A Bolivian Song about May in Spanish with an English Translation
Here’s a song from Bolivia about a girl talking to her mother in the month of May. May is when Mothers Day is celebrated in Bolivia. This might be a nice song for the occasion.
The lyrics are in Spanish with an English translation and a midi of the tune…
Tarde de mayo
(Spanish)Una tarde* fresquita de mayo
Monté mi caballo y me fui a pasear
por la senda donde mi mamita
graciosa y risueña solía pasear,
yo la vi que cortaba una rosa,
yo la vi que cortaba un clavel
y le dije mamita hermosa,
me das esa rosa,
me das el clavel,
y me dijo muy fina y galante
al instante yo te los daré
si me juras que siempre
muy buena, estudiosa y amante
conmigo serás.*Tarde can mean afternoon or evening in Spanish.
On a Cool Evening in May
(English)On a cool evening in May
I took my horse and went for a ride
On the path where my Mommy,
Gracious and smiling, used to stroll
And I saw her pick a rose
And I saw her pick a carnation
And I told her, nice Mommy
Give me this rose
Give me this carnation
And she told me, very shrewdly and gallantly
I’ll give them to you at once
If you’ll swear to me that always,
You’ll be very nice, studious and loving
To me.
Many thanks to Susana Mariscal, Daniel Dorado and Joaquin Dorado for contributing this song, and to Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’ World en français for translating it and for creating the midi. ¡Muchas Gracias!
Coming soon: Tarde de Mayo from Spain with an mp3 recording!
-Lisa
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Bolivia Page for more Bolivian Songs.
Here are some other posts about Mother’s Day, including some poems and songs:
May 20th, 2006 at 2:43 pm
This is a version for children of a love song that goes:
Una tarde fresquita de mayo
Cogí mi caballo y me fui a pasear
Por la senda donde mi morena
Graciosa y hermosa solía pasar
Yo la vi que cogía una rosa
Yo la vi que cogía un clavel
Y le dije – jardinera hermosa
¿Me das una rosa, me das un clavel?
Y me dijo muy fina y galante
Al instante yo se las daré
Si me jura que nunca ha tenido
Flores en la mano de otra mujer.
Yo te juro que eres la primera
De quien flores espero coger
Por lo tanto, jardinera hermosa
¿Me das una rosa, me das un clavel?
Translation
On a cool evening in May
I took my horse and went for a ride
On the path where my brunette,
Gracious and pretty, used to stroll
And I saw her pick a rose
And I saw her pick a carnation
And I told her pretty gardener
Would you give me a rose?
Would you give me a carnation?
And she told me, very shrewdly and gallantly
I give them to you at once
If you’ll swear me that you never held
Flowers from another woman
I swear you that you’re the first one
From whom I hope to pick flowers
Then, pretty gardener
Would you give me a rose?
Would you give me a carnation?
You can find some other versions by searching “Una tarde fresquita de mayo” on the internet.
I’ve always heard my father sing the first verse as follows:
Una tarde fresquita de mayo
Cogí mi caballo y me fui a pasear
Por las sierras más altas que había
Donde mi morena solía pasear
On a cool evening in May
I took my horse and went for a ride
In the highest mountains
Where my brunette used to stroll
June 27th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Another version, which is the one I’ve always known.
Una linda mañana de mayo
Monté en mi caballo y me fui a pasear
Por la senda donde mi morena
Graciosa y hermosa solía pasar
Yo la vi que cortaba una rosa
Yo la vi que cortaba un clavel
Y le dije – jardinera hermosa
¿Me das una rosa, me das un clavel?
Y me dijo muy fina y galante
Al instante yo te las daré
Si me jura que nunca has tenido
Flores en la mano de otra mujer
At least that was the version my grandmother used to sing…quite out of tune by the way.
October 8th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Nunca hubiera pensado que esta canción tan linda hubiera sido boliviana…Pues felicitaciones a Bolivia, de parte de un ecuatoriano.
English Translation of the comment:
Never would have thought that this song would have been so pretty… Well congratulations to Bolivia, on the part of an Ecuadorian.