The next time you head to a Web site that translates text from one language to another for free, keep in mind that these literal resources usually provide only the gist of the words.
Consider the funny case of the wily Mexican song “La Bamba.” Its lyrics:
Para bailar la Bamba
Para bailar la Bamba
Se necesita una poca de gracia
Una poca de gracia y otra cosita
Y arