Chan Chan Buena Vista Social Club Translation Meaning and Lyrics

Song Meaning

'Chan Chan' means 'Chan Chan' in English. It is a name of a song by 'Buena Vista Social Club' human translated here by a native speaker.

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Lyrics and Translations

'Chan Chan' human translated and annotated. Look for notes about interesting vocabulary, language constructions, idioms, changes to transcribed words, grammar rules and general info that our members have discovered

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Line 1

Original Lyrics: De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané

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Preposition			Verb	Preposition
de			voy	para
from (with the source or provenance of or at)			intransitive to go	by, due, due on, due by (expressing a deadline)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
from	High	Cedro	I go	by	Marcané

Aligned Translation: From High Cedar I go to Marcané

Free Translation: From Alto Cedro I go to Marcané

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Line 2

Original Lyrics: Luego a Cueto voy para Mayarí.

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Adverb	Preposition
luego	a
then (afterward)	to

then	to	Cueto	I go	towards	Mayarí
³ Cueto is a place in Cuba but just means "hilltop" in normal language

Aligned Translation: Then at Cueto I go towards Mayarí

Free Translation: Then from Cueto I go to Mayari

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Line 3

Original Lyrics: De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané

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Preposition			Verb	Preposition
de			voy	para
from (with the source or provenance of or at)			intransitive to go	by, due, due on, due by (expressing a deadline)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
from	High	Cedro	I go	by	Marcané

Aligned Translation: From High Cedar I go to Marcané

Free Translation: From Alto Cedro I go to Marcané

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Line 4

Original Lyrics: Luego a Cueto voy para Mayarí.

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Word By Word Lyrics:

Adverb	Preposition		Verb	Preposition
luego	a		voy	para
then (afterward)	at		intransitive to go	for, to (expressing a recipient)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
then	at	Cueto	I go	for	Mayarí

Aligned Translation: Then at Cueto I go towards Mayarí

Free Translation: Then to Cueto I go to Mayari

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Line 5

Original Lyrics: De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané

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Word By Word Lyrics:

Preposition			Verb	Preposition
de			voy	para
from (with the source or provenance of or at)			intransitive to go	by, due, due on, due by (expressing a deadline)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
from	High	Cedro	I go	by	Marcané

Aligned Translation: From High Cedar I go to Marcané

Free Translation: From Alto Cedro I go to Marcané

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Line 6

Original Lyrics: Luego a Cueto voy para Mayarí.

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Word By Word Lyrics:

Adverb	Preposition		Verb	Preposition
luego	a		voy	para
then (afterward)	at		intransitive to go	for, to (expressing a recipient)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
then	at	Cueto	I go	for	Mayarí

Aligned Translation: Then at Cueto I go towards Mayarí

Free Translation: Then to Cueto I go to Mayari

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Line 7

Original Lyrics: El cariño que te tengo

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Determiner	Noun	Pronoun	Pronoun	Verb
el	cariño	que	tú	tengo
Masculine singular definite article; the.	affection	who; that	(Second person pronoun in singular tense) (informal communication in Spain and Mexico). you; thou (cognate).	transitive to have, possess (literally)
				1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb tener
the	affection	who	for you	I have

Aligned Translation: The love that I have for you

Free Translation: The love I have for you

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Line 8

Original Lyrics: Yo no lo puedo negar

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Pronoun	Adverb	Pronoun	Verb	Verb
yo	no	él	puedo	negar
(First-person singular pronoun in the nominative case); I.	not	it, masculine non-personal third-person subject and disjunctive pronoun (used as a subject and after prepositions to refer to masculine nouns)	to be able, can	to deny
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb poder	Infinitive
I	not	it	I can	deny

Aligned Translation: I can't deny it

Free Translation: I can't deny it

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Line 9

Original Lyrics: Se me sale la babita

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Pronoun	Pronoun	Verb	Determiner
se	yo	sale	la
Third person (also used for usted and ustedes) reflexive direct or indirect object, oneself, himself, herself, itself, yourself; each other; one another	(First-person singular pronoun in the nominative case); I.	to go out, date (be in a relationship)	the
		3rd Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb salir
She	with me	she going out	the	babe

Aligned Translation: The babe she's going out with me

Free Translation: My babe's coming on a date with me

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Line 10

Original Lyrics: Yo no lo puedo evitar.

