A Atocha va una niña
"Atocha" is a district in Madrid, Spain.
A Atocha va una niña
A Girl Is Going to Atocha
Canción infantil
Children's Song
(Spanish)
(English)
A Atocha va una niña, carabí.
A Atocha va una niña, carabí.
Hija de un capitán,
carabí urí, carabí urá.
Hija de un capitán,
carabí urí, carabí urá.
¡Qué hermoso pelo tiene! carabí.
¡Qué hermoso pelo tiene! carabí.
¿Quién se lo peinará?
carabí urí, carabí urá.
¿Quién se lo peinará
carabí urí, carabí urá.
Se lo peina su tía, carabí.
Se lo peina su tía, carabí.
Con mucha suavidad,
carabí urí, carabí urá.
Con mucha suavidad
carabí urí, carabí urá.
Con peinecito de oro, carabí.
Con peinecito de oro, carabí
y horquillas de cristal,
carabí urí, carabí urá.
Y horquillas de cristal
carabí urí, carabí urá.
La niña está enfermita, carabí.
La niña está enfermita, carabí.
Quizá se curará,
carabí urí, carabí urá.
Quizá se curará,
carabí urí, carabí urá.
La niña ya se ha muerto, carabí.
La niña ya se ha muerto, carabí.
La llevan a enterrar,
carabí urí, carabí urá.
La llevan a enterrar,
carabí urí, carabí urá.
La caja era de oro, carabí.
La caja era de oro, carabí.
La tapa de cristal,
carabí urí, carabí urá.
La tapa de cristal,
carabí urí, carabí urá.
Encima de la tapa, carabí.
Encima de la tapa, carabí.
Dos pajaritos van,
carabí urí, carabí urá.
Dos pajaritos van,
carabí urí, carabí urá.
Cantando el pío, pío, carabí.
Cantando el pío, pío, carabí.
Cantando el pío, pá.
carabí urí, carabí urá.
Cantando el pío, pá,
carabí urí, carabí urá.
A girl is going to Atocha, carabee,
A girl is going to Atocha, carabee,
Daughter of a captain,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah,
Daughter of a captain,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah.
What lovely hair you have, carabee,
What lovely hair you have, carabee,
Who will comb it for you?
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah,
Who will comb it for you?
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah.
Her aunt combs it for her, carabee,
Her aunt combs it for her, carabee,
With much gentleness,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah,
With much gentleness,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah.
With a little comb of gold, carabee,
With a little comb of gold, carabee,
And crystal hairpins,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah,
And crystal hairpins,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah.
The poor girl is ill, carabee,
The poor girl is ill, carabee,
Maybe she'll recover,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah,
Maybe she'll recover,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah.
The girl has died, carabee,
The girl has died, carabee,
They bring her to her tomb,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah,
They bring her to her tomb,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah.
The coffin was made of gold, carabee,
The coffin was made of gold, carabee,
The lid was made of crystal,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah,
The lid was made of crystal,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah.
Above the lid, carabee,
Above the lid, carabee,
There were two birdies,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah,
There were two birdies,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah.
Singing chirpy chirpy, carabee,
Singing chirpy chirpy, carabee,
Singing chirpy chirp,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah,
Singing chirpy chirp,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah.
Notes
This song has many variations. Sometimes the title is different. Here are two versions of the title: "Qué hermoso pelo tiene!" (What Lovely Hair You Have) or "En coche va una niña" (In a Coach/Car a Girl Is Going). Sometimes the difference is in the meaningless words (such as carabí, carabín, carolín…) and the lyrics.
Below is an alternate ending as sung by the well-known Spanish singer Rosa León:
La niña ya está buena, carabí
La niña ya está buena, carabí
Con ganas de jugar,
Carabí urí, carabí urá
Con ganas de jugar,
Carabí urí, carabí urá
Al pie de su ventana, carabí
Al pie de su ventana, carabí
Tres pajaritos van,
carabí urí, carabí urá,
Tres pajaritos van,
carabí urí, carabí urá.
English Translation
The girl is now healthy, carabee,
The girl is now healthy, carabee,
She feels like playing,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah,
She feels like playing,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah.
Below her window, carabee,
Below her window, carabee,
Three birds are flying,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah,
Three birds are flying,
Carabee ooree, carabee oorah.
You may also notice how the lyrics of the girl's burial are more or less the same as those in Mambrú's funeral in the song Mambrú se fue a la guerra.
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Marie-Claire Grousset for contributing this song and to Monique Palomares for translating it with Lisa Yannucci.
Thanks to Nick Eichler for the drawing!
¡Muchas gracias!
