Columpio
caroline cruz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
por el agua que les pesa
hay que hacerlos llorar
Cuando la luna se traga al mar
todos invocamos a los muertos
no los dejan en paz
y empiezan a contar
Como fue que murieron años atrás
arrastrando la soga al cuello van
buscando un columpio
para desahogar sus cuerpos
sus almas no pueden descansar
Un delirio sacude a la ciudad mortal
la obsesión de vivir
arrastrando sus cabezas
Hay que hacerlos llorar
para alivianar su partida
y empiezan a contar
Como fue que murieron años atrás
arrastrando la soga al cuello van
buscando un columpio
para desahogar sus cuerpos
sus almas no pueden descansar
The lyrics to Caroline Cruz's song "Columpio" are hauntingly beautiful, telling the story of those who cannot leave this world due to the weight of the water that has taken their lives. The song speaks of how we invoke the dead when the moon swallows the sea, attempting to bring them peace, but they are unable to find it. Instead, they are left to recount how they died years ago, as they drag themselves with a rope around their necks to look for a swing to release their bodies. It's as if their souls cannot rest until they have found the release they so desperately seek.
The lyrics of the song suggest that there is a delirium that grips the city and that the burden of living is weighing heavily on all those who remain. They must make themselves cry to ease the pain of their departure, but it's not clear whether the crying helps the living or the dead. Either way, the dead must tell their stories and seek the release that they need if they are ever to be at peace. The emotional context of the song is exhausting, with the dead being bound to a cursed existence until they can find the release they so desperately need.
Overall, the song speaks to the human condition, the way we live our lives, and the weight that we carry as we move through the world. Ultimately, we are all searching for some way to find meaning, to connect with others, and to find peace. "Columpio" captures that search in a way that is both beautiful and haunting.
Line by Line Meaning
Ellos no pueden irse de acá
They cannot leave this place
por el agua que les pesa
weighed down by the water
hay que hacerlos llorar
we must make them cry
Cuando la luna se traga al mar
When the moon swallows the sea
todos invocamos a los muertos
we all summon the dead
no los dejan en paz
they are not at peace
y empiezan a contar
and they begin to recount
Como fue que murieron años atrás
How they died years ago
arrastrando la soga al cuello van
Walking with a noose around their necks
buscando un columpio
Looking for a swing
para desahogar sus cuerpos
To release their bodies
sus almas no pueden descansar
Their souls cannot rest
Un delirio sacude a la ciudad mortal
A delirium shakes the mortal city
la obsesión de vivir
The obsession to live
arrastrando sus cabezas
Dragging their heads
Hay que hacerlos llorar
We must make them cry
para alivianar su partida
To ease their departure
y empiezan a contar
And they begin to recount
Como fue que murieron años atrás
How they died years ago
arrastrando la soga al cuello van
Walking with a noose around their necks
buscando un columpio
Looking for a swing
para desahogar sus cuerpos
To release their bodies
sus almas no pueden descansar
Their souls cannot rest
Contributed by Colin H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.