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Pronoun	Adverb	Pronoun	Verb	Verb
yo	no	él	puedo	evitar
(First-person singular pronoun in the nominative case); I.	not	it, masculine non-personal third-person subject and disjunctive pronoun (used as a subject and after prepositions to refer to masculine nouns)	to be able, can	to avoid, to prevent, to keep from, to stop from, to avert, to obviate, to deter
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb poder	Infinitive
I	not	it	I can	avoid

Aligned Translation: I can't help it

Free Translation: I can't help it

Line 11

Original Lyrics: Cuando Juanica y Chan Chan

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Conjunction		Conjunction
cuando		y
when		and

when	Juanica	and	Chan	Chan

Aligned Translation: When Juanica and Chan Chan

Free Translation: When Juanica and Chan Chan

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Line 12

Original Lyrics: En el mar cernían arena

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Preposition	Determiner	Noun	Verb	Noun
en	el	mar	cernían	arena
in, at, on	Masculine singular definite article; the.	sea	to sift	geology sand, gravel
			3rd Person Plural Indicative Imperfect of the verb cernir
in	the	sea	they used to sift	sand

Aligned Translation: In the sea they sifted sand

Free Translation: They used to sift sand in the sea

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Line 13

Original Lyrics: Como sacudía el ‘jibe’

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Conjunction	Verb	Determiner
como	sacudía	el
how (in which way)	to shake	Masculine singular definite article; the.
	3rd Person Singular Indicative Imperfect of the verb sacudir
how	he used to shake	the	sieve
⁵ `jibe` is sieve for cleaning sand

Aligned Translation: How she shook the sieve

Free Translation: As she shook the sieve

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Line 14

Original Lyrics: A Chan Chan le daba pena.

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Preposition			Pronoun	Verb	Noun
a			ella	daba	pena
to			she, her (used subjectively and after prepositions)	transitive to consider	Latin America embarrassment
				3rd Person Singular Indicative Imperfect of the verb dar
to	Chan	Chan	to her	he gave	embarrassment

Aligned Translation: Chan Chan felt sorry for her

Free Translation: Chan Chan felt sorry for her.

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Line 15

Original Lyrics: Limpia el camino de paja

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Verb	Determiner	Noun	Preposition	Noun
limpia ¹	el ²	camino ³	de ⁴	paja ⁵
to clean	Masculine singular definite article; the.	path	of (indicates a quality or characteristic)	countable straw (dried stalk of a cereal plant)
3rd Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb limpiar
She clean	the	path	of	straw
^1,2,3,4,5 Interestingly this appears to mean "get the unimportant stuff out of my way"

Aligned Translation: She clean the path of straw

Free Translation: Clean the path of straw

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Line 16

Original Lyrics: Que yo me quiero sentar

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Conjunction	Pronoun	Pronoun	Verb	Verb
que	yo	yo	quiero	sentar
indicating desire or permission (usually used with the subjunctive)	(First-person singular pronoun in the nominative case); I.	(First-person singular pronoun in the nominative case); I.	to desire, to want, to want to	to seat
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb querer	Infinitive
That	I	I	desire to	to sit

Aligned Translation: I want to sit down

Free Translation: I want to sit down

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Line 17

Original Lyrics: En aquel tronco que veo

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Preposition	Pronoun	Noun	Pronoun	Verb
en	aquel	tronco	que	veo
in, at, on	demonstrative Alternative spelling of aquél	trunk (tree trunk)	that; whom	to see, to tell, to observe
				1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ver
On	that	trunk	that	I see

Aligned Translation: On that trunk I see

Free Translation: In that trunk I see

Line 18

Original Lyrics: Y así no puedo llegar.

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Conjunction	Adverb	Adverb	Verb	Verb
y	así	no ³	puedo ⁴	llegar ⁵
and	like this; like that; as such; thus; so; thereby; this way, that way	not	to be able, can	intransitive to arrive, get (to)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb poder	Infinitive
and	thus	not	I can	get to
^3,4,5 It has been suggested that this might mean "and therefore I'll stick around"

Aligned Translation: And so I can't get

Free Translation: And so I can't get there

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Line 19

Original Lyrics: De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané

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Preposition			Verb	Preposition
de			voy	para
from (with the source or provenance of or at)			intransitive to go	by, due, due on, due by (expressing a deadline)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
from	High	Cedro	I go	by	Marcané

Aligned Translation: From High Cedar I go to Marcané

Free Translation: From Alto Cedro I go to Marcané

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Line 20

Original Lyrics: Luego a Cueto voy para Mayarí.

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Adverb	Preposition		Verb	Preposition
luego	a		voy	para
then (afterward)	at		intransitive to go	for, to (expressing a recipient)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
then	at	Cueto	I go	for	Mayarí

Aligned Translation: Then at Cueto I go towards Mayarí

Free Translation: Then to Cueto I go to Mayari

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Line 21

Original Lyrics: De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané

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Word By Word Lyrics:

Preposition			Verb	Preposition
de			voy	para
from (with the source or provenance of or at)			intransitive to go	by, due, due on, due by (expressing a deadline)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
from	High	Cedro	I go	by	Marcané

Aligned Translation: From High Cedar I go to Marcané

Free Translation: From Alto Cedro I go to Marcané

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Line 22

Original Lyrics: Luego a Cueto voy para Mayarí.

