Saturday 19 November 2011

Son of the Moon



One song has been obsessively occupying my head this week.

Ever since Madam Arcati stumbled across a version of the Spanish classic Hijo de la Luna (Son of the Moon) by the sublime Montserrat Caballè, and then another version by house favourite here at Dolores Delargo Towers, Maria Dolores Pradera, I have been singing it!

I just had to share...



And the original 80s version:


Three very different versions of a beautiful and haunting song...

Tonto el que no entienda
cuenta una leyenda
que una hembra gitana
conjuró a la luna hasta el amanecer
llorando pedía
al llegar el día
desposar un calé
tendrás a tu hombre piel morena
desde el cielo habló la luna llena
pero a cambio quiero
el hijo primero
que le engendres a él
que quien su hijo inmola
para no estar sola
poco le iba a querer

Luna quieres ser madre
y no encuentras querer
que te haga mujer
dime luna de plata
qué pretendes hacer
con un niño de piel
Hijo de la Luna

De padre canela nació un niño
blanco como el lomo de un armiño
con los ojos grises
en vez de aceituna
niño albino de luna
maldita su estampa
este hijo es de un payo
y yo no me lo cayo

Luna quieres ser madre
y no encuentras querer
que te haga mujer
dime luna de plata
qué pretendes hacer
con un niño de piel
Hijo de la Luna

Gitano al creerse deshonrado
se fue a su mujer cuchillo en mano
¿de quién es el hijo?
me has engañao fijo
y de muerte la hirió
luego se hizo al monte
con el niño en brazos
y allí le abandonó

Luna quieres ser madre
y no encuentras querer
que te haga mujer
dime luna de plata
qué pretendes hacer
con un niño de piel
Hijo de la Luna

Y en las noches que haya luna llena
será porque el niño esté de buenas
y si el niño llora
menguará la luna
para hacerle una cuna
y si el niño llora
menguará la luna
para hacerle una cuna


English Translation:

A fool is he who doesn't understand
a legend tells
that a gypsy woman
implored the moon
weeping, she begged till dawn
to marry a gypsy man
"you'll have your brown-skin man"
spoke the full moon from the sky
"but in retun I want the
the first child
that you have with him,"
one who sacrifices her child
in order not to be alone
is not going
to love it very much

Moon you want to be mother
and you can't find a love
who makes you a woman.
Tell me, moon of silver
what you intend to do
with a child of flesh
ahhh, ahhh
Son of the Moon

From a cinnamon-skinned father a son
was born
white like an ermine's belly
with gray eyes
instead of olive,
moon's albino son
"Dam his appearence!
This is not a gypsy man's son
and you won't get away with this"

Moon you want to be mother
and you can't find a love
who makes you a woman.
Tell me, moon of silver
what you intend to do
with a child of flesh
ahhh, ahhh
Son of the Moon

the qypsy believing himself dishonored
went to his wife, knife in hand
"Whose son in this?
I am sure yu have decieved me!"
and he stabbed her to death
then he went to the mountain
with the child in his arms
and abandoned it there

Moon you want to be mother
and you can't find a love
who makes you a woman.
Tell me, moon of silver
what you intend to do
with a child of flesh
ahhh, ahhh
Son of the Moon

And on nights when the moon is full
it's because the child is happy
and if the child cries
the moon will wane
to make him a cradle
and if the child cries
the moon will wane to make him a cradle


Enjoy!

3 comments:

  1. I can not remember the last time I heard a song that went straight into my subconscious.

    its been floating around in my head as well as yours, popping up on the tube, at work, doing house work or just sitting quietly.

    I love all three versions you posted. there is a Polish soprano who sings it in her native tongue and a chill out latin mix out there which are both worth a listen but I would avoid the Gangsta rap and heavy metal versions ( yes they do exist ) if I were you

    xx
    t

    ReplyDelete
  2. Who would have thought that one song could have such a legacy? Jx

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love that song and always have. Thanks for posting :)

    ReplyDelete

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