El fantasma
Man Ray Lyrics


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¿Por qué me suspiras así?
El teatro está dentro de mí
Creí que estaba cerca de ti al menos.
No creas que no te entendí
Sos vos que no me entiende a mí
Hay algo cerca y creo que nos rodea.
Viene volando del cielo
Como un cometa del más allá
Viene brillando de lejos
Es el fantasma...
Se va acercando hasta mí
Te juro nunca vi algo así.
Sonríe y baila por la alfombra persa.
No tiene forma ni color
Es sólo una sensación
Un anima flotando en los caireles.




Viene volando del cielo...
Viene volando del cielo.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Man Ray's song "El fantasma" seem to explore an otherworldly encounter that is both eerie and fascinating. The opening line, "¿Por qué me suspiras así?" can be roughly translated to "Why do you sigh at me like that?" and sets the tone for the rest of the song. The singer seems to be addressing someone who is not quite understanding them, as they sing "Sos vos que no me entiende a mí" (It's you who doesn't understand me).


The song revolves around the arrival of a ghost, described as coming "volando del cielo" (flying from the sky) "como un cometa del más allá" (like a comet from beyond). The descriptions of the ghost are paradoxical, as it is said to have "no tiene forma ni color" (no shape or color), but it is also depicted as dancing on a Persian rug and smiling. The ghost appears to be a metaphor for something intangible that eludes the singer, something that is only perceptible as a sensation, "Un anima flotando en los caireles."


Furthermore, the song's title, "El fantasma," can be translated to "The Ghost" in English. Therefore, it can be argued that the song utilizes a supernatural metaphor to describe the sensation or feeling of being disconnected or misunderstood, which is both abstract and difficult to define. This interpretation is supported by the line "Hay algo cerca y creo que nos rodea" (There is something close, and I think it surrounds us), which suggests that the singer and the person they talk to are experiencing this sense of disconnect or otherness together.


Line by Line Meaning

¿Por qué me suspiras así?
Why do you sigh like that with me?


El teatro está dentro de mí
The theater is inside of me


Creí que estaba cerca de ti al menos.
I thought I was at least close to you.


No creas que no te entendí
Don't believe that I didn't understand you


Sos vos que no me entiende a mí
It's you who doesn't understand me


Hay algo cerca y creo que nos rodea.
There is something close and I think it surrounds us.


Viene volando del cielo
It comes flying from the sky


Como un cometa del más allá
Like a comet from beyond


Viene brillando de lejos
It comes shining from afar


Es el fantasma...
It's the ghost...


Se va acercando hasta mí
It's getting close to me


Te juro nunca vi algo así.
I swear I've never seen anything like it.


Sonríe y baila por la alfombra persa.
It smiles and dances on the Persian rug.


No tiene forma ni color
It has no shape or color


Es sólo una sensación
It's just a sensation


Un anima flotando en los caireles.
A soul floating in the chandeliers.


Viene volando del cielo...
It comes flying from the sky...




Contributed by Grace R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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