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Word By Word Lyrics:

Adverb	Preposition		Verb	Preposition
luego	a		voy	para
then (afterward)	at		intransitive to go	for, to (expressing a recipient)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
then	at	Cueto	I go	for	Mayarí

Aligned Translation: Then at Cueto I go towards Mayarí

Free Translation: Then to Cueto I go to Mayari

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Line 23

Original Lyrics: De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané

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Word By Word Lyrics:

Preposition			Verb	Preposition
de			voy	para
from (with the source or provenance of or at)			intransitive to go	by, due, due on, due by (expressing a deadline)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
from	High	Cedro	I go	by	Marcané

Aligned Translation: From High Cedar I go to Marcané

Free Translation: From Alto Cedro I go to Marcané

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Line 24

Original Lyrics: Luego a Cueto voy para Mayarí.

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Word By Word Lyrics:

Adverb	Preposition		Verb	Preposition
luego	a		voy	para
then (afterward)	at		intransitive to go	for, to (expressing a recipient)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
then	at	Cueto	I go	for	Mayarí

Aligned Translation: Then at Cueto I go towards Mayarí

Free Translation: Then to Cueto I go to Mayari

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Line 25

Original Lyrics: De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané

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Word By Word Lyrics:

Preposition			Verb	Preposition
de			voy	para
from (with the source or provenance of or at)			intransitive to go	by, due, due on, due by (expressing a deadline)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
from	High	Cedro	I go	by	Marcané

Aligned Translation: From High Cedar I go to Marcané

Free Translation: From Alto Cedro I go to Marcané

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Line 26

Original Lyrics: Luego a Cueto voy para Mayarí.

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Word By Word Lyrics:

Adverb	Preposition		Verb	Preposition
luego	a		voy	para
then (afterward)	at		intransitive to go	for, to (expressing a recipient)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
then	at	Cueto	I go	for	Mayarí

Aligned Translation: Then at Cueto I go towards Mayarí

Free Translation: Then to Cueto I go to Mayari

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Line 27

Original Lyrics: De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané

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Word By Word Lyrics:

Preposition			Verb	Preposition
de			voy	para
from (with the source or provenance of or at)			intransitive to go	by, due, due on, due by (expressing a deadline)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
from	High	Cedro	I go	by	Marcané

Aligned Translation: From High Cedar I go to Marcané

Free Translation: From Alto Cedro I go to Marcané

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Line 28

Original Lyrics: Luego a Cueto voy para Mayarí.

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Word By Word Lyrics:

Adverb	Preposition		Verb	Preposition
luego	a		voy	para
then (afterward)	at		intransitive to go	for, to (expressing a recipient)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
then	at	Cueto	I go	for	Mayarí

Aligned Translation: Then at Cueto I go towards Mayarí

Free Translation: Then to Cueto I go to Mayari

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Line 29

Original Lyrics: De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané

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Word By Word Lyrics:

Preposition			Verb	Preposition
de			voy	para
from (with the source or provenance of or at)			intransitive to go	by, due, due on, due by (expressing a deadline)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
from	High	Cedro	I go	by	Marcané

Aligned Translation: From High Cedar I go to Marcané

Free Translation: From Alto Cedro I go to Marcané

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Line 30

Original Lyrics: Luego a Cueto voy para Mayarí.

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Word By Word Lyrics:

Adverb	Preposition		Verb	Preposition
luego	a		voy	para
then (afterward)	at		intransitive to go	for, to (expressing a recipient)
			1st Person Singular Indicative Present of the verb ir
then	at	Cueto	I go	for	Mayarí

Aligned Translation: Then at Cueto I go towards Mayarí

Free Translation: Then to Cueto I go to Mayari

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Review

Who wants to go to Cuba after hearing this song?! Wow what a simple masterpiece. Maybe you could do a tour of the villages mentioned?

It is a famous song by Compay Segundo that was written when he was a venerable 77.

Since it is a popular song, and looking at the Wiki page there is a simple explanation; it's origin is an ancient farmer's tale about a couple who are building a house, using sand from the ocean. The wife jiggles her body around while doing this, and causes the husband some embarrasment.

There does seem to be many different translations some a bit explicit (maybe there is double-entrendre here), but my feeling is that it's probably quite innocent.

The directions from village to village are apparently common in this son music from that part of Cuba.

Submitted by user: BENDECKO

Average Ratings

Most people find the song lyrics hard to understand lyrics, lyrics sung very slowly and it has easy to remember verbs and nouns

Most words used are in very common daily usage.^RAE

Chan Chan has 103 BPM (beats per minute)

References

^RAE Based on a median word frequency of 555 using the frequency database from the Royal Spanish Academy (La Real Academia Española)

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