Lamento Boliviano

Thread: Lamento Boliviano

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  1. gsmart said:

    Default Lamento Boliviano

    Can someone please tell me what the last two lines of the chorus mean?
    Why is he going on about combs, beds and travelling salesmen? <=/
    "Nena no te peines en la cama, Que los viajantes se van a atrasar"
  2. Asta said:

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by gsmart
    Can someone please tell me what the last two lines of the chorus mean?
    Why is he going on about combs, beds and travelling salesmen? <=/
    "Nena no te peines en la cama, Que los viajantes se van a atrasar"
    That line means "Baby dont comb on the bed, Be cause the travalers will delay"

    This one of my favorit songs, in the last line he talk about how he loose the girl.
  3. gsmart said:

    Cool Hmm - I see what he says but what does it mean?

    Ok - perhaps there is some Spanish colloquialism here that I am missing, but I can't see how he lost the girl as a result of delayed salesmen and combing on the bed? Any ideas?
  4. gsmart said:

    Question Err - I do?

    I like this song a lot and if I'm ever caught singing away to it and someone asks "so what does it all mean?" - I'd like to be able to come up with something better than "who cares... nobody! (presumably followed by a brainless titter)"
  5. stregapez said:

    Default

    I used to hear this song on the radio all the time when i lived in Mexico about 8 years ago. At the time I couldn't decipher most of the lyrics, and didn't realize it's kind of a serious song.

    I was trying to think of "drinking songs" for a dj friend's radio show, and I remembered this one, so i downloaded it, and looked up the lyrics. Been banging my head against the wall for the last hour or so trying to figure out those particular lines too. I think I did, and since I ran across this message board in the process I'll give my two cents here:

    That line isn't "no te pienes en la cama" it's "no te penas en la cama" You can hear it pretty clearly in the song. I have a hunch it was simply misprinted in the various lyrics websites floating around the net which are not uncommonly inaccurate, and which are usually copied from other lyrics webpages (so that the mistakes become duplicated over and over)

    "Penar" is to suffer, worry, fret. The words would make a lot more sense that way. It's a song about an alcoholic guy who knows he's seriously ****ed-up, and the woman who's in love with him knows the same. I think the lines are saying something like "Baby, don't worry, and cry in bed and lose sleep" (no te penas en la cama)" that the travelers " (ie he and she, metaphorically speaking ~ ie travelers together in life) "will be left behind " (que los viajantes se van a trasar)

    I was in relationship for a couple years, in southern Mexico, with a macho Mexican guy, who had a serious drinking problem , and at times would become quite crazy and violent. Frankly, I used to do alot of crying in bed, and I can totally relate to the song. I used to tell him that was his song. I didn't realize at the time though, as i said, that it says what it does, and has serious meaning, since the only words I could decipher were "yo estoy aqui' , borracho y loco"

    Haven't seen my ex in years. I came home for the hoidays, intending to go back to Mexico to be with him, and realized, within a week or two being back in the US, i couldn't and shouldn't live in fear for my safety (or my life), though I didn't stop loving or missing him. He waited for me for a year, surprizingly, then gave up, told me he had great memories, and was very sorry he had treated me "muy, muy feo"
    Last edited by stregapez; 03-04-2006 at 09:38 PM.
  6. gsmart said:

    Default

    Wow - big two cents worth! Thanks for that. To be honest - I rarely question the lyrics I pull off the web since I always blame my translations for the implausible bits - but you're right - it is clearly 'penas', and your suggestion regarding travelling through life seems to work too - cheers.

    Sorry about all your misfortune but it really does sound like you are well shot of that guy - there's no excuse for physical (or even mental) brutality. Breaking up always seems the most painful thing in the world at the time but things have a habit of improving just a short trip down the road! Have a great life!
  7. stefanov1977's Avatar

    stefanov1977 said:

    Question

    It's not penas, is peinas. And the meaning I guess is that he's telling a girl to don't comb her hair 'cause she's gonna be delay to get laid with someone else. I guess he's talking about a hooker, or maybe he just want to have sex with her and now that he has, he's ready to let her go and he is impatience for her to leave.

    I guess anybody understood the lyrics the way you want.
  8. divina said:

    Default

    Does the chorus of this song not sound exact like "One of these nights" by the Eagles?? I knew it sounded familiar for such a long time and then my fiance pointed it out to me one day!

    As far as peines / penes I always thought it was no te peinas. But the meaning eluded me as well. I thought it was a phrase referencing some kind of superstition.

    I did some googling and apparently that line referenced in a song by another band from the 80s called Alcohol Etilico and it may have some kind of internal meaning to them. I am not sure how accurate it is, but it is another possible meaning.

