Sable Chino
Fito Páez Lyrics
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Y cualquier cosa toma a cualquier hora
Y como se hartó de tocar
Pintó sus ojos de amarillo alfombra
Y ya cerraron los subterráneos.
Ya no quiero verte llorar
Cualquier motivo te parece justo
No hay edades para vivir
Y ya no entiendo a quién le hablo
Él y yo vivimos aquí
Él se enamora y yo le hago preguntas
Una luna en el corazón
Y un sable chino afilado en la punta.
Ya no me importa quien soy
Si un mal parido, esquizofrénico de hoy
O un guerrillero, militante de qué...?
El y yo quienes somos
El escribe y yo estorbo
Y el saxo le chorrea de odio
The lyrics to Fito Páez's song "Sable Chino" are full of existential questions and a feeling of not quite belonging. The song opens with the lines "Toma Coca Cola a las tres / Y cualquier cosa toma a cualquier hora" which roughly translate to "He drinks Coca Cola at three / And drinks anything at any hour." This sets the tone for the rest of the song as the singer talks about not understanding who they're talking to, feeling alone in the world, and not caring about their identity. They mention someone else living with them, possibly a roommate or lover, who they ask questions to while that person falls in love with someone else.
The most striking line of the song is "Una luna en el corazón / Y un sable chino afilado en la punta" which means "A moon in my heart / And a sharpened Chinese saber at the tip." This can be interpreted in different ways, but it seems to suggest a mixture of emotions: a desire for peace and love (represented by the moon) and a readiness to fight or defend oneself (represented by the sword). The song ends on a note of confusion and frustration, with the singer not understanding who they are or what their purpose is.
Overall, "Sable Chino" is a melancholic and introspective song that speaks to the human need for belonging and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
Toma Coca Cola a las tres
He drinks Coca Cola at three o'clock
Y cualquier cosa toma a cualquier hora
He drinks anything at any time
Y como se hartó de tocar
He got tired of playing music
Pintó sus ojos de amarillo alfombra
He painted his eyes with yellow carpet
Y ya cerraron los subterráneos.
The subways are already closed
Ya no quiero verte llorar
I don't want to see you cry anymore
Cualquier motivo te parece justo
Any reason seems fair to you
No hay edades para vivir
There are no ages to live
Ni para nada estás solo en el mundo.
You are never alone in the world
Y ya no entiendo a quién le hablo
I don't understand who I'm talking to anymore
Él y yo vivimos aquí
He and I live here
Él se enamora y yo le hago preguntas
He falls in love and I ask him questions
Una luna en el corazón
A moon in his heart
Y un sable chino afilado en la punta.
And a sharp Chinese saber at the tip
Ya no me importa quien soy
I don't care who I am anymore
Si un mal parido, esquizofrénico de hoy
Whether a poorly born, schizophrenic person of today
O un guerrillero, militante de qué...?
Or a guerrilla fighter, militant of what...?
El y yo quienes somos
Who are he and I
El escribe y yo estorbo
He writes and I get in the way
Y el saxo le chorrea de odio
And the saxophone drips with hatred
Contributed by Miles V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.