Translation of the song … De cartón piedra artist Joan Manuel Serrat
… De cartón piedra
… Of papier mâché
Era la Gloria vestida de tul
She was glory dressed in tulle
con la mirada lejana y azul
with the gaze distant and blue
que sonreía en un escaparate
who would smile in the shop window
con la boquita menuda y granate,
with lips thin and maroon
y unos zapatos de falso charol
and false patent-leather shoes
que chispeaban al roce del sol.
that would sparkle at the touch of the sun.
Limpia y bonita. Siempre iba a la moda.
Clean and beautiful. She was always in style.
Arregladita como pa' ir de boda.
Well-dressed as if to attend a wedding.
Y yo, a todas horas la iba a ver
And I, at all hours would go to see her
porque yo amaba a esa mujer
because I loved this woman
de cartón piedra,
of papier mâché,
que de San Esteban a Navidades,
from St. Stephen's to the Epiphany,
entre saldos y novedades,
between bargains and news
hacía más tierna mi acera.
my sexual preferences were getting more soft.
No era como esas muñecas de abril
She wasn't like one of those dolls from April
que me arañaron de frente y perfil.
that scratched me from the front and on the side.
Que se comieron mi naranja a gajos.
That ate my orange in segments.
Que me arrancaron la ilusión de cuajo.
That stripped me of laid-back anticipation.
Con la presteza que da el alquiler,
With the promptness that rent is paid,
olvida el aire que respiró ayer.
she forgets the air that yesterday she breathed.
Juega las cartas que le da el momento:
She plays the cards that the moments gives her:
mañana es sólo un adverbio de tiempo.
tomorrow is only an adverb of time.
No, no. Ella esperaba en su vitrina
No, no. She was waiting in her window
verme doblar aquella esquina...
watching me turn that corner…
Como una novia,
Like a girlfriend,
como un pajarillo, pidiéndome:
like a little birdie, demanding me:
libérame, libérame...
Liberate me, liberate me…
y huyamos a escribir la historia.
and let's flee to write a story.
De una pedrada me cargué el cristal
With a throw of a stone I took out the window
y corrí, corrí, corrí con ella hasta mi portal.
and I ran, ran, ran with with to my door.
Todo su cuerpo me tembló en los brazos.
Her entire body trembled in my arms.
Nos sonreía la luna de marzo.
The moon of March smiled to us.
Bajo la lluvia bailamos un vals,
Under the rain we danced a waltz,
un, dos, tres, un, dos, tres... todo daba igual.
one, two, three, one, two, three… it all made no difference.
Y yo le hablaba de nuestro futuro,
And I was speaking to her about our future,
y ella lloraba en silencio... os lo juro.
and she was crying in silent… I swear you it.
Y entre cuatro paredes y un techo
And between four walls and a roof
se reventó contra su pecho
it crashed against her chest
pena tras pena.
pain after pain.
Tuve entre mis manos el universo
I had between my hands the universe
e hicimos del pasado un verso
and of the past we made a verse
perdido dentro de un poema.
lost within a poem.
Y entonces, llegaron ellos.
And then, they arrived.
Me sacaron a empujones de mi casa
They took me by force from my home
y me encerraron entre estas cuatro paredes blancas,
and they locked me in between these four white walls,
donde vienen a verme mis amigos
where my friends come to see me
de mes en mes...,
from month to month…,
de dos en dos...,
from two to two…,
y de seis a siete...
and from six to seven…