Translation of the song El joven aprendiz de pintor artist Joaquin Sabina

El joven aprendiz de pintor que ayer mismo

The young apprentice painter who only yesterday

juraba que mis cuadros eran su catecismo,

swore that my paintings were his catechism,

hoy, como ve que el público empieza a hacerme caso,

today when he sees that people start to notice me,

ya no dice que pinto tan bien como Picasso.

he no longer says that I paint so well as Picasso.1

En cambio la vecina que jamássaludaba

Instead, the neighbor who never greeted me

cada vez que el azar o el ascensor nos juntaba,

when chance or elevator gathered us,

vino ayer a decirme que mi última novela

came yesterday to tell me that my last novel

la excita más que todo Camilo José Cela.

excites her more than all the work of Camilo José Cela.2

Y qué decir del mánager audaz y decidido

And what about that bold and determined manager

que no me recibió, que siempre estaba reunido.

who never received me, who was always in a meeting.

Hoy, moviendo la cola, se acercó como un perro

Today, wagging his tail, he approached me like a dog

a pedir que le diéramos vela en este entierro.

to beg for I allow him enter in this business.

Y yo le dije: no, no, no, no, no, no.

And I said him no, no, no, no.

Ya está marchita la margarita

The daisy which I despoiled in my past

que en el pasado he deshojado yo.

is already withered.

El torpe maletilla que hasta ayer afirmaba

The clumsy bullfighter wannabe who asserted only yesterday

que con las banderillas nadie me aventajaba,

that no one puts the banderillas better than me,

ahora que corto orejas y aplauden los del Siete,

now, when I receive awards and the ones of Siete acclaim me,

ya no dice que cito mejor que Manolete.

he no longer says that I fight better than Manolete.3

La propia Caballé, que me negó sus favores,

Caballé4 himself, who denied me her favours,

La diva que pasaba tanto de cantautores,

the prima donna who made fun about songwriters,

llamó para decirme Estoy en deuda contigo,

called me to say me: I'm indebted to you,

mola más tu Madrid que el Aranjuez de Rodrigo.

your Madrid is better than Aranjuez of Rodrigo.5

Y qué decir del crítico que indignado me acusa

And what about music critic who, incensed, accuses me

de jugar demasiado a la ruleta rusa.

of playing too much Russian roulette.6

Si no hubiera arriesgado tal vez me acusaría

If I had not risked, maybe now he would accuse me

de quedarme colgado en Calle Melancolía.

of I'm stranded at Melancholia Street.7

Y eso sí que no, no, no, no, no, no.

And that, absolutely not, no, no, no, no.

Ya está marchita la margarita

The daisy which I despoiled in my past

que en el pasado he desojado yo.

is already withered.