West Side Story Spanish Lyrics- Page 2

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 8:29am

I kind of like the "desperation" that Karen uses better than the usual angry Anita. I think it shows how much stress she is under after Bernardo is killed. Then after the song, to watch the taunting scene, I think it's more of a downfall. I didn't necessarily think that A Boy Like That was as much of a powerful scene when Anita was just screaming at her.

[alightinthedark23]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 12:02pm

Lin definitely did an amazing job translating the original 'A Boy Like That'. He made it more 21th century that everyday 17-24 year old people would say. Great job on his part!

[NityaC]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 3:02pm

"We will obliterate them"

AHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA oh, Sharks.

love the translations. thanks!



(alightinthedark/CSonBroadway, nice avatar pics. =)

[ulkis]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 3:56pm

I love how in this production it's perfectly fine to curse in Spanish (along with "cabron" in "A Boy Like That," there's "pendejo" (dick) and "maricon" (queer) in the Prologue - and yet "mother lovin' " and "Krup you" were preserved. I doubt Mr. Sondheim would have opposed f-bomb updates!

I noticed that too. Maybe they lied to Laurents about what the words meant, heh.

[Jenna Maroney]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 11:02pm

I ran the Spanish parts of the new recording by my mom, who is Cuban. She's lived in the U.S. for almost 45 years, but her Spanish is leaps and bounds better than her English. She acknowledged the new BCR can be tricky to follow.

She says "pendejo" actually doesn't mean penis/dick, but pubic hair. Still, it's not a word used in polite company!

She also says she'd use "cabrón" (not a nice word either) to describe a cheater, and not a killer. "Sin vergüenza" (shameless one) would have been a better word to illustrate the situation, but she says Miranda was OK because the more accurate term wouldn't have fit with the rhyme scheme.

[heathurr2]

Posted: 8/6/09 at 3:49pm

Could anyone help me out with the Spanish translation of the line
"Hold my hand and we're halfway there" ?
Many thanks!!

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 8/22/09 at 10:27pm

"Llevame para no volver" means "Stay with me to not go back."

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 8/22/09 at 10:36pm

"Llevame" is "take me." The line is (roughly) "Take me there to not return (/come back)."

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 8/22/09 at 10:58pm

Sorry about that.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 8/22/09 at 11:00pm

Jenna, I take off my sombrero to you for discussing dick and pubic hair with your mother.

I think Sondheim was very brave and generous to allow Lin so much liberty, but I am not surprised (Lin's so cute).
At this point WEST SIDE STORY was so long ago he may have been ready to see what the new generation would do with it, and since he and Laurents are no longer cordial, it was easier.
And my new favorite insult is "asshat"!

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 7:08pm

I just listened to both versions of "I Feel Pretty" and although I probably have no bussiness saying that I think that it should atleast be in Spanglish for the production.

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 7:10pm

The Spanish has been tinkered with since the cast recording was made.

[rmusic11322]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 3:51pm

"The Spanish has been tinkered with since the cast recording was made."

Do you know how so?

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 3:51pm

More English added to I FEEL PRETTY and A BOY LIKE THAT.

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 12/2/09 at 4:04pm

Does anyone else out there hate this recording? And the Spanish lyrics? And the general production?

[alightinthedark23]

Posted: 12/2/09 at 4:16pm

Honestly, I kind of liked the Spanish. It was something new but I also think it helped that I knew what was going on. I guess i can see where it can get confusing for people who have no idea what West Side Story is about. I haven't seen the production yet with the added English but I do intend to soon.

[eatit2]

Posted: 11/20/18 at 8:49pm

Lol. Was looking for videos of Karen singing "Un hombre asi" and ran into this gem of a thread of white ppl discussing the merits of this translation with authority as if they know <<edited by BWW staff>>...

I saw the production before they reverted all the Spanish back to English. Trust me when I tell you that, as a born and raised Puerto Rican, I found the translation was freakin spectacular. It really captured the use of Spanish by a Puerto Rican voice (no surprise since Lin is PRican). It also added a layer of authenticity which I'd never felt with WSS. Namely, the heightening of emotion bringing out one's native language is just so viscerally satisfying and beautiful and real. I was sad that they took out the Spanish though I get that Broadway is for making money off mostly monolingual Americans :P

To clear up a few points (for anyone who cares/finds this in the future): while "cabron" literally means cuckold, it really doesn't matter. Its use is almost always a generic curse along the lines of "ese cabron"="that f****r." 

Also, "por favor, Maria, por favor" isn't REALLY a plea. The way it's used is more sarcastic like "girl, please."

Anyway, does anyone know where I can find a video of Karen singing the song in the Lin-translated Spanish? I'd really like to see it again.

Updated On: 11/20/18 at 08:49 PM