Salem State College | Language Resource Center | Spanish Lyrics Collection

Violeta Parra

Country: Chile
Violeta Parra Violeta Parra

Songs featured here

  • Gracias a la vida

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    Introduction

    "Violeta Parra nació en San Carlos, en la Región de Chillán, al sur de Chile. Su padre era profesor de música, su madre una campesina guitarrera y cantora. Fueron nueve hermanos que vivieron su infancia en el campo." (See rest of this biography)

    "Hija de Clarisa Sandoval, campesina, fallecida en 1980, y de Nicanor Parra, profesor de mœsica. Nace el 4 de Octubre de 1917 en San Carlos, provincia de „uble, al sur de Chile. Transcurre su infancia en el campo." (See rest of this biography)

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    Links

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    Recommended albums

    The Songs of Violetta Parra Violeta Parra UPC: 3383001207829 Format: CD Release Date: Sep 9 1997 Label: Last Call Records. (At Barnes&Noble: $13.99; At amazon.com: $16.97.)

    [Buy it for the Language Resource Center!: Have it mailed to: LRC Chief, Department of Foreign Languages, Salem State College, 352 Lafayette St., Salem, MA 01970. Thanks!]

    Las Ultimas Composiciones De Violeta Parra: At amazon.com $12.57

    [Buy it for the Language Resource Center!: Have it mailed to: LRC Chief, Department of Foreign Languages, Salem State College, 352 Lafayette St., Salem, MA 01970. Thanks!]

    Chants Et Rythmes Du Chili [IMPORT]: At amazon.com

    [Buy it for the Language Resource Center!: Have it mailed to: LRC Chief, Department of Foreign Languages, Salem State College, 352 Lafayette St., Salem, MA 01970. Thanks!]

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    Lyrics

    Gracias a la vida
    por Violeta Parra

    This famous song by Violeta Parra has been sung by Mercedes Sosa, Joan Baez, Inti Illimani, and many others. It was made popular in the US by Joan Baez in the mid-1970's. Violeta Parra was one of the artists that inspired the popular song movement in Chile that was so important in the years leading up to the election of President Allende.

    Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto.
    Me dio dos luceros, y cuando los abro,
    Perfecto distingo lo negro del blanco,
    Y en el alto cielo su fondo estrellado,
    Y en las multitudes al hombre que yo amo.

    Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto.
    Me ha dado el oído que, en todo su ancho,
    Graba noche y día grillos y canarios
    Martillos, turbinas, ladridos, chubascos,
    Y la voz tan tierna de mi bien amado.

    Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto,
    Me ha dado el sonido y abecedario.
    Con él las palabras que pienso y declaro,
    "madre, amigo hermano" y luz alumbrando
    la ruta del alma del que estoy amando

    Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto.
    Me ha dado la marcha de mis pies cansados.
    Con ellos anduve ciudades y charcos,
    Playas y desiertos, montañas y llanos,
    Y la casa tuya, tu calle y tu patio.

    Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
    Me dio el corazón, que agita su marco.
    Cuando miro el fruto del cerebro humano,
    Cuando miro al bueno tan lejos del malo.
    Cuando miro el fondo de tus ojos claros.

    Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
    Me ha dado la risa, me ha dado el llanto.
    Así yo distingo dicha de quebranto,
    Todos materiales que forman mi canto,
    Y el canto de ustedes que es es mismo canto.

    		Thanks to life, which has given me so much
    It has given me two eyes, and when I open them
    I clearly distinguish black from white
    And in the high sky, its starry depths,
    And from the crowds, the man that I love.

    Thanks to life, which has given me so much
    It has given me hearing, which in all its breadth
    Day and night records crickets and canaries,
    Hammers, turbines, barking, dark clouds,
    And the tender voice of my beloved one.

    Thanks to life, which has given me so much
    It has given me sound and the alphabet
    And with it the words to think and speak
    Mother, friend, brother, and the light that brightens
    The path of the soul of my loved one.

    Thanks to life, which has given me so much
    It has kept my tired feet walking
    With them I walked through cities and puddles,
    Beaches and deserts, mountains and plains
    And your house, your street and your courtyard.

    Thanks to life, which has given me so much
    It gave me my heart, which shakes its frame
    When I look at the fruit of the human brain
    When I look at good ones so far from bad ones
    When I look at the bottom of your light-color eyes.

    Thanks to life, which has given me so much
    It has given me laughter and it has given me tears
    Thus I distinguish between joy and pain,
    They are all elements of my song
    and of your song, which is all one and the same.

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    Last updated: June 23, 1999