Subject: Gracias ala Vida From: Callie Date: 27 Jan 00 - 01:32 AM I hope someone can help me out here. I'm particularly after the chords for this song: on listening to it I realise it could take me a while. If anyone has the chords or knows where I could find them, I'd be very grateful - REALLY grateful! Callie |
Subject: Lyr Add: GRACIAS A LA VIDA (Violeta Parra) From: emily rain Date: 27 Jan 00 - 12:52 PM Callie: gracias a la vida can be found in rise up singing. the chords they list are:
Dm E Am C lyrics:
Gracias a la Vida
Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Gracias.......
Gracias.......
Gracias.......
Gracias........ ------------ i caught a few typos in the book, but i'm not a spanish speaker so i probably replaced them with my own. : ) folks will want to proofread. |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: Callie Date: 27 Jan 00 - 08:08 PM Thanks for taking the trouble to post lyrics and chords!!! Greatly appreciated. I have tried those chords and they don't seem to fit, however it could be because my brain's not in the right key, not the other way around! Thanks again Callie |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: Escamillo Date: 27 Jan 00 - 11:02 PM A few typos : ...... Me ha dado el oído que en todo su ancho Graba noche y día grillos y canarios ........ Y la voz tan tierna de mi bienamado ........ Me ha dado el sonido y el abecedario ...... Madre, amigo, hermano, y luz alumbrando
....... |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: GUEST,emily rain @ U Dub Date: 28 Jan 00 - 05:50 PM thanks, Andrés! Callie, are you singing in a minor? i haven't actually tried the chords, so i can't vouch for them. "rise up singing" has been known to provide pretty random-seeming chords. |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: Callie Date: 30 Jan 00 - 07:07 PM There don't seem to be ENOUGH chords, and even the first line has me stumped. Yes, I am singing it in a minor. I am continuing my search!! Thanks to all for coming to the rescue! Callie |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: emily rain Date: 30 Jan 00 - 10:16 PM all right, kiddo, i gave it a try and this is what i came up with. chords are inserted just before the syllable that they begin on:
[start out by strumming Am] i would abbreviate that:
E - Am - if we were to use the rise up singing chords listed above, the first line would look like this: Gracias a la [Dm]vida [E] que me ha dado [Am]tanto [C] with the E and the C falling in the middle of the sustained syllables. i'm not a big fan of that Dm there, but that's obviously a matter of taste. it works alright either way. i hope that helped! let me know if it didn't and i'll see what else i can come up with. ^^ |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: Callie Date: 30 Jan 00 - 10:39 PM Wow wow wow! Fanks a million! I'm currently at work, and it wouldn't do to start singing triads. Can't wait to get home and try it out. My boyfriend "Chickenman" and I are performing the song at a Festival where the designated theme is "Buenos Diaz Australia" ("G'day Australia!"), and for the sake of this gig we have formed a duo called "Besarata" ("Kiss-rat" for the non-Espanol). Thanks ever so much for going to such lengths to help. Un beso di rata Callie |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: GUEST,lemmerm@mpim-bonn.mpg.de Date: 31 Jan 00 - 08:04 AM Except for the Gm (I used C9 (332030) instead), emily's chords are those I used to play. franz |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: GUEST,thompsjm@intranet.ca Date: 05 Mar 00 - 04:38 PM I heard a lovely English rendition of this song yesterday evening and was looking for English lyrics - would anyone have them? I tried the Alta Vista translator and came up with the following - it gives the flavour but I'm sure a human could do better! Thanks to the life that has given so much me gave two luceros Me that when I open them Perfect I distinguish the black of the target and in the high sky its starred bottom and in the multitudes the man who I love Thanks to the life that has given so much to me have given Me the ear that in all its wide one Records night and day crickets and canaries Hammers, turbines, barks, showers and the so tender voice of my bienamado Thanks to the life that has given so much to me have given Me to the sound and the alphabet With him the words that I think and I declare Mother, friend, brother, and light illuminating the route of the core of which I am loving Thanks to the life that has given so much to me have given Me the march of my feet tired With them I walked cities and pools level Beaches and deserts, mountains and and the house yours, your street and your patio Thanks to the life that has given so much me gave the heart Me that shakes its frame When I watch the fruit of the human brain When I so watch the good one far from the bad one When I watch the bottom of your clear eyes Thanks to the life that has given so much to me have given Me the