Cinco farolas [English translation]

I don't listen to what

The gossip mongers say

Because I know full well

Who he favors1

Five bright blue stars

Light five lampposts

From his house to my house

From his mouth to my mouth

Five years have I loved him

Five years has he adored me

Bad people, what do they know?

What do they know of us?

Yes, I know that he loves me as I love him

Why go tell those gossipy girls?2

The little path right from his very door

To my door, mother

It doesn't grow grass... it doesn't grow grass3

I don't even want to know

Neighbor of mine, you'd best shut your mouth4

And don't come to tell me

That he's going to marry another woman

Five sensible years

Loving him hour after hour

They're a rope around my neck

That chokes my throat

I hope they burn his mouth

With lit coals; that mouth

By which he swore so many times

That he favored me5

The five, five lampposts went out

So that nobody sees me crying by my lonesome

Ah, what a shame, mother! Mother, what a pity!6

The little green path is filled with grass

Oh, it's filled with grass

1. Not sure how to translate this exactly. Likely something along the lines of "Who he is for," but this makes the meaning clearer2. An explanation of "dar un cuarto/tres cuartos al pregonero" is given by the link in the author's comments. Basically, it's when someone tactlessly tells a gossipy person something they weren't supposed to be let known. The origin of this saying is that before press and print had come out, the pregoneros were payed un cuarto to go tell of new laws and agreements from city hall, or to go spread worthy news from the city people.3. i.e. "that's how much we use it"4. lit. just "shut your mouth"5. Refer to first comment6. "¡Qué pena!" can be either of these

• Artist:Isabel Pantoja