Shakira

"Y fue por ti que escribi mas q' cien canciones y hasta perdonar tus equivocaciones"

 (For you I wrote a hundred songs, even forgiving your mistakes...) 

One of my favorite love songs in the world.  Antologia, by Shaki.  

In my less than wild youth, when I walked on the streets of South America and dreamed high school dreams she was the soundtrack to my life.   Her free spirit felt good on days filled with sunshine and palm trees and sitting on city plazas dreaming and sketching.  We grew up together.  

Commercially, in the US of A, most people know Shakira as the blond singer of She Wolf.  But those of us who have loved her music for years have favorites from the Pies Descalzos years.  We're purists. :)  I don't know why her English lyrics rarely have the same bite, but I do have a favorite or 2 in English.  I just love her viewpoint in depth and wit.   In politics and love and culture.  

The first time I saw her with blond hair as another Britney clone...well I didn't cry, but for real?  Is this country not diverse enough to accept a Latina with dark skin and hair?  

Anyway, I digress...the songs, the music.  Here are my 3 favorites and why I love them.  

Antologia(Anthology)  Def: A miscellany, assortment, or catalog, as of complaints, comments, or ideas
A collection of the stories and reasons why she loved this man

junto a ti creo que aumente mas de       (I think I gained 3 kilos because of the sweetness
3 kilos con tus tantos                             of the kisses,  my sense of smell became
dulces besos repartidos                           more sensitive, and for you I learned to love cats
dessarollaste mi sentido                          you wiped the cement off my shoes so we could
del olfato y fue por ti que                       escape and fly for a while, we two
aprendi a querer los gatos                      but you forgot a final instruction
despegaste del cemento                         I still don't know how to live without your love)
mis zapatos para escapar
los dos volando un rato.
pero olvidaste una final
instruccion porque aun
no se como vivir sin tu amor





Pies Descalzos( Barefeet)

A celebration of freedom and an anthem against the way we can feel trapped in routine in society

Ponte siempre zapatos                    (Always put shoes on
No hagas ruido en la mesa               Don't make noise at the table
Usa medias veladas                          Use hose for the evening
Y corbata en las fiestas                     And ties for parties
Las mujeres se casan                        The women always marry
Siempre antes de treinta                    Before 30)


Underneath Your Clothes

Self explanatory. :)