Cri-Cri is known as the "grillito cantor" or "the singing cricket". He is a character created by Francisco Gabilondo Soler in his childhood and may even be considered "his inner personality"
The character became so famous and gave its author such renown, that it became a second name for Gabilondo. In the mid part of the 20th century he became the most recognizable singer of children's songs in Spanish. Gabilondo's dedication to this segment of the population has been greatly admired, comparable to Walt Disney in his honest approach to making life fun for those who are getting started in life.
El Marinero -
Cri-Cri Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Como la espuma blanca del mar
Todas las tardes, en este banco
Su vieja pipa viene a fumar
Quema el tabaco y uno por uno
De aquellos días vuelve a pasar
Con la sirena de trenzas de humo
¿Recuerdas, marinero
Tu barquito en el mar de la China
Que flotaba muy ligero
En las olas como golondrina?
Y ¿recuerdas, marinero
La sonrisa de aquellas princesas
Que salvaste de la gruta
Del dragón de quinientas cabezas?
¡Toma tu pipa y ponte a fumar
Mientras te canta la brisa del mar!
¡Toma . tu pipa . y ponte a fumar
Mientras ... te canta ... la brisa ... del mar!
¿Recuerdas, marinero
El País de los Bosques Gigantes
En los cuales la hierbita
Es del alto de los elefantes?
Y ¿recuerdas, marinero
La gran isla del fiero pirata
Y sus playas adornadas
Con diamantes, con oro y con plata?
¡Toma tu pipa y ponte a fumar
Mientras te canta la brisa del mar!
¡Toma tu pipa y ponte a fumar
Mientras ... te canta ... la brisa ... del mar!
The lyrics of Cri-Cri's song El Marinero (The Sailor) tell the story of an old sailor with silver hair who sits on a bench every afternoon smoking his pipe. As he smokes, memories of his past come flooding back to him. With each puff of tobacco, he reminisces on his adventures and dreams about the past.
The lyrics highlight the sailor's daydreams and memories of his experiences during his time sailing the seas. The story takes us to the China Sea, where the sailor remembers his boat easily gliding in the waves like a swallow. He also remembers the princesses he saved from the 500-headed dragon in a cave. Then the song takes us to the Land of the Giant Forests, where the sailor recalls the tall grass being as high as the elephants. He remembers the fierce pirate's island and its beaches adorned with diamonds, gold, and silver. All these memories come to life in his mind through the smoke he exhales from his pipe, and the gentle breeze helps him along the way.
The song is a beautiful tale of adventure and memories, complete with catchy chorus lyrics, "Take your pipe and start to smoke while the sea breeze sings a sweet tune." It's a popular children's song in Mexico and Latin America and is still widely played and enjoyed today.
Line by Line Meaning
Un marinero de pelo cano
An old sailor with gray hair
Como la espuma blanca del mar
Like the white foam of the sea
Todas las tardes, en este banco
Every afternoon, on this bench
Su vieja pipa viene a fumar
He comes to smoke his old pipe
Quema el tabaco y uno por uno
He burns the tobacco and one by one
De aquellos días vuelve a pasar
Recalls those old days
Con la sirena de trenzas de humo
With the smoke-haired mermaid
Que en el pasado lo hace soñar
Who makes him dream of the past
¿Recuerdas, marinero
Do you remember, sailor
Tu barquito en el mar de la China
Your little boat in the China sea
Que flotaba muy ligero
That floated so lightly
En las olas como golondrina?
On the waves like a swallow?
Y ¿recuerdas, marinero
And do you remember, sailor
La sonrisa de aquellas princesas
The smile of those princesses
Que salvaste de la gruta
Whom you saved from the grotto
Del dragón de quinientas cabezas?
From the five hundred-headed dragon?
¿Toma tu pipa y ponte a fumar
Take your pipe and start smoking
Mientras te canta la brisa del mar!
While the sea breeze sings to you!
El País de los Bosques Gigantes
The Country of the Giant Forests
En los cuales la hierbita
Where the grass
Es del alto de los elefantes?
Is as tall as the elephants?
La gran isla del fiero pirata
The great island of the fierce pirate
Y sus playas adornadas
And its beaches adorned
Con diamantes, con oro y con plata?
With diamonds, gold, and silver?
Writer(s): Francisco Gabilondo Soler
Contributed by Levi R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.