"CAMARACA"
Lyrics And Explanations
        A trilingual album for the entire family

Winner of Children's Music Web Award (2006) ,
Winner of Parents Choice "Recommended" Award (2004)

CLICK HERE FOR TEACHER'S GUIDE

"The moon has risen: only half of it can be seen, yet it is round and beautiful. There are many things about which we laugh, because our eyes see them only partially."

Der Mond ist aufgegangen,
Die goldnen Sternlein prangen am Himmel hell und klar.
Der Wald steht schwarz uns schweiget,
Und aus den Wiesen steiget der weiße Nebel wunderbar.

Seht ihr den Mond dort stehen?
Er ist nur halb zu sehen und ist doch rund und schön.
So sind wohl manche Sachen,
Die wir gestrost belachen, weil unsre Augen sie nicht sehn.

Wir stolzen Menschenkinder
Sind eitel arme Sünder und wissen garnicht viel.
Wir spinnen Luftgespinnste
Und suchen viele Künste, und kommen weiter von dem Ziel.

So legt euch denn, ihr Brüder,
In Gottes Namen nieder, kalt ist der Abendhauch.
Verschon uns, Gott, mit Strafen
Und laß uns ruhig schlafen, und unsern kranken Nachbar auch.

"Let it rain, let it rain, the virgin of the cave. Little birds are singing, clouds are rising. Yes! No! Let the downpour fall!

¡Que llueva, que llueva! La virgen de la cueva.
Los pajarillos cantan, las nubes se levantan.
¡Que sí! ¡Que no! ¡Que caiga el chaparrón!
Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day,
All the children want to play!
It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring.
He went to bed and he bumped his head,
And he couldn't get up in the morning.

"An old rat, who was an ironing lady, ironed her tail one day while she was ironing her own clothes. She put on cream and tied a bandage around it, and the poor rat had only a little tail left!"

"Little Maya, little Maya, it is time for school."
"Mommy, Mommy, my tooth hurts."
"Little Maya, little Maya, you are being lazy!"

Una rata vieja qu'era aplanchadora,
Por planchar su ropa, se aplanchó la cola.
Se puso pomada, se amarró un trapito,
Y a la pobre rata le quedó un rabito.
-Mayita*, Mayita, ¡te vas a la escuela!
-Mamita, Mamita, me duele la muela.
-Mayita, Mayita, ¡tú tienes pereza!
-Mamita, Mamita, dolor de cabeza.
-Mayita, Mayita, viene la enfermera.
-Mamita, Mamita, me voy a la escuela.

(* Original version: "Pachito, Pachito," but here the singer's name, Maya is inserted. "Mayita" means "little Maya.")

My three little girls go to bed at night,
Blankies and Silkie tucked in tight.
And when the morning finds their wispy, tousled hair,
Six glowing, drowsy cheeks warm the air.

My three little girls have their own ideas,
And when the sparks fly I hold my ears.
But then giggling voices chime a brand-new start,
Their bright-blue eyes sing and reach my heart.

My three little girls, how I fear and hope
This crazy, dangerous world won't break your souls.
And when I see you running freely in the springtime grass,
I wish for magic clocks to make it last.

"We come from the mountains to invite you to eat a pork on its spit, and something good to drink, too. Oh, coma’e Mary, oh compa’e Joseph, please open the door, for it is three o’clock and I haven’t had my coffee yet!"

(Coma’e and compa’e, the informal forms of Comadre and compadre, are often used like the words "pal" or "buddy" in English. Such informal reference to religious figures is common in rural Latin America: Mary, Joseph, and little Jesus are often thought of as members of the family or the village.)

De las montañas venimos para invitarlo a comer
Un lechoncito en su vara y un buen pitorro a beber.

Ay, coma'e María, ay compa'e José,
Abranme la puerta, que los quiero ver.
Ay, ábrame compa'e, que ya son las tres,
Y no he proba'o taza de café.

De las montañas venimos...

Sin arroz con dulce ni pastel de liro
Estas navidades no las paso yo.
Que no me traigan na'a que no quiera yo,
Estas navidades tráiganme un lechón.

De las montañas venimos...

Eso sí que yo lo sé, que aquí te traemos
La bellísima flor del jardín isleño.

De las montañas venimos...