Alabanza
Lin-Manuel Miranda Mandy Gonzalez & 'In The Heights' Original Broadway Company Lyrics

She was found and pronounced... at the scene
Upon arrival, medics declared that they found her lifeless on her bed.

She was already lying in bed
She was sleeping in her bed and may have passed away peacefully while asleep.

The paramedics said
The medical professionals who attended to her gave their statement of what they observed.

That her heart gave out
She died because her heart stopped beating.

I mean, that's basically what they said
The artist agrees that the cause of death is due to heart failure.

They said a combination of the stress and the heat
The cause of the heart failure was attributed to both stress and the hot temperature.

Why she never took her medicine, I'll never understand
The singer expresses confusion and regret over why she didn't take her medication as prescribed.

I'd like to think she went out in peace
The artist hopes that she died peacefully without any suffering.

With pieces of bread crumbs in her hand
The artist recalls a moment where she had bread crumbs in her hand, emphasizing the simple pleasures she enjoyed.

Abuela Claudia had simple pleasures
The grandmother enjoyed and appreciated the small things in life and found joy in them.

She sang the praises of things we ignore
She would often talk positively about things that people commonly overlook or take for granted.

Glass Coke bottles, bread crumbs, a sky full of stars
These are some of the specific things that Abuela Claudia loved and would talk about.

She cherished these things, she'd say: 'Alabanza'
Abuela Claudia would express her gratitude and appreciation for the things she loved by saying 'Alabanza', which means 'praise to this'.

Alabanza means to raise this
'Raise this' is a literal translation of the word 'alabanza'.

Thing to God's face
The singer describes the act of raising something to God's face as an expression of gratitude or appreciation.

And to sing, quite literally: 'Praise to this'
To sing the praises and show gratitude for the object being praised.

When she was here, the path was clear
Abuela Claudia was a source of guidance and clarity when she was alive.

And she was just here, she was just here
The singer laments that Abuela Claudia is no longer with them, and remembers her presence fondly.

Alabanza a doña Claudia, señor
A repetition of the earlier phrase, meaning 'praise to Abuela Claudia, Lord'.

Alabanza (Paciencia y fe)
A repetition of 'Alabanza', followed by an additional phrase meaning 'patience and faith'.

Alabanza (Pacienca y fe
A repetition of 'Alabanza', followed by an additional phrase meaning 'patience and faith'.

Alabanza a doña Claudia, señor (Paciencia y fe)
A repetition of 'Alabanza', followed by another repetition of the earlier phrase, and also 'patience and faith'.

Alabanza
A final repetition of 'Alabanza', emphasizing the song's central theme of praising and appreciating life's simple pleasures.