I love how this Carol sounds in Spanish. The R’s are a bit challenging to sing – if you’re not a native speaker – at least for me they are!

Below you’ll find the Spanish lyrics to “Ay del chiquirritín”, followed by an English translation, then an mp3 recording and finally a YouTube video (with slightly different lyrics).

Enjoy!

Ay del chiquirritín
(Spanish Christmas Carol)

Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
metidito entre pajas
Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
queridín, queridito del alma.

Entre un buey y una mula Dios ha nacido
y en un pobre pesebre lo han recogido.

Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
metidito entre pajas
Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
queridín, queridito del alma.

Por debajo del arco del portalico
se descubre a María, José y el Niño.

Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
metidito entre pajas
Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
queridín, queridito del alma.

No me mires airado, hijito mío
mírame con los ojos que yo te miro.

Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
metidito entre pajas
Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
queridín, queridito del alma.

Oh, The Poor Little Baby Boy
(English Translation)

Oh, the poor little baby boy*, little boy,
Who is lying in the straw
Oh the poor little baby boy, little boy,
Darling boy, little darling of our soul.

Between an ox and a donkey, the Child God was born
And in a poor manger, they received him.

Oh, the poor little baby boy, little boy,
Who is lying in the straw
Oh the poor little baby boy, little boy,
Darling boy, little darling of our soul.

Below the arch of the portal
We find Mary, Joseph and the Child.

Oh, the poor little baby boy, little boy,
Who is lying in the straw
Oh the poor little baby boy, little boy,
Darling boy, little darling of our soul.

Don’t look at me angrily, my dear little one,
Look at me the same way as I look at you.

Oh, the poor little baby boy, little boy,
Who is lying in the straw
Oh the poor little baby boy, little boy,
Darling boy, little darling of our soul.

*The literal translation should be “Woe the little boy”. But that sounded too strong for a current translation so “poor little boy” seems more accurate in modern English.

MP3 Recording of “Ay del chiquirritín”

Check out the song page of “Ay del chiquirritín” at Mama Lisa’s World for the French translation, a score and midi.

Thanks to Monique Palomares for contributing this song and singing this song for us! Translated into English by Monique Palomares and Lisa Yannucci.