certamen.

And went to pick the suit she would use in the contest.

Y ejercitarse contoneos y caídas de ojos.

And work out swayings and eyelid battlings.

Y en esos días descuidó a Alcmeón.

And in those days she neglected Alcmeón.

Que era su novio.

Who was her boyfriend.

Llevaban más de dos años saliendo.

They were having more than two years dating.

Se conocían de antes.

They knew each other from before.

De dar la vuelta en la plaza.

Of spinning in the roundabout.

Pero nunca se cruzaban.

But they were never running into each other.

Se desplazaban a igual velocidad.

They were moving at the same speed.

En el mismo sentido.

In the same direction.

Eran extremos de un diámetro giratorio.

They were extremes of a spinning diameter.

Pero una vez a el lo detuvieron para pedirle fuego.

But once they stopped him to lit a smoke.

Había mucho viento.

It was windy.

La llama se apagaba.

The flame was turning off.

Cuando por fin pudo con el encendedor,

When he finally could lit the lighter,

Noelia justo pasaba.

Noelia was passing by.

Y él quedó caminando a su lado.

And he remained walking by her side.

Y se pusieron a hablar de que había viento.

And they started talking about the wind.

Y la tarde siguiente también se encontraron y hablaron de lluvia.

And on the next afternoon they met again and talked about the rain.

Porque llovía.

Because it was raining.

Ellos tenían poca capacidad de atracción.

They had little ability of attraction.

Si hacía frío, el tema del calor no se tocaba.

If it was cold, the heat subject wasn't talked about.

Y cuando hablaron de amor,

And when they talked about love,

Fue, que estaban ya enamorados.

It was, because they were already in love.

Y no iban sólo a la plaza.

And they weren't only going to the plaza.

Iban al cine o a bailar.

They were going to the movies or dancing.

Iban por descontado a tomar un helado.

They were going of course to have an ice cream.

Pero ella por esos días de la coronación no aparecía.

But she wasn't appearing on those days of the crowning.

Y cuando al fin llegó el gran día,

And when the great day finally came,

Y el con cándida alegría vio desde la gradería.

And he with candid joy saw from the stands.

Que era su novia la reina, quiso besarla.

That the queen was his girlfriend, he wanted to kiss her.

Y fue corriendo al estrado y la abrazó.

And he went running to the platform and embraced her.

Pero Noelia le hizo a un lado.

But Noelia put him aside.

Y le dijo que no era el momento.

And told him it wasn't the moment.

Que debía tener otras cosas.

That she had to have other things.

Premios, contratos, festejos, propuestas varias.

Awards, contracts, celebrations, several proposals.

Y el se volvió a su habitación.

And he went back to his room.

A mirar televisión.

To watch television.

Pero estaban transmitiendo la elección de la reina.

But they were broadcasting the queen election.

¡Maldición!

Damn!

Apagó y se fue a un bar.

He turned it off and went to a bar.

Pero tenían la tele prendida.

But they had the TV on.

Y estaban viendo lo mismo.

And they were watching the same.

El volvió a su habitación.

He went back to his room.

Estaba sonando el teléfono.

The phone was ringing.

No quería atender.

He didn't want to answer.

Pensaba que era para felicitarlo por el triunfo de Noelia.

He though it was for congratulate him for Noelia's triumph.

Si era eso les iba a cortar.

If it was that he'd hang them up.

No podía aceptar felicitaciones.

He couldn't accept congratulations.

Pero no.

But no.

Era de la capital.

It was from the capital city.

¡Atención! ¡Atención!

Attention! Attention!

Alcmeón se había ganado una beca de computación.

Alcmeón had won a computer scholarship.

Y la beca consistía en que el iba.

And the scholarship consisted in that he went.

Y le vendían una computadora y les daban clases.

And sell him a computer and give him classes.

Y debía pagar las clases y la computadora.

And he had to pay the classes and the computer.

Sin hacerse rogar, Alcmeón esa misma noche partió.

Without resisting, Alcmeón left that very night.

En el bar de la terminal, pidió una bebida.

At the bar of the station, he ordered a drink.

Y no se la quisieron cobrar.

And they didn't want to charge it.

Ya fuera por lástima o como gesto de despedida.

Maybe for compassion or as a farewell sign.

Al llegar, en el bar de la terminal de la capital,

When he reached, at the bar of the capital station,

Se llevó una sorpresa.

He had a surprise.

Cuando fue al baño,

When he went to the bathroom,

Le robaron el bolso que estaba en la mesa.

They stole the bag that was on the table.

Y Alcmeón preguntó.

And Alcmeón asked.

Pero no pudo dar ni siquiera con alguien,

But he couldn't find anybody,

Que creyera que había habido un bolso.

Who believed that there was a bag.

Había otras creencias en Dios en varias ciencias.

There were other beliefs in God or several sciences.

Pero ninguna en la existencia de su pertenencias.

But none in the existence of his belongings.

Tuvo ganas de regresar a su pueblo.

He felt like returning to his town.

Pero pensó en la beca y se dijo

But he thought of the scholarship and said to himself

“Babieca, si acá en la ciudad hay gente buena”.

Dummy, there's good people in the city.

Y cuando en una pensión le preguntaron su ocupación.

And when in a hostel they asked him his occupation.

Alcmeón con aire de locatario,

Alcmeón with tenant voice,

Les dijo “soy becario”.

Told them I'm a grantee.

Esto es el principio de una novela que se llama Lineas que estoy… que voy musicalizando de a poco. Y bueno, llegué hasta ahí pero… si la termino alguna vez, va a durar siete horas.

This is the beginning of a novel called Lines that I'm... that I'm putting music on it little by little. And well, I reached until there but... if I ever finish it, it will last seven hours.