En el balcón de palacio
The English translation is singable…
En el balcón de palacio
On the Balcony of the Palace
Canción infantil
Children's Song
(Spanish)
(English)
En el balcón de palacio,
En el balcón de palacio,
No hay barandillas, ay, ay,
No hay barandillas.
Se asoman los colegiales,
Se asoman los colegiales,
Por las buhardillas, ay, ay,
Por las buhardillas.
Niña si a ti te preguntan,
Niña si a ti te preguntan,
Si tienes novio, ay, ay,
Si tienes novio.
Responderás sin vergüenza,
Responderás sin vergüenza,
Yo tengo cuatro, ay, ay,
Yo tengo cuatro.
El primero es confitero
Que me regala confites
Y caramelos, ay, ay,
Y caramelos.
El segundo es boticario
Que me regala jarabes
Para el catarro, ay, ay,
Para el catarro.
El tercero es comerciante
Que me regala pañuelos
Y ricos guantes, ay, ay,
Y ricos guantes.
El cuarto que es Amadeo
Y me regala vestidos
De terciopelo, ay, ay,
De terciopelo.
On the balcony of the palace,
On the balcony of the palace,
There is no railing, ha, ha,*
There is no railing.
The boys** are used to leaning out,
The boys are used to leaning out
Out of the dormers, ha, ha,
Out of the dormers.
Girl, if someone ever asks you,
Girl, if someone ever asks you
If you've got a sweetheart, ha, ha,
If you've got a sweetheart.
You'll answer without any shame,
You'll answer without any shame,
"I have four of them, ha, ha,
I have four of them.
The first is a confectioner,
He gives me candy as presents,
And he gives me sweets, ha, ha,
And he gives me sweets.
The second is a pharmacist
He gives me syrup as presents,
Some syrup for colds, ha, ha,
Some syrup for colds.
The third one is a shopkeeper
He gives me scarves as presents
And lovely gloves too, ha, ha,
And lovely gloves too.
The fourth one is Amadeus
He gives me gowns as presents,
Gowns made of velvet, ha, ha,
Gowns made of velvet."
Notes
*"Ay" usually means "alas" but there are other versions of the song that have "ja ja" instead (which means "ha ha" like laughter). Since "alas" doesn't make sense here, we translated it as "ha, ha".
**Literally, "Schoolboys"
*****
Since the translation was made to be singable, some words were added so that the lyrics could match the tune. Here's a more literal translation:
On the balcony of the palace
There is no railing.
The school children lean out
Of the dormers.
Girl, if they ask you
If you have a sweetheart.
You'll answer without shame
I have four of them.
The first is a confectioner
Who gives me candy and sweets.
The second is a pharmacist
Who gives me syrup for colds (catarrh).
The third is a shopkeeper
Who gives me scarves and lovely gloves.
The fourth who's Amadeus
Gives me gowns made of velvet.
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Marie-Claire Grousset for contributing this song and to Monique Palomares for translating it.
¡Muchas gracias!
