“Allá En El Rancho Grande”

Question

I am trying to compile a list of songs that I can sing with my mother who is 97 years old. Mami is currently at an Assisted Living facility and has been diagnosed with Dementia. Her first language is spanish and I like to sing songs with her because they make her happy. At the same time, since I like studying Spanish I want to understand what I am singing. I know some of these spanish folk songs don't make a lot of sense, so translating them to English isn't easy, at least not for me! There are a couple of sentences in the lyrics that I have not been able to figure out. Would you please help me with translating (to the best of your ability) the last lines in the lyrics which are shown in bold type:

Nunca te fies de promesas, ni mucho menos de amores. Que si te dan calabazas, verás lo que son ardores.

Cuando te pidan cigarro, no des cigarro y cerillo, porque si das las dos cosas, te tantearán de zorrillo.

Thank you so much!!

You sound like a great daughter. :) - 00cdfbd9, Mar 20, 2012

Thank you for the lovely comment. My mother is awesome. Even though her memory is not good, she still corrects me when I read the bible to her in Spanish. She is a mighty woman of God. I thank God everyday for my wonderful mom. - Nilda-Ballardo, Mar 20, 2012

Hey, that's so great! Nice to "meet" you, Nilda! - --Mariana--, Mar 20, 2012

What part of Latinamerica is your family from? - Rey_Mysterio, Mar 20, 2012

Good for you, Nilda! - 00cdfbd9, Mar 20, 2012

Hi Hecho_En_Mex, My mother and father were both born in Puerto Rico. I was born in New York, but now I live in California. - Nilda-Ballardo, Mar 21, 2012

Mariana, it's good to meet you also. There are so many great people here!!! - Nilda-Ballardo, Mar 21, 2012

Answer 1

...verás lo que son ardores. "...you will see what pain is.

• ...te tantearán de zorrillo. I really do not know what this verse mean. Tantear = to try, to taste your habilities, strenght, to touch something you can not see as to try to understand what it is, etc.
• My best guess is that it means something like, "people would think you are a skunk.

Thank you farallon7. - Nilda-Ballardo, Mar 20, 2012

Fallaron it is in my dictionary but I think it is forbidden on this site. A lady of the oldest profession.. - annierats, Mar 21, 2012

You'll see pain is good. Better than mine, I was guessing somewhat. - annierats, Mar 21, 2012

Answer 2

Nunca te fies de promesas, ni mucho menos de amores. Que si te dan calabazas, verás lo que son ardores

Never trust the promises, and even less those of love. And when they fail you, you'll see where the passion is ( who is passionate.)

Cuando te pidan cigarro, no des cigarro y cerillo, porque si das las dos cosas, te tantearán de zorrillo When tehy ask you for a cigarette, don't give them the cigarette and the light because if you give them both they'll make you seem a right tart.

they wil make you seem a right tart. - annierats, Mar 20, 2012

thank you so much for translating the whole sentence. I thought in the first lyrics they were taking about pumpkins, especially since the song is about a ranch. - Nilda-Ballardo, Mar 20, 2012

No, I think it is a rather cheeky song.. Thankfully my computrer seems better again anyway. - annierats, Mar 21, 2012

Tart is the most suitable translation, I think the site would explode if I oput the correct word in. - annierats, Mar 21, 2012

I was just going through some of my previous questions and when I read your response again the light finally when on in your reference to a female in one of the oldest professions being referred to as "a tart." - Nilda-Ballardo, Apr 19, 2012

Answer 3

computertrouble,delete, please.

please, my computer has gone mad, delete! - annierats, Mar 20, 2012

Answer 4

Nilda, the expression: "veras lo que son ardores" literally means: "you'll see what burnings (sensations) are"

But the trick here is that the word "ardor" can be used in the sense of burning, hurt, pain... but also in the sense of some kind of physic pain that produce pleasure... Is the same use as in "amor ardiente" (burning love) The word is also very related to physic sensations in the genitals. Well... did you got it?!

Related the expression: "te trataran de zorrillo" is the most intringuing verse I never heard. Since YEARS I try time to time to found what is it, without luck. I also asked mexican friends, without any confiable results.

Good luck with your mom, and congrats for your lovely effort.

Answer 5

i agree with farallon

Thank you. It's not easy trying to make sense of these songs, but I like trying. - Nilda-Ballardo, Mar 21, 2012