Members:
Francesc Ribera 'Titot' - vocals
Carles Belda - diatonic accordion, vocals
Marcel Casellas - bass, choirs
David Rosell - guitars, vocals
Joan Reig - drums, choirs
Pep Toni Rubio - typical instruments (from Balearic Islands), choirs
Their official website: www.mesclat.cat
Els funerals del porc
Mesclat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
amb diner i candela,
de la mort del nostre porc,
que és gran meravella,
entre els amics i parents
que se'l troben entre dents
sens tenir-ne pensaments
si és mascle o femella.
El que porta el cap de dol
dirà a la mestressa
de que "ja s'ha mort tot sol,
i això és lo que em pesa!
que si hagués mort amb company
en tindríem per tot l'any
sense temor ni afany
tallaríem peça."
Ha fet un testament clos
sense cap notari:
"si a la taula hi queda res,
fiqueu-ho a l'armari
que no fos el cas bordell
que vingués el gat burell
que es mengés fins a la pell
si podia entrar-hi!"
"De vianda en queda prou
per les Carnestoltes
los deixo tot el meu cos
botifarres moltes;
també us deixo lo poltruc,
mengeu's-el que jo no puc
procureu viure amb salut,
després feu-me absoltes."
El porc ha estat ben gras
ben gruixut ben rellarg.
Un "Passa-requies" cantem,
són per los enterros
sabem cert que el porc difunt
ha mort amb dos ferros,
el ganxo i el ganivet.
Això sí que és dit pel cert,
i penso quedar-ne net
dintre de dos mesos.
The lyrics of Mesclat's song Els funerals del porc depict a festive celebration of the death of a pig, as the friends and relatives gather around to enjoy the meat and drink together. The opening lines of the song show that the funeral is a jubilant occasion, marked with abundant food and candles. The death of the pig is labeled as a great wonder and doesn't cause any contemplation on its masculinity or femininity. The lyrics further describe the dynamics of the celebration, where the person who wears the mourning shawl declares to the hostess that the pig has died, and they would have enough meat for a year if it had died in the company of other pigs.
The pig seems to have expressed its wishes, documented in its will without any lawyer's involvement, informing everyone that if any food is left on the table, it should be stored in the cupboard. The pig's fear was that if left around, the cat might make a mess and eat it all. The pig leaves its body and meat to the people present for the carnival, asking everyone to eat enough sausages and promising to grant them forgiveness in the afterlife. Lastly, the lyrics describe the Passa-requies song dedicated to the departed pig, which is sung during the funeral. The song indicates that the pig died after being pierced by two metal tools, a hook, and a knife, and the singer suggests that they will remain healthy after consuming the meat.
The song is rich in themes, such as celebrations, death, wishes, and forgiveness, but also employs distinct Catalan cultural practices, such as the Passa-requies song and the storing of food in the cupboard. The song seems to describe a festive, social, and culinary experience related to pig slaughtering, a traditional Catalan practice where usually, killing the pig is done by professionals, while the butchering or dividing of meat is done by the relatives or the neighbors of the pig owners.
Line by Line Meaning
Celebrem els funerals,
We celebrate the funerals,
amb diner i candela,
with money and candles,
de la mort del nostre porc,
of the death of our pig,
que és gran meravella,
which is a great wonder,
entre els amics i parents
among friends and relatives
que se'l troben entre dents
who find it between their teeth
sens tenir-ne pensaments
without having any thoughts about it
si és mascle o femella.
whether it is male or female.
El que porta el cap de dol
The one who wears the mourning hat
dirà a la mestressa
will say to the mistress
de que "ja s'ha mort tot sol,
that "it has died all alone
i això és lo que em pesa!
and that's what bothers me!
que si hagués mort amb company
if it had died with company
en tindríem per tot l'any
we would have it for the whole year
sense temor ni afany
without fear or haste
tallaríem peça."
we would cut it into pieces."
Ha fet un testament clos
He made a closed testament
sense cap notari:
without any notary:
"si a la taula hi queda res,
"if there is anything left on the table,
fiqueu-ho a l'armari
put it in the closet
que no fos el cas bordell
so that it wouldn't be a mess
que vingués el gat burell
that the sneaky cat comes
que es mengés fins a la pell
and eats everything
si podia entrar-hi!"
if it could get in there!"
"De vianda en queda prou
"There is enough food left
per les Carnestoltes
for the Carnivals
los deixo tot el meu cos
I leave you all my body
botifarres moltes;
lots of sausages;
també us deixo lo poltruc,
I also leave you the pig's trotter,
mengeu's-el que jo no puc
eat what I cannot
procureu viure amb salut,
try to live healthily,
després feu-me absoltes."
then absolve me."
El porc ha estat ben gras
The pig has been very fat
ben gruixut ben rellarg.
very thick, very long.
"Passa-requies" cantem,
"We sing the rest-in-peace"
són per los enterros
they are for the burials
sabem cert que el porc difunt
we know for certain that the deceased pig
ha mort amb dos ferros,
has died with two irons,
el ganxo i el ganivet.
the hook and the knife.
Això sí que és dit pel cert,
This is said for sure,
i penso quedar-ne net
and I intend to stay clean
dintre de dos mesos.
within two months.
Contributed by Isabelle F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.