Letras - Al calor de una cerveza

Question

I love how the words flow from this girls mouth, so I am trying to understand the lyrics better so I can keep up with it. But much of it doesn't make sense to me, especially when coming from the machine translator.

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La canción: Los de Abajo - Resistencia

Al calor de una cerveza voy bebiendo mi ciudad

Al compas de la noche observando a mi gente

La pobreza de la raza, mucha prostitucion

Drogas y extorsion por las calles

Ninos sucios, hambrientos, queriendo saltar

Hasta llegar el momento, ese momento

El que nunca llegara

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Al calor de una cerveza

In the heat of the beer? I don't think that is the correct translation. machine translation says: "To the heat of a beer I go drinking my city" I don't think that's what she is trying to express either. Is she saying more like she is taking in her city as if she's drinking a beer? Or does she literally mean she is drinking a beer and its hot?

Al compas de la noche observando a mi gente

I think this means to the beat of the night, observing my people

La pobreza de la raza, mucha prostitucion

Drogas y extorsion por las calles

Obvisously, "the poverty of the race, much prostitution, drugs and extorsion on the streets"

Ninos sucios, hambrientos, queriendo saltar

Children dirty, hungry, wanting to jump. Ok, does this mean literally to jump, or is this an expression or idiom?

Hasta llegar el momento, ese momento

El que nunca llegara

Until the time comes, that moment, the one which never comes...

I'm not 100% sure if thats right either.

Answer 1

1) "Al calor de una cerveza voy bebiendo mi ciudad."

This is a literary use of the language, this sentence should be interpreted as:

"Al calor de mi ciudad, voy bebiendo una cerveza".

She is crossing by her city as she is drinking a beer. Songs and poems often exchange words or even whole phrases just to fit into the beat.

2) and 3) are correct.

4) "Ninos sucios, hambrientos, queriendo saltar".

There is not a clear meaning of "saltar" (to jump) here, but in the general sense it could mean that they might want to commit suicide (jumping to the Metro railroads or jumping from a bridge, etc.)

5) correct.

Answer 2

I can't wait to see what some native speakers say...

"Al calor de una cerveza voy bebiendo mi ciudad" ... I wonder if it could be something like.. in a beer-induced warmth, I go drinking in my city" (we use "drinking in" to mean ... savoring, enjoying the feel of something, right?)

• ooh, good point, that makes sense. - cheeseisyumm Nov 7, 2009

Answer 3

I would say that it means under the effect of.

Answer 4

This doesn't answer your question per se, but I am thinking about the reversal of the nouns in the first line...It seems to be an intentional reversal of "Al calor de una ciudad voy bebiendo mi cerveza". Maybe it's artistic license, or whatever the term would be?

Answer 5

Thanks everyone, for your help.

Songs and poems often exchange words or even whole phrases just to fit into the beat.

Gracias, I'll keep that in mind with future songs. There is more verses to the song, I have a feeling she does that alot to keep the flow...

Answer 6

My first thought was warm beer. Not good