laughter and it has given llanto me Therefore I distinguish Both material happiness of break that forms my song and the song of you that is the same song and the song of all which it is my own song John |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: Callie Date: 05 Mar 00 - 06:24 PM I can't help with the English, but thanks again to everyone who contributed to this thread. It has really helped me. Gracias is now one of our best songs! --Callie |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: WyoWoman Date: 03 Jul 00 - 01:28 AM I'll refresh this so I can ask the same question. Does anyone have a good translation of these lyrics? I can do about as well as the computer translation above, but I have about as much poetry in my translation as well. And does anyone know the background on this one? I heard it was the suicide note of the woman who wrote it after the man she adored left her. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? ww |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: Escamillo Date: 03 Jul 00 - 05:20 AM Sorry, I had missed the last messages in this thread. Of course I can write a perfect translation, but give me a couple of days because it´s a little long. I'll be back. Hasta la vista, Baby - Andrés |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: WyoWoman Date: 04 Jul 00 - 12:59 AM Tu estas un principe, un hombre muy magnifico,y yo estoy tu criada humilde. Hasta el tiempo ... La Mujer (sin verguenza) de Wyomink |
Subject: Lyr Add: GRACIAS A LA VIDA (Violeta Parra)^^ From: Escamillo Date: 05 Jul 00 - 02:48 AM Gracias a la Vida By Violeta Parra Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto /Thanks to Life who gave me so much Me dio dos luceros que cuando los abro /Gave me two stars, when I open them Perfecto distingo lo negro del blanco /perfectly distinguish the black from the white Y en el alto cielo su fondo estrellado /and the starred background of the high sky Y en las multitudes el hombre que yo amo /and in the crowds the man I love. Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto /Thanks to Life who game me so much, Me ha dado el oído que en todo su ancho /gave me the hearing which in all its width Graba noche y días grillos y canarios /night and day captures the cricket and the canary, Martillos, turbinas, ladridos, chubascos /hammers, turbines, barks and squalls Y la voz tan tierna de mi bienamado /and the tender voice of my beloved. Gracias....... Me ha dado el sonido y el abecedario /gave me the sound and the alphabet, Con él las palabras que pienso y declaro /and along the words I think and declare: Madre, amigo, hermano, y luz alumbrando /Mother, Friend, Brother, and Light illuminating La ruta del alma del que estoy amando /the way to the soul of whom I love. Gracias....... Me ha dado la marcha de mis pies cansados/gave me the march of my tired feet, Con ellos anduve ciudades y charcos /with them I walked cities and ponds, Playas y desiertos, montañas y llanos /beaches and deserts, mountains and plains, Y la casa tuya, tu calle y tu patio /and the house of yours, your street and your backyard. Gracias....... Me dió el corazon que agita su marco /gave me a heart that flutters in its cage Cuando miro el fruto del cerebro humano /when I see the fruit of the human brain, Cuando miro el bueno tan lejos del malo /when I see the good, so far from the bad, Cuando miro el fondo de tus ojos claros /when I see the bottom of your light eyes. Gracias........ Me ha dado la risa y me ha dado el llanto /gave me the laughter and gave me the crying, Así yo distingo dicha de quebranto /thus I can distingish joy and sadness, Los dos materiales que forman mi canto /the two materials of which my song is made, Y el canto de ustedes que es el mismo canto /and the song of yours which is the same, Y el canto de todos que es mi propio canto /and the song of all, which is my own song. ............................ I took some minimal poetic licenses: marco = frame , but the idea is a heart that flutters and agitates its enclosure. patio = patio but the idea is a home backyard, and patio can be mistaken for a restaurant. graba = records ,but the sense is not a physical recording Note: "distinguish the black from the white" has nothing to do with men's colors, but just the colors of things. I think some Mudcatter could easily adapt this lyrics, which respects almost literally the original, to fit to the melody and keep the freshness and beauty of the poem. Please, if I miss some request related to Spanish subjects, do not hesitate to send me a personal message. Un abrazo - Andrés (who met Violeta in Chile for a minute, and heared her singing this song in an unforgettable night in Viña del Mar)^^ |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: Escamillo Date: 06 Jul 00 - 01:25 AM Refresh Wyo\\\\\.. mmh no, er ..that´s REFRESH FOR WYO |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: WyoWoman Date: 06 Jul 00 - 01:35 AM Muchas gracias y mil abrazos para ti. Well, then. The story that I heard about her writing this just before she killed herself was obviously wrong, if you heard her singing it in Vina del Mar (how do you get the tilde in there?). I really appreciate your doing this. I want to learn it in spanish, but it helps to know what I'm saying. I have a friend in Santa Fe who sings this and it has long been one of my favorites. Best, WW
