José Montserrate Feliciano García (born September 10, 1945 in Lares, Puerto… Read Full Bio ↴José Montserrate Feliciano García (born September 10, 1945 in Lares, Puerto Rico) is a singer and guitarist, who has been successful in both Spanish and English music. A victim of congenital glaucoma, he was left permanently blind at birth. He is most known for his Christmas song "Feliz Navidad", as well as his covers of "California Dreamin'" and "Light My Fire".

Odiame
José Feliciano Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Odiame por piedad yo te lo pido.
Odiame sin medidas ni clemencia,
Odio quiero mas que indiferencia
Por que el reincor hiere menos que el olvido. (2x)

Si tu me odias quedare yo convencido
De que me amastes mujer con insistencia
Pero ten presente de acuerdo a la esperiencia

Que tan solo se odia
Lo querido.

Que vale mas yo nino, tu orgulloza.
O vale mas tu debil hermosura. Piensa que en el fondo de la fosa,
Llevaremos la misma vestidura. (2x)

Si tu me odias quedare yo convencido,
De que me amastes mujer con insistencia,
Pero ten presente de acuerdo a la esperiencia

Que tan solo se odia,
Lo querido.

Overall Meaning

Jose Feliciano's song "Odiame" is a tragic and heartfelt plea for love. The lyrics speak of a desperate need for passion, even if it means being hated instead of being ignored. The song's first lines, "Odiame por piedad yo te lo pido. Odiame sin medidas ni clemencia," translate to "Hate me, I implore you out of pity. Hate me without mercy or restraint." Jose Feliciano seems to be imploring his lover to give him any sort of feeling, even if it is hatred, as long as it is not indifference. The lines "Por que el reincor hiere menos que el olvido" roughly translate to "Because hate hurts less than forgetfulness." In other words, being hated is better than being forgotten.

Feliciano goes on to state that if his lover hates him, then he will be convinced that she once loved him passionately. However, he warns her to be aware that it is only what you love that can inspire hate. The second verse further complicates the theme of passionate love versus indifference. The lines "Que vale mas yo nino, tu orgulloza. O vale mas tu debil hermosura. Piensa que en el fondo de la fosa, Llevaremos la misma vestidura" translate to "What is worth more, my pride or your haughtiness? Or is your weak beauty worth more? Think that at the bottom of the grave, we will wear the same garment." Jose Feliciano seems to be acknowledging that ultimately, pride and beauty are fleeting, and it is the depth of emotion that makes life worth living.

Overall, "Odiame" is a profound and emotional plea for passion over indifference. It speaks to the human desire for deep, all-encompassing love and the fear of being forgotten. By contrasting the agony of hatred with the pain of forgetfulness, Jose Feliciano is reminding us of the importance of feeling, no matter how painful.

Line by Line Meaning

Odiame por piedad yo te lo pido.
Please hate me out of mercy.

Odiame sin medidas ni clemencia,
Hate me without limits or compassion.

Odio quiero mas que indiferencia
I want hate more than indifference.

Por que el reincor hiere menos que el olvido. (2x)
Because dislike hurts less than forgetting. (2x)

Si tu me odias quedare yo convencido
If you hate me, I will be convinced

De que me amastes mujer con insistencia
That you loved me, woman, insistently.

Pero ten presente de acuerdo a la esperiencia
But keep in mind, according to experience,

Que tan solo se odia Lo querido.
That only the loved ones are hated.

Que vale mas yo nino, tu orgulloza.
What is more valuable, me, a child or your proud self.

O vale mas tu debil hermosura. Piensa que en el fondo de la fosa,
Or is it more valuable, your weak beauty? Think that at the bottom of the grave,

Llevaremos la misma vestidura. (2x)
We will wear the same garments. (2x)