Lyrics and translation Victor Heredia feat. Silvio Rodríguez - Mandarinas (with Silvio Rodríguez)

Mandarinas (with Silvio Rodríguez)

Recuerdo cuando niño robaba mandarinas
Redondeces de oro que una dulce vecina
Cuidaba de mis garras, mis garras asesinas
Como quien cuida al tiempo que no arruine la vida.

Yo esquivaba en la siesta la leve ligustrina
Sobornando a su perro con sobras de cocina
Y entraba al terrenito de doña Catalina
Que dormía su sueño tras pesadas cortinas.

Alzaba mi tesoro y escalaba la encina
Despues con un silbido le avisaba a Cristina
Y comíamos juntos y ella a veces reía
Con risa transparente y fulgor de aguamarina.

Silbo de vez en cuando para ver que sucede
Aunque hace tantos años que talaron la encina
Y aunque no me lo crean a veces siento risas
Y un perfume en el aire como de mandarinas.

Tangerines (with Silvio Rodríguez)

I remember when I was a child, I used to steal tangerines.
Golden orbs that a sweet neighbor
Kept from my greedy hands, my murderous claws,
Like someone guarding time from ruining life.

I would dodge the delicate privet hedge during naptime
Bribing her dog with kitchen scraps.
And I would enter Doña Catalina's little plot
Where she slept behind heavy curtains.

I would gather up my treasure and climb the holm oak,
Then whistle to Cristina.
And we would eat them together, and sometimes she would laugh
With a clear laugh and the brilliance of an aquamarine.

Every now and then I whistle to see what happens
Even though the holm oak was cut down so many years ago.
And although you might not believe me, sometimes I hear laughter
And the scent of tangerines in the air.