Mexican Folk - La Sandunga (English translation)

Mexican Folk – La Sandunga

English translation

Spanish

Original lyrics

La Sandunga

¡Ay! Sandunga, Sandunga mamá por Dios

Sandunga no seas ingrata, mamá de mi corazón

¡Ay! Sandunga, Sandunga mamá por Dios

Sandunga no seas ingrata, mamá de mi corazón

Antenoche fui a tu casa

Tres golpes le di al candado

Tú no sirves para amores

Tienes el sueño pesado

¡Ay! Sandunga, Sandunga mamá por Dios

Sandunga no seas ingrata, mamá de mi corazón

Me ofreciste acompañarme

Desde la iglesia a mi choza

Pero como no llegabas

Tuve que venirme sola

¡Ay! Sandunga, Sandunga mamá por Dios

Sandunga no seas ingrata, mamá de mi corazón

A orillas del Papaloapan

Me estaba bañando ayer

Pasaste por las orillas

Y no me quisiste ver

¡Ay! Sandunga, Sandunga mamá por Dios

Papaloapan:
The Papaloapan River (Spanish: Río Papaloapan) is one of the main rivers of the Mexican state of Veracruz. Its name comes from the Nahuatl papaloapan meaning "river of the butterflies". (Wikpedia)

Submitted by

bidxaa' on 2014-01-04

Contributors:

Submitter's comments:

The song is a traditional Mexican waltz, arranged by Andres Gutierrez and written by Máximo Ramó Ortiz. The song is also sung in the Zapotec language the unofficial anthem of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, in the state of Oaxaca. [SOURCE]

It's been covered by other singers, some with certain verses excluded or included. The video and lyrics are Lila Downs' version of it though, but there are others you can look for as well.

English

Translation

Sandunga

Oh! Sandunga1, Sandunga by God woman!

Don't be so ungrateful Sandunga, woman of my heart.

Oh! Sandunga, Sandunga by God woman!

Don't be so ungrateful Sandunga, woman of my heart.

Last night I went to your house,

I knocked three times by the door knocker,

You're no good when it comes to love,

You're deep in sleep.2

Oh! Sandunga, Sandunga by God woman!

Don't be so ungrateful Sandunga, woman of my heart.

You offered to accompany me

From church to my house,3

But you never came,

And I had to come back alone.

Oh! Sandunga, Sandunga by God, woman!

Don't be so ungrateful Sandunga, woman of my heart.

At the edge of the Papaloapan4

I was bathing yesterday,

You passed by the edge (of the river),

And you didn't want to see me.

Oh! Sandunga, Sandunga by God, woman!

1. means: "gracefulness, elegance, charm, wit, and celebration."
2. He went to her house, knocked on her door; but because she was deeply asleep she didn't hear the knocking of the door.
3. a hut or shack.
4. Papaloapan river, 'Río Papaloapan' one of the main rivers located in Veracruz, Mexico.

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Submitted by

bidxaa' on 2015-06-21

Author's comments:

'Sandunga' might come from the zapotec words 'Saa' (music) and 'ndú' (deep/profound), meaning 'Profound/deep music', but can means "gracefulness, elegance, charm, wit, and celebration.". Legend has it that the composer of the song (Máximo Ramón Ortiz), at the sight of his deceased mother, he exclaimed the first verses that we have today as he lamented her death. So to me at least, 'Sandunga' is an exclamation of a 'profound song/music' from deep within the soul to explain something. The song is also known as 'La Zandunga'.