    Discussing lyrics we all know that the writer has their own personal reason for choosing the words that they do, and it is probably none of these ...
    Last edited by divina; 04-17-2006 at 09:58 PM.
  9. stefanov1977's Avatar

    stefanov1977 said:

    Smile

    I love one song of alcohol etilico and i think it's the only one that is a hit, it's called Rocas en mi mente. Great song. It was a blast when it came out. And your right, only the songwritter get the real meanin' of what he tried to share.
  10. misslivvy said:

    Default

    actually "no te penas" would not be gramatically correct. I believe it is "no te pienas" and I interpret the last two lines to mean he is talking to a prostitute saying don't comb your hair in bed because it will waste time when there are other guys waiting ...
  11. misslivvy said:

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by misslivvy View Post
    actually "no te penas" would not be gramatically correct. I believe it is "no te pienas" and I interpret the last two lines to mean he is talking to a prostitute saying don't comb your hair in bed because it will waste time when there are other guys waiting ...
    sorry, i mean to say "no te pienes" (no te pienas I believe would be gramatically incorrect also)
  12. Kaulitz_girl_483's Avatar

    Kaulitz_girl_483 said:

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by gsmart View Post
    Can someone please tell me what the last two lines of the chorus mean?
    Why is he going on about combs, beds and travelling salesmen? <=/
    "Nena no te peines en la cama, Que los viajantes se van a atrasar"
    I'm from argentina...and the band who play this song is from argentina too, so i'm gonna try to explain it (but my english sucks)...ok

    here's the gramatically correct: "nena no te peinés en la cama, que los viajantes se van a atrasar" = "baby dont comb your hair while u r in the bed, cuz the travelers will be delay"

    these part of the song comes from a book called "CRONICAS DE UNA MUERTE ANUNCIADA" by Andres Garcia Marques (i read the book the last year in the school)... and "nena no te peines en la cama, que los viajantes se van a atrasar" and its meaning is related to menstruation: according to ancient beliefs, if a woman comb her hair while she's in the bed before sleeping, their period is gonna b late

    so here's the answer, hopelly u will undertand cuz my englisch is not so good

    kuss
  13. Charlie Kelly's Avatar

    Charlie Kelly said:

    Talking

    Quote Originally Posted by Kaulitz_girl_483 View Post
    I'm from argentina...and the band who play this song is from argentina too, so i'm gonna try to explain it (but my english sucks)...ok

    here's the gramatically correct: "nena no te peinés en la cama, que los viajantes se van a atrasar" = "baby dont comb your hair while u r in the bed, cuz the travelers will be delay"

    these part of the song comes from a book called "CRONICAS DE UNA MUERTE ANUNCIADA" by Andres Garcia Marques (i read the book the last year in the school)... and "nena no te peines en la cama, que los viajantes se van a atrasar" and its meaning is related to menstruation: according to ancient beliefs, if a woman comb her hair while she's in the bed before sleeping, their period is gonna b late

    so here's the answer, hopelly u will undertand cuz my englisch is not so good

    kuss
    I just found this website and I gotta say I never, ever though I'd find a place like this. It rocks!!

    I used to listen to Los Enanitos Verdes when I was 13-15. Lamento Boliviano is one of the best songs ever made.
  14. Kaulitz_girl_483's Avatar

    Kaulitz_girl_483 said:

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Charlie Kelly View Post
    I just found this website and I gotta say I never, ever though I'd find a place like this. It rocks!!

    I used to listen to Los Enanitos Verdes when I was 13-15. Lamento Boliviano is one of the best songs ever made.
    hahaha well i'm new here too, and yeah its a cool site, i got some translations...but german translations. Anyways is so cool find someone to like this band (enanitos verdes) cuz they're really good, but i dont really like them XD, they're kind of old, but their musik is great, but i'm not a fan
    chau
  15. BhalobasarTanpura said:

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by stregapez View Post
    I used to hear this song on the radio all the time when i lived in Mexico about 8 years ago. At the time I couldn't decipher most of the lyrics, and didn't realize it's kind of a serious song.

    I was trying to think of "drinking songs" for a dj friend's radio show, and I remembered this one, so i downloaded it, and looked up the lyrics. Been banging my head against the wall for the last hour or so trying to figure out those particular lines too. I think I did, and since I ran across this message board in the process I'll give my two cents here:

    That line isn't "no te pienes en la cama" it's "no te penas en la cama" You can hear it pretty clearly in the song. I have a hunch it was simply misprinted in the various lyrics websites floating around the net which are not uncommonly inaccurate, and which are usually copied from other lyrics webpages (so that the mistakes become duplicated over and over)

    "Penar" is to suffer, worry, fret. The words would make a lot more sense that way. It's a song about an alcoholic guy who knows he's seriously ****ed-up, and the woman who's in love with him knows the same. I think the lines are saying something like "Baby, don't worry, and cry in bed and lose sleep" (no te penas en la cama)" that the travelers " (ie he and she, metaphorically speaking ~ ie travelers together in life) "will be left behind " (que los viajantes se van a trasar)

    I was in relationship for a couple years, in southern Mexico, with a macho Mexican guy, who had a serious drinking problem , and at times would become quite crazy and violent. Frankly, I used to do alot of crying in bed, and I can totally relate to the song. I used to tell him that was his song. I didn't realize at the time though, as i said, that it says what it does, and has serious meaning, since the only words I could decipher were "yo estoy aqui' , borracho y loco"

    Haven't seen my ex in years. I came home for the hoidays, intending to go back to Mexico to be with him, and realized, within a week or two being back in the US, i couldn't and shouldn't live in fear for my safety (or my life), though I didn't stop loving or missing him. He waited for me for a year, surprizingly, then gave up, told me he had great memories, and was very sorry he had treated me "muy, muy feo"
    Thanks Very much for the explanation.. it makes sense to me now. I'm don't speak spanish.. I took spanish in school. One of my teacher played this song in the class and I loved the song. Even my teacher translated the song as "combing hair in bed" and it didn't make any sense to her either... but I understand now. Thanks!