Habaneras de Cádiz [English translation]

Since I was in Havana, girl,

I could no more forget

Cadiz at my window,

distant little cup, *

than that morning

I was able to contemplate...

The waves from the cove,

that is a silver calm,

were breaking against the rocks

of that passage

rolling towards

those mouths

there they call El Malecon...

There were horse-drawn carriages,

it was around May,

they sounded through the avenue,

by Puerta Tierra,

and they brought me,

ah, my homeland,

from my Cadiz, the same sound...

The sound of the ports,

sweetness of the guava,

pumpkins, gardens...

I still wonder who was singing it to me

Chorus:

I have a love in Havana

and another in Andalusia,

I haven't seen you, my homeland,

much closer than the morning

that you appeared in my window

of colonial Havana

to Cádiz, the Cathedral,

La Viña and El Mentidero...1

You'll see I don't exagerrate

when I sing the habanera refrain:2

Havana is Cádiz with more blacks,

Cádiz, Havana with more whites.

They will see that I have my soul in Havana

I can not forget it,

I sing a tango and it's a habanera,

the same way,

so sweet and elegant

with the same beat.

On behalf of the Carribean,

it is written that way

when a song about loves,

a song so lovely,

is dedicated by the troubadors

to a girl or to a city...

And I, Cadiz, dedicate to you

and I will explain it to you

why I sing you this tango

that tastes like mango,

in this way, this Havanese

of piriñaca and Carnival...3

The jokers' song,4

flavor of molasses,

Guantanamo and Rota...

A choir is now singing in the plaza!

(Chorus)

1. El Mentidero - Talking corners or places where people meet to gossip2. a habanera is a song that accompanies the habanero dance, & also someone from Havana, a Havanese3. Piriñaca (a picadillo) is a typical salad of Andalusia, usually accompanies fish, seafood & boiled eggs.4. chirigota, a group that sings humorous and satirical songs during Carnival