Translation of the song Va por la Chapultepec artist Bersuit Vergarabat
Va por la Chapultepec
He Goes By Chapultepec
Nadie puede imaginar
No-one can imagine
lo que hay detrás de un gran hombre:
what's behind a great man:
optimista, ganador, bien parado
an optimist, a winner, standing tall
para la ocasión.
for the occasion.
Un par de tequilazos
Two heavy tequilas,
para preparar la vista,
to prepare his eyesight,
no vaya a ser cosa
lest it be a matter
que se ponga exigente en la elección.
that will become picky during the choosing process.
Se acerca sonriendo,
He approaches her smiling
con picardía argentina,
with Argentine slyness,
y le dice al oido:
and to her ear he whispers,
«No hay nadie en el mundo más
Nobody in the world is
linda que vos».
loverlier than you.
¿Quién va a creer
Who is going to believe
en semejante mentira?
in such a shameless lie?
Avanza la noche
The night keeps moving on,
y retrocede su chance de pescador.
and his fisherman-like opportunities take a step back.
[Coro #1]
[Chorus #1]
Va por la Chapultepec,
He goes by Chapultepec,
dobla por la Cuahutémoc,
he makes a turn around Cuahutemoc;
tiene humildes pretensiones:
he has modest ambitions,
algo de suerte para el amor.
just wants a bit of luck for love.
Le va a todas
He tries with them all,
el testarudo confiado.
the stubborn, naïve guy.
Hay muchas presas
Many of his would-be preys
que desconfían de su convicción.
put no stock in his assuredness.
Y a cada intento se va desdibujando.
It all gets blurry with every failed attempt.
¿Adónde habrá un bicho
Where could there be a critter
que camine para el asador?
ready to walk into the rotisserie?
[Ay...Dios mío...]
[Oh... my God...]
[Coro #1] x2
[Chorus #1] x2
Y sonreía el sol de la mañana,
And so the sun was smiling in the morning,
y se paró en un puesto para comer,
and he stopped to eat at a food stand.
se aventó una tremenda enchilada,
He stuffed himself with a huge enchilada;
se calentó los sesos y empezó a correr.
his brains turned hot, and he took off running.
Si le sumás a esta dieta el mezcal
If you add the mezcal that he drank in addition,
y los virulos del bostero,
and the dope from a bad seller,
pronto se convirtió en ratón
you can imagine how he became a mouse
que va a morir en algún agujero.
of the type that goes off to die in a hole.
«Saliendo de Nezahualcóyotl
As I was leaving Nezahualcoyotl Station,
tomé por Chapultepec.
I went by way of Chapultepec.
En tantito estuve por la Cuahutémoc;
In just a little while I reached Cuahutemoc.
En la mera esquina con la chava me encontré,
Right there on the corner I found the girl,
O el chavo... ni modo que adivine».
Or the boy.... you wouldn't expect me to guess.
Ya está desesperado,
He is growing desperate,
y viene revoleando lazos y boleadoras.
twirling bola ties and lassos.
Le dió a un pajarraco
He found an ugly bird,
de buena napia y barrigón.
with a good snout and a big pot belly.
«¿Qué se llevó?», se pregunta la gente.
What did he buy? people wonder.
¿Quién no carga un bagallo
Who doesn't carry a small bag
en el prontuario del corazón?
in the criminal record of the heart?
[Coro #2] x4
[Chorus #2] x4
Va por la Chapultepec,
He goes by Chapultepec,
dobla por la Cuahutémoc,
he makes a turn around Cuahutemoc;
tiene humildes pretensiones:
he has modest ambitions,
a esta hora si es mujer, mejor.
at this hour, so much the better if it's a woman.
[Baila, baila el lorito,
[The little parrot dances, dances;
generoso y mimosito]
generous and affectionate parrot.]
A esta hora si es mujer, mejor
At this hour, so much the better if it's a woman.
A esta hora si es mujer, mejor
At this hour, so much better if it's a woman.
A esta hora... si es ser humano, mejor.
At this hour... so much the better if it's a human being.