Mercedes Sosa with Félix Luna (standing) and Ariel Ramírez (on piano)[1]
English
Alfonsina and the Sea
Year
1969
Libretto
Félix Luna
Language
Spanish
Recorded
Mercedes Sosa
"Alfonsina y el mar" is a zamba composed by Argentine pianist Ariel Ramírez and writer Félix Luna, first released on Mercedes Sosa's 1969 album Mujeres argentinas.[2]
The song is a tribute to the poetess Alfonsina Storni, who committed suicide in 1938 in Mar del Plata, jumping into the water from a breakwater, although, according to the song, she slowly went into the sea. This connection has given rise to a widespread but erroneous rumor, according to which the lyrics of the song were originally the poetess's suicide letter, later set to music by the authors of the zamba.[2]
Por la blanda arena que lame el mar
Su pequeña huella no vuelve más
Un sendero solo de pena y silencio llegó
Hasta el agua profunda
Un sendero solo de penas mudas llegó
Hasta la espuma
Sabe Dios qué angustia te acompañó
Qué dolores viejos calló tu voz
Para recostarte arrullada en el canto de las
caracolas marinas
La canción que canta en el fondo oscuro del mar
La caracola
Te vas Alfonsina con tu soledad
¿Qué poemas nuevos fuiste a buscar?
Una voz antigua de viento y de sal
Te requiebra el alma y la está llevando
Y te vas hacia allá como en sueños
Dormida, Alfonsina, vestida de mar
Cinco sirenitas te llevarán
Por caminos de algas y de coral
Y fosforescentes caballos marinos harán
Una ronda a tu lado
Y los habitantes del agua van a jugar
Pronto a tu lado
Bájame la lámpara un poco más
Déjame que duerma nodriza, en paz
Y si llama él no le digas que estoy
Dile que Alfonsina no vuelve
Y si llama él no le digas nunca que estoy
Di que me he ido
Te vas Alfonsina con tu soledad
¿Qué poemas nuevos fuiste a buscar?
Una voz antigua de viento y de sal
Te requiebra el alma y la está llevando
Y te vas hacia allá como en sueños
Dormida, Alfonsina, vestida de mar
To the soft sea-licked sand,
her small footprints will return no more.
A path only from sorrow and silence
Towards the deep water
A path only from mute sorrow
Towards the foam.
God knows what anguish accompanied you
What ancient pains silenced your voice
To lull you to sleep in the song
of the seashells
The song sung in the dark bottom of the sea
The seashell
You are leaving, Alfonsina, with your loneliness
What new poems did you go looking for?
An ancient voice of wind and salt
It's calling your soul and it's carrying it away
And you go away as if in a dream
Asleep, Alfonsina, dressed in the sea
Five little mermaids will take you
Along paths of seaweed and coral
And phosphorescent sea horses will make
A circle by your side
And the water dwellers will play
Beside you
Turn down the lamp a little more
Let me sleep in peace, nanny,
And if he calls don't tell him I'm here
Tell him Alfonsina's not coming back
And if he calls don't ever tell him I'm there
Say I'm gone
You're leaving, Alfonsina with your loneliness
What new poems did you go looking for?
An ancient voice of wind and salt
It's calling your soul and it's carrying it away
And you go there as if in a dream
Asleep, Alfonsina, dressed in the sea[3]
Sheet music
Sheet music of "Alfonsina y el mar"
Sheet music by Ricordi
Ariel Ramírez, Félix Luna. Alfonsina y el mar. Ricordi Americana Buenos Aires, ISMN 9790698825047.
