Gracias a la Vida (Violeta Parra) / Let Me Thank Life (Translation by Alex Etchart)

A simple yet wonderfully sonorous song about the gift of life.

Translated by Alex Etchart from the original masterpiece "Gracias a la Vida" composed by the hauntingly beautiful and tortured soul that was Violeta Parra:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYEw3e5x5Es

Performed live at Movimientos latin folk-roots night @ Notting Hill Arts Club:
myspace.com/movimientos

Thanks for listening,
Al

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TRANSLATION:
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Let me thank life for giving me so much
Its given me eyes, when I open them up
I can tell apart the light from the dark
And way up high in the sky all the stars
And standing beside me the one I love

Let me thank life for giving me so much
Its given me hearing from night until morning
The sound of leaves rustling, birds singing bees buzzing
Hammers hitting dogs barking motors whirring rain pattering
And the voice of my lover so tender and flattering

Let me thank life for giving me so much
Its given me a voice and the alphabet
With which I put words to the thoughts I beget
To my father sister mother and all the strangers Ive met
And the name of that soul Ill never forget

Let me thank life for giving me so much
Its given great strength to my tired feet
To cover with speed both cities and fields
Mountains and deserts, forests, plains and the beach
Yours house, your street and your balcony

Let me thank life for giving me so much
Its given me a heart so easily enticed
When I see the fruits of the human mind
When I see wrongdoing so far from whats right
When I see into the depth of your bright bright eyes

Let me thank life for giving me so much
Its given me laughter and its given me tears
So I can tell apart my joys from my fears
The two things that make my song what it is
And the song of yours which is the same song
And the song thats shared with everyone

Let me thank life for giving me so much
Let me thank life for giving me so much

[ © Alex Etchart 2008 ]

Category:

Music

Tags:

• giving
• much
• eyes
• open
• light
• dark
• stars
• love
• hearing
• night
• morning
• up
• tell
• apart
• way
• translation
• cover
• interpretation
• english
• spanish
• mercedes
• sosa
• gracias
• la
• vida
• joan
• baez

[camicdls]

the people at the pleace are stupid or deaf because did not listen an amazing song

[elschumango]

gracias por traspasar este valuarte musical a otros idiomas...

que la obra de violeta parra se difunda

gracias

desde Chile

[vinaschneider]

Great man ! congrats for breaking another barrier. too bad most ppl at the place didnt stop to listen.

[lalo9440]

Nice work, never had listened to this song in English, a greeting from Chile