Joan Manuel Serrat - La Aristocracia del Barrio - translation of the lyrics into English

Lyrics and translation Joan Manuel Serrat - La Aristocracia del Barrio




La Aristocracia del Barrio
The Aristocracy of the Neighborhood
Entre el bar y la bolera
Between the bar and the bowling alley
Rondan las aceras
They hang around the sidewalks
Controlando el barrio desde una esquina
Controlling the neighborhood from a corner
En el índice una alhaja, el pelo a navaja
A jewel on their finger, their hair shaved short
Salpicando betún y brillantina
Applying hairspray and shoe polish
Óigales silbar
Listen to them whistle
Parecen estar
They seem to be
Esperándole vecino
Waiting for you, neighbor
Para jugar
To play
Un mano a mano a los chinos
A hand-to-hand game of Chinese checkers
Son la aristocracia del barrio
They are the aristocracy of the neighborhood
Lo mejor de cada casa
The best of each house
Tomando el sol en la plaza
Sunbathing in the plaza
Tienen a la madre anciana
They have an elderly mother
Virgen a la hermana
A virgin sister
Y en las Ramblas una que es del asunto
And a lover on the Ramblas
Un padre que murió un día y la filosofía
A father who died one day and the philosophy
Del tapete, el compañero y el punto
Of the gambling table, the friend, and the point
Mírenlo burlar sin pestañear
Watch him cheat without batting an eyelid
Nació chulo y sin remedio
He was born a pimp and there's no cure
Pide con seis
He asks for six
Y se planta en dos y medio
And he stops at two and a half
Son la aristocracia del barrio
They are the aristocracy of the neighborhood
Tahúres, supersticiosos
Gamblers, superstitious
Charlatanes y orgullosos
Charlatans and proud
Traficando en transistores en encendedores
Trafficking in transistors, lighters
En cosméticos y en bisutería
Cosmetics and costume jewelry
Hasta que el cante de un socio les cierre el negocio
Until the squeal of a partner closes their business
Como poco por seis meses y un día
For at least six months and a day
Igual que se van
Just as they leave
Reaparecerán
They will reappear
Hechos un figurín, pero
Looking like a movie star, but
Con el color y el perfume del talego
With the color and aroma of jail
Son la aristocracia del barrio
They are the aristocracy of the neighborhood
Tránsfugas independientes
Independent defectors
Mejorando a los presentes
Improving those present
Si les sigue usted los pasos
If you follow in their footsteps
Verá más de un caso
You will see more than one case
En la puerta de un Juzgado de Guardia
At a police station
Que por la hembra y el retaco
That a woman and a pistol
Deja hasta el tabaco
Make him give up even tobacco
Y hurga en las demandas de La Vanguardia
And search for lawsuits in La Vanguardia
Envejecerán
They will grow old
Horneando pan
Baking bread
Cada cuál muere a su modo
Everyone has their own way of dying
Qué se va a hacer
Oh, well
Si ha de haber gente pa′ todo
If there must be people for everything
Y la aristocracia del barrio
And the aristocracy of the neighborhood
Sentimentales y buenos
Sentimental and kind
En el bar
At the bar
Le echan de menos
They miss him





Writer(s): Juan Manuel Serrat


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