El joven aprendiz de pintor [English translation]

The young apprentice painter who only yesterday

swore that my paintings were his catechism,

today when he sees that people start to notice me,

he no longer says that I paint so well as Picasso.1

Instead, the neighbor who never greeted me

when chance or elevator gathered us,

came yesterday to tell me that my last novel

excites her more than all the work of Camilo José Cela.2

And what about that bold and determined manager

who never received me, who was always in a meeting.

Today, wagging his tail, he approached me like a dog

to beg for I allow him enter in this business.

And I said him no, no, no, no.

The daisy which I despoiled in my past

is already withered.

The clumsy bullfighter wannabe who asserted only yesterday

that no one puts the banderillas better than me,

now, when I receive awards and the ones of "Siete" acclaim me,

he no longer says that I fight better than Manolete.3

Caballé4 himself, who denied me her favours,

the prima donna who made fun about songwriters,

called me to say me: I'm indebted to you,

your "Madrid" is better than "Aranjuez" of Rodrigo.5

And what about music critic who, incensed, accuses me

of playing too much Russian roulette.6

If I had not risked, maybe now he would accuse me

of I'm stranded at Melancholia Street.7

And that, absolutely not, no, no, no, no.

The daisy which I despoiled in my past

is already withered.

1. Pablo Picasso, great Spanish painter2. Camilo José Cela, Spanish writer, Nobel Prize3. Throughout this stanza is used abundant slang from the world of bullfighting, very difficult to translate. “The ones of Siete” (tendido Siete, tier Seven) is the most fussy and knowledgeable public in Las Ventas, Madrid bullring. If they acclaim a bullfighter, this involves the greatest triumph for him. Manolete is a legendary bullfighter4. Monserrat Caballé, Spanish soprano5. "Your Madrid" refers to "Pongamos que hablo de Madrid", a old song by Joaquín Sabina http://lyricstranslate.com/en/pongamos-que-hablo-de-madrid-let%C2%B4s-sa... "Aranjuez of Rodrigo" refers to "Concierto de Aranjuez", classical music piece for Spanish guitar and orchestra by Joaquín Rodrigo, a Spanish musician. Aranjuez (I live there!) is a beautiful historic city near Madrid6. “Ruleta rusa” (“Russian Roulette”) is the title of a Joaquín Sabina's album7. “Calle Melancolía” (“Melancholia Street”) is one of the biggest hits of Joaquín Sabina, perhaps the song that finally rises him to fame http://lyricstranslate.com/en/calle-melancolia-melancoly-street.html

• Artist:Joaquin Sabina
• Album:Juez y parte