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: Escamillo Date: 06 Jul 00 - 02:21 AM Mine is a Spanish-layout keyboard, so I can write perfect Spanish and get mad when I want to write programs in Delphi language. Anyway, you may get the "ñ" typing Alt 1 6 4 in the numeric keyboard. Santa Fe USA, or Santa Fe Argentina ?? Un abrazo - Andrés |
Subject: The Story of Violeta Parra From: Joe Offer Date: 06 Jul 00 - 03:06 AM I didn't know anything about Violeta Parra, so I went looking. I found a collection of lyrics here (click); recordings here; and a page full of links here (click). Mostly in Spanish, but there's a lot of good stuff to sort through, and your high school Spanish teacher would be proud of you is you spent some time with it. The Allmusic Guide is usually helpful, but all they have in this case is a (rather extensive) discography (click). Can anybody furnish biographical information - in English? Click here for a website about the Parra family. The Spanish and German versions are available, but not the English one yet. -Joe Offer- |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: Escamillo Date: 07 Jul 00 - 12:46 AM Thank you Joe. I went to that place, to find that the Spanish version is missing too. They are Germans, and for now, they only have a German version. (Ask me to sing Brahms and Wagner and I´ll do it, but don´t ask me to translate German ) :) However This site offers a good biography of Violeta, in English. Un abrazo - Andrés (By the way, Joe, that CD of Paul Robeson is totally out of stock. I´ll shamelessly make a copy and send the original to you)
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Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: WyoWoman Date: 07 Jul 00 - 01:12 AM Santa Fe, Nuevo Mexico. Voy a check those sites ahora, Jose. (Although in my high school Spanish classes the teacher was happy if she could just get people to say "OOH-STED" instead of "oood," when they saw "ud." WW |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: GUEST,Jerry Friedman Date: 07 Jul 00 - 03:56 PM Si permités que me meta, Andrés... It's a great translation, but there are a couple details I'd do differently. You need a "that" in "Gave me two stars that when I open them..." "El oído" is "hearing" a secas (no "the"), and likewise "la risa" is just "laughter", etc. I'd translate "ojos claros" as "bright eyes", not "light eyes". "Squalls" is an excellent translation of "chubascos", but in the context the first thing I thought of was phrases like "a squalling baby", so some 'Catters might appreciate knowing that the sense here is "storm". Thanks for the translation! I'm just here on a hit-and-run for the first time in at least a year. |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: Escamillo Date: 07 Jul 00 - 10:28 PM Thank you Jerry, it seems more correctly expressed as you say. I thought that "gave me the hearing" was more descriptive of "gave me the sense of hearing", but if the phrase "gave me hearing" gives the idea of "the sense of hearing", that's ok. Similarly "gave me laughter".Thanks for the helping hand. Un abrazo - Andrés |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: WyoWoman Date: 09 Jul 00 - 12:06 AM Wa-HOOOO. I just sat down and actually played this on my guitar!!! (Ok, I skipped the Gm because I don't know that one yet...) But I've heard this song for YEARS and wished I could do it. I'm far from being able to perform it yet, particularly in this Spanish-speakign part of the world, but ... it's a huge first step and I am SO happy. Thank you all very much. ww |
Subject: Gracias A La Vida -- A Few Changes From: GUEST,bobtrumble@earthlink.net Date: 10 Sep 03 - 01:18 PM Dear AM and ER (Who translated Gracias a la Vida), I have a recommendation to make. In Spanish, often times one sees the simple past "Me dio" translated as "it gave me". However, in this context Violeta Parra is thankful for live and she is still alive right now, so the correct tense translation into English should be "it has given me" You'll find it sounds more logical in the present perfect . All of the 'me dio' or Me ha dado would better translate into simple it has given me. If we were to say it gave me this would imply that the writer was now dead and during her lifetime these things happen. "Thanks to life which has given me so much..." "It has given me two stars...." It has given me hearing... It has given me the march of my tired feet... So we are not answering the question "what did life give you?' (When you were alive) But "what has life given you?" (In your life as you are still living) (Many Spanish and Portuguese translations are more logical and flowing when they are changed to the present perfect tense in English.) Thank you (I do speak five languages and majored in Spanish and German... and am a native English speaker, so I thought I would pass that along.) Thanks! Gracias! |
