Te camelo
Concha Buika Lyrics
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Pura de tez broncea
Mas que una mocita
Era una escultura de oscuro metal
Su mata de pelo igual que la endrina
Llevaba en dos tiempos prendía una flor
Y era la gitana más guapa y mas fina
A aquel gran pintor
Y cuando su imagen la gente admiraba
El pobre gitano asi le cantaba
Mari Carmen te camelo
Porque tú eres la clavellina
Que desde la tierra al cielo
To lo trasmina
De tus palabritas nacen claveles
Mari Carmen, déjame que yo te camele
Cuando fue famosa
Despreció al gitano y lo abandono
Y aunque la fortuna tuvo entre sus manos
De na le valió
Que al verse tan lejos de quien la quería
No halló en el dinero la felicidad
Y al ir por el mundo perdió su alegría
Como aquellas flores que son trasplantas
Y viendo el retrato que el mundo admiraba
El pobre gitano así con duquelas
Le cantaba
Mari Carmen te camelo
Porque tú eres la clavellina
Que desde la tierra al cielo
To lo trasmina
De tus palabritas nacen claveles
Mari Carmen, dejame que yo te camele
Jazmines y rosas tu cuerpo huele
Mari Carmen, déjame que yo te camele.
The song "Te camelo" by Concha Buika tells the story of a beautiful young gypsy woman named Mari Carmen who was so stunning that an artist painted her portrait. The singer describes Mari Carmen's physical appearance as "pura de tez broncea" (pure bronze complexion) and "una escultura de oscuro metal" (a sculpture of dark metal). Her hair is compared to the endrina plant and she always wore a flower pinned in it. She was so beautiful that even the poor gypsy man who sang to her couldn't resist her charm, as shown in the line "te camelo por que tú eres la clavellina" (I flirt with you because you're the little carnation).
However, Mari Carmen's fame and newfound wealth caused her to abandon the gypsy man who loved her, and she soon realized that money couldn't buy happiness. The singer paints a picture of Mari Carmen's sadness and loss of joy as she travels through life like a transplant flower. The song ends with the gypsy man still singing to Mari Carmen, begging her to let him flirt with her once again because her "palabritas nacen claveles" (little words give birth to carnations).
This song captures the bittersweet feeling of a love lost to wealth and fame, and showcases the expressive and emotive voice of Concha Buika. It also highlights the plight of the gypsy community, often marginalized and shunned by society.
Line by Line Meaning
Era Mari Carmen gitanita
Mari Carmen was a gypsy
Pura de tez broncea
She had a pure bronze complexion
Mas que una mocita
She was more than just a young girl
Era una escultura de oscuro metal
She was like a sculpture made of dark metal
Su mata de pelo igual que la endrina
Her hair was like blackthorn fruit
Llevaba en dos tiempos prendía una flor
She had a flower in her hair, held with two hairpins
Y era la gitana más guapa y mas fina
She was the most beautiful and elegant gypsy anyone had ever seen
Que alguien se ha llevao A aquel gran pintor
A great painter had taken her as his subject and painted her
Y cuando su imagen la gente admiraba
People admired her image
El pobre gitano asi le cantaba
And the poor gypsy would sing to her
Mari Carmen te camelo
Mari Carmen, I woo you
Porque tú eres la clavellina
Because you are like a pink carnation
Que desde la tierra al cielo
That permeates everything from earth to sky
To lo trasmina
With all your words
De tus palabritas nacen claveles
Your words create carnations
Cuando fue famosa
When she became famous
Despreció al gitano y lo abandono
She rejected and abandoned the gypsy who loved her
Y aunque la fortuna tuvo entre sus manos
Even though she had fortune in her hands
De na le valió
It was all in vain
Que al verse tan lejos de quien la quería
When she realized how far she was from the one who loved her
No halló en el dinero la felicidad
She couldn't find happiness in money
Y al ir por el mundo perdió su alegría
And as she travelled around the world, she lost her joy
Como aquellas flores que son trasplantas
Like flowers that are uprooted
Y viendo el retrato que el mundo admiraba
And when she saw the painting that the world admired
El pobre gitano así con duquelas
The poor gypsy would sing to her with sorrow
Jazmines y rosas tu cuerpo huele
Your body smells like jasmine and roses
Mari Carmen, déjame que yo te camele
Mari Carmen, let me woo you
Contributed by Lucas F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.