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.
Minuet De Los Pajaros
Cri-Cri Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Al atardecer
Los pajaritos
Bailan minué.
Un baile antiguo
Muy viejo
Que nadie lo baila ya
Lo saben cómo bailar.
Con su peluca francesa
Estilo Rey Sol,
Con su casaca de pluma
También rococó.
Hacen la caravana
Para terminar
Y alzan la cola
Al saludar.
Hace dos siglos
Más o menos fue
Que lo de moda
Era minué.
En los salones
De espejos
Danzaba la sociedad
Pero hoy ya solo las avecillas
Lo saben cómo bailar.
Las pajaritas preciosas
Se visten igual
Con amplias faldas de pluma
Y una gran miriñal.
Hacen la caravana
Para terminar
Y alzan la cola
Al saludar.
"Minuet De Los Pajaros" by Cri-Cri is a whimsical tune describing the dance of the birds in the evening beside the fountain, reminiscent of the old dance of Minuet. The song highlights the uniqueness of the dance and the fact that only the birds know how to dance it. It is a dance of the old era and not many people dance it anymore. The lyrics capture the essence of the dance, from the way the birds dress in their French-style wigs and rococo feather coats to how they end the dance by lifting their tails in a salute.
The song also touches on the history of Minuet which was popular two centuries ago in society. The dance was performed in ballrooms filled with mirrors, where the elite society would dance the old-fashioned dance. The lyrics create a contrast between the past and present while also emphasizing the beauty and rarity of the bird's dance. The song evokes an image of peacefulness and nostalgia that reminds the listener of the beauty of life and nature.
Line by Line Meaning
Junto a la fuente
Beside the fountain
Al atardecer
At dusk
Los pajaritos
The little birds
Bailan minué.
Dance a minuet.
Un baile antiguo
An ancient dance
Muy viejo
Very old
Que nadie lo baila ya
That nobody dances anymore
Y que tan solo los pajaritos
And only the little birds
Lo saben cómo bailar.
Know how to dance it.
Con su peluca francesa
With their French wigs
Estilo Rey Sol,
In the fashion of the Sun King,
Con su casaca de pluma
With their feather jackets
También rococó.
In the rococo style.
Hacen la caravana
They make a line
Para terminar
To finish
Y alzan la cola
And lift their tails
Al saludar.
In a gesture of greeting.
Hace dos siglos
Two centuries ago
Más o menos fue
More or less
Que lo de moda
That what was fashionable
Era minué.
Was the minuet.
En los salones
In the ballrooms
De espejos
With mirrors
Danzaba la sociedad
Society danced
Pero hoy ya solo las avecillas
But now only the little birds
Lo saben cómo bailar.
Know how to dance it.
Las pajaritas preciosas
The beautiful little female birds
Se visten igual
Dress the same
Con amplias faldas de pluma
With wide feather skirts
Y una gran miriñal.
And a big headdress.
Hacen la caravana
They make a line
Para terminar
To finish
Y alzan la cola
And lift their tails
Al saludar.
In a gesture of greeting.
Writer(s): Francisco G. Soler
Contributed by Xavier K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.