Velo qué bonito
"This song is a bunde. The bunde is an Afro-Colombian tune, a lullaby melody (tempo) and it's mostly used as a carol lulling Baby Jesus. The image of people taking down Jesus for a procession or for a Nativity scene is the most accurate in the 1st verse." -- Alexander from the mariachis band Mariachi Vargas de Bogotá
Velo qué bonito
See Him, How Beautiful
Canción de Navidad
Christmas Carol
(Spanish)
(English)
Velo qué bonito lo vienen bajando (1)
Con ramos de flores lo van adornando (2),
Velo qué bonito lo vienen bajando
Con ramos de flores lo van adornando.
(Estribillo)
Ro ri ro ra,
San Antonio ya se va,
Ro ri ro ra,
San Antonio ya se va.
Señora Santana (3) ¿por qué llora el niño?
Por una manzana que se le ha perdido.
Señora Santana ¿por qué llora el niño?
Por una manzana que se le ha perdido.
(Estribillo)
Yo le daré una yo le daré dos,
Una para el niño y otra para vos,
Yo le daré una yo le daré dos,
Una para el niño y otra para vos.
(Estribillo)
Manzanita de oro si yo te encontrara
Se la diera al niño pa´ que no llorara,
Manzanita de oro si yo te encontrara
Se la diera al niño pa´ que no llorara.
(Estribillo)
See him, how beautiful when they take him down (1),
They're adorning him with a bunch of flowers (2),
See him, how beautiful when they take him down,
They're adorning him with a bunch of flowers.
(Chorus)
Ro ri ro ra,
Saint Anthony's already leaving,
Ro ri ro ra,
Saint Anthony's already leaving.
Lady Santana (3), why is the baby crying?
For an apple that he lost.
Lady Santana, why is the baby crying?
For an apple that he lost.
(Chorus)
I'll give you one, I'll give you two,
One for the baby and an another for you,
I'll give you one, I'll give you two,
One for the baby and an another for you.
(Chorus)
Little golden apple, if I found you,
I'd give it to the baby so that he wouldn't cry,
Little golden apple, if I found you,
I'd give it to the baby so that he wouldn't cry.
(Chorus)
Notes
(1) It seems this must be understood as a comment about how pretty Jesus looks when some statue is taken down from where it was stored before a procession or a Baby Jesus doll before setting a Nativity scene.
This line can also be found as "Velo qué bonito lo vieron bajando" (See him, how pretty he was seen going down) which might be understood as referring to Jesus' birth, when he came down from Heavens.
(2) This line can also be found as "Con ramos de flores lo van adorando" (They're adoring him with bunches of flowers) and "Con ramos de flores lo van coronando" (They're crowning him with bunches of flowers).
(3) Señora Santana can be understood as Mrs Santana but also as Señora Santa Ana, i.e. Lady Saint Ann (Virgin Mary's mother) as can be seen in the version below in which she is referred as "Abuela Santa Ana" (Grandma Saint Ann) and what it most certainly meant originally.
The 2nd and 3rd verses come from the song Señora Santana which is sung all over the Spanish speaking world.
*****
Another Version
(Translation provided only when lyrics are different from above):
Mira qué bonito lo vienen bajando
Con ramos de flores lo van adornando
Mira qué bonito lo vienen bajando
Con ramos de flores lo van adornando.
Orrí, orrá
San Antonio
Ya se va
Abuela Santa Ana ¿por qué llora el niño? (Grandma Saint Ann…
Por una manzana que se le ha perdido
Yo le daré una, yo le daré dos
Una para el niño, otra para vos.
Abuela Santa Ana ¿qué dicen de vos? (Grandma Saint Ann, what do they say about you?)
Que sos soberana y abuela de Dios (That you're a sovereign and God's grandmother)
Mañana me voy ¿Y con quién te quedás? (I'll leave tomorrow. Who will you stay with?)
Si me habés querido ¿Por qué no llorás? (If you loved me, why don't you cry?)
Anda vete no te vas (Come on, go, you're not going)
Quedate no te quedés (Stay, don't stay)
Pa' lo que me habés servido (For how little you served me)
Poquita falta me hacés (I don't miss you much)
Orrí, orrá
San Antonio ya se va.
Comments
This song can be sung as a carol or as a lullaby.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Alexander Vargas from the mariachis band Mariachi Vargas de Bogotá for contributing this song, a score, a recording of the music and his interesting commentary. Translated by Monique and Lisa.
1st Image: Holy Week Procession in Manilla by Ray, CC 2.0.
2nd Image: Monique Palomares