Subject: RE: Gracias A La Vida -- A Few Changes From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 10 Sep 03 - 02:22 PM Thanks, Bob. There has been argument here about several translations, when people try to stick with the basic dictionary-case-tense-definition 'rules' although changes are necessary to put the meaning into idiomatic English. German is another language where sticking to the basic rules creates gobbledegook when idioms and habits of speech differ from English; most language translation requires the same attention. |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: GUEST,JessieMNGLopez Date: 17 Feb 06 - 07:33 PM have never been on this site before i surfed in looking for a translation what a lovely song I cant wait to sing it again, knowing what all im saying. gotta go thank you Jessie |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias a la Vida (Violeta Parra) From: GUEST,menaco@shaw.ca Date: 25 Jun 06 - 04:07 PM Soy chilena, y busque por largo tiempo la traduccion al ingles de " Gracias a la Vida", y hoy esacuhando mi musica empece la busqueda , y te quiero agradecer esta hermosa traduccion porque puedo compartirla con personas a las cuales yo les habia hablado de Violeta, y ademas tengo el orgullo de decirle que la conoci en persona ella vivia muy cerca de mi casa en Santiago, la conoci un dia en su casa, gracias. Patty |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias a la Vida (Violeta Parra) From: Margret RoadKnight Date: 25 Jun 06 - 11:01 PM Singable English version of "Gracias a la Vida" on Nancy White's "Gaelic Envy" CD |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: KeithofChester Date: 01 Mar 08 - 02:49 AM Joan Baez singing it Joan Baez |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: GUEST,peggy Date: 19 Mar 08 - 07:31 PM Violeta Parra is the author. There is a ton of information about her on the net and you can see her singing the song on YouTube. |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias ala Vida From: GUEST,Svana Date: 27 Jun 08 - 10:48 AM http://youtube.com/watch?v=WyOJ-A5iv5I Check this out - three languages as well under "more info" |
Subject: RE: Lyr/Chords Req: Gracias a la Vida (Violeta Parra) From: GUEST Date: 26 Jul 11 - 05:47 PM That is one beautiful song! One my favorites and I'm NOT fluent in Spanish. Joan Baez does a great version of this. Violeta Parra was an activist in Chile and was tortured to death by the ruling government there. Tragic study. Something similar happened recently in Guatemala to another activist ... murdered by the government. Keep the activists in your prayers folks. We NEED them to keep the government under control, even in THIS country ... Lynn in New Orleans, LA. |
Subject: ADD: Gracias a la Vida (Violeta Parra)-translated From: Joe Offer Date: 28 Mar 21 - 02:47 PM Here is a singable translation, emailed to me by Elizabeth Block GRACIAS A LA VIDA (Nancy White / Violeta Parra) Gracias a la vida Life has given me so much The large and the small things Two eyes to see all things So I can clearly distinguish The blackness from the whiteness And in the sky the brightness Of the stars up above me And in the crowded streets I can pick out the one who loves me Gracias a la vida Life has given me so much Gave me hearing and memory To record Nature's melody I hear the crickets and canaries The giant hammers pounding Thunder resounding And the cry of a starling And the sweet and tender voice Of my own dear darling Gracias a la vida Life has given me so much Gave me sounds I can't forget And all the letters of the alphabet To make the words and the phrases That tell my heart's desire Like mother, friend, and fire And light, that shows clearly The path of the soul Of the one I love so dearly Gracias a la vida Life has given me so much Tired feet for traveling And roads for unraveling I wandered through the cities The prairies and the mountains Saw the streams and the fountains But my happiest hours Were on the street where you live Your house and your garden flowers Gracias a la vida Life has given me so much Gave me a human heart That tears itself apart When I look at the things we do In our world, in our neighbourhood The evil and the good The foolish and the wise When I look into the depths Of my own true love's eyes Gracias a la vida Life has given me so much Gave me all the laughter And all the weeping that comes after So I can clearly distinguish The joy from the sorrow Two things I borrow To make melody I hold the guitar, you give the song to me Gracias a la vida Que me ha dado tanto...... By Nancy White, except for verse 5 which is by Elizabeth Block The only singing translation in English that I know of. |
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