Story Behind The Song
I was in the Peace Corps in Santiago, Chile in 1965 when my wife told me she was caught kissing the caretaker of our community center by his wife. So, I took a bus to go stay with a friend for a few days to think things over. Everything in the lyrics is a true story except we never had a baby.
Song Description
This song is sung in the traditional rhythm of the Refalosa dance style in Chilean folk dancing.
| Song Length |
4:08 |
Genre |
Latin - General |
| Tempo |
Medium (111 - 130) |
Lead Vocal |
Female Vocal |
| Mood |
Disconcerted, Enraged |
Subject |
Anger, Dysfunctional Relations |
| Similar Artists |
Las Cuatro Brujas |
Language |
Multi-Language |
| Era |
1960 - 1969 |
| |
Lyrics
El Cuento Triste de María - Ivana's versión Tempo Refalosa
Un día subí en el tren, para irme a Santiago.
Echamos piedras contra Yanquí imperialismo.
Bailamos en la calle estilo refalosa.
Gritamos con fuerza el año sesenta y cinco.
One day I boarded the train to go to Santiago.
We threw rocks and protested the Yankee imperialism.
We danced in the street in the style of refalosa.
We shouted loudly the year of sixty five.
Hay, que triste mí cuento, ¿que pasó con nuestra romanza?
Me encantó mucho el hombre, aunque era un gringo.
Me trató mal y era un puro Don Juan.
Interlude
Después subí en el tren para volver a mi pueblo.
Se asentó junto a mí un hombre tan guapo.
Nos acercó el conductor, le dijo que se mueva.
El hombre le dijo que no entendía.
Afterwards I rode the train to return to my home town.
A handsome Young man sat down on the seat next to mine.
The conductor came up and he told him he had to move.
The man lied and told him that he did not speak Spanish.
Oh, how sad is my story. What happened with our romance?
He charmed me so much with his words, although he was a yankee.
He treated me bad and he was a true Don Juan.
Interlude
Me abrazó con pasión, y me besó con fuerza.
Hicimos una cita por viernes en la plaza.
Yo fui a la plaza el viernes pero él no vino,
¿Y que voy a hacer con su niño pequeñito?
He hugged me with passion and he kissed me so strongly
We made a date for next Friday in my home town plaza.
I went to the plaza on Friday but he did not show up.
Now what will I do with his little, tiny baby?
Hay, que triste mí cuento, ¿que pasó con nuestra romanza?
Antes odiaba a gringos. No confío en ellos ni modo. Y los odio el doble.
Y odio todos.
Copyright © 2021 by Gary A. Edwards