La Vieja

The Old One

La Vieja

This chacarera is incompleteEsta chacarera es trunca
Soul and life of SantiagoAlma y vida de Santiago
Old like the coyuyosVieja como los coyuyos
That sing over there in my homelandQue cantan allá en mi pago

Blood of saltpeter and songSangre de salitre y canto
That runs through the estuariesQue corre por los esteros
Dust, wine, and revelryPolvareda, vino y farra
And a Salavina songY un canto salavinero

I bring it from my homelandYo la traigo de mis pagos
Where the mountain kisses the skyDonde el monte besa el cielo
It throws a song on my guitarEcha canto en mi guitarra
And I kiss it with the memoryY la beso con el recuerdo
Everyone calls it the old oneTodos la llaman la vieja
And, oh, many have copied it from meY, ay, muchos me la han copiado
But this is the real onePero esta es la verdadera
That sings all of SantiagoQue canta todo Santiago

Achalay my chacareraAchalay mi chacarera
Noise and commotion in a thousand memoriesSonco y bulla en mil recuerdos
And embers of the versesY rescoldo de las coplas
That my grandparents used to singQue cantaban mis abuelos

You can barely hear itA penitas se la escucha
My blood tinglesLa sangre me cosquillea
And even the sorrows come out of the soulY hasta se salen del alma
And dance aroundLas penas y mudancean

Companion of my nightsCompañera de mis noches
Little flame of my insidesLlamita de mis adentros
To light up my countrymenPa' alumbrar a mis paisanos
Humble but happyHumildes pero contentos
Everyone calls it the old oneTodos la llaman la vieja
And, oh, many have copied it from meY, ay, muchos me la han copiado
But this is the real onePero esta es la verdadera
That sings all of SantiagoQue canta todo Santiago