La Gloria de Manhattan

The Glory of Manhattan

La Gloria de Manhattan

Graceful as the horses,Airoso como los cabales,
he descended 42nd Streetbajaba la 42
with a little glass of beercon un vasito de cerveza
and a little song hummed softly.y un cantecito echao a media voz.

At the time of the wretched ones,A la hora de los miserables,
between dusk and neon,entre el ocaso y el neón,
there's a homeless and a nobodyhay un sin casa y un don nadie
building a cardboard jail.montando un trullo de cartón.

And what are you telling me, 'my friend',Y qué me estas contando, "my friend",
about your baya mí de tu bahía
if I'm from the island,si yo soy de la isla,
look at the art and joy.mira tú qué arte y qué alegría.
If I didn't lackSi a mí no me faltara
my woman and her freckles,mi hembra y sus lunares,
they would know at the Madisonsabrían en el Madison
that the big singing is what counts.que el cante grande es lo que vale.

She defended herself in dance,Ella se defendía el baile,
he had never been 'El Caracol',él nunca había sido "El Caracol",
but he sang wellpero decía bien el cante
with a little tap and a lantern.con una pataíta y un farol.

They arrived with those ships,Llegaron con aquellos barcos,
and with their half-ration facey con su cara de media ración
couldn't do their little flamencono pudo hacer su flamenquito
against the towers of gold and concrete.contra las torres de oro y hormigón.

After almost a year thrown away,Después de casi un año tiraos
I have no bar left,no me queda un garito,
and she left on a boaty ella se fue en un barco
heading straight for the island.que iba pa la isla derechito.
And things will be different, 'my friend',Y otro gallo cantara, "my friend",
if they had told me:si me lo hubieran dicho:
the glory of Manhattanla gloria de Manhattan
starts from the fifth floor.empieza a partir del quinto piso.

And at Vargas' tavern she saidY en la venta de Vargas dijo
she wouldn't step on Main Streetque no pisaba la calle Real
to beg for a fixed salary,pa mendigar un sueldo fijo,
to end up eaten by the salt.pa terminar comido por la sal.

I was born for glory,Yo he nacido para la gloria,
I will reign through soleares,yo reinaré por soleás,
and she will dance buleríasy bailará por bulerías
all the way to the Statue of Liberty.hasta la Estatua de la Libertad.

Don't mess with me, 'my friend',No vayas a joderme, "my friend",
I sleep on this corner:yo duermo en esta esquina:
if you make a little space for mesi me haces un laíto
I'll sing you a Porrinas.voy a echarte un cante de Porrinas.
If I didn't lackSi a mí no me faltara
Lucía and her freckles,Lucía y sus lunares,
they would know at the Madisonsabrían en el Madison
that the big singing is what counts.que el cante grande es lo que vale.

And what are you telling me, 'my friend',Y qué me estás contando,"my friend",
about your bay,a mí de tu bahía,
if I'm from the island,si yo soy de la isla,
look at the art and joy.mira tú que arte y que alegría.
And things will be different, 'my friend',Y otro gallo cantara,"my friend",
if they had told me:si me lo hubieran dicho:
the glory of Manhattan, 'brothers',la gloria de Manhattan, "brothers",
starts from the fifth floorempieza a partir del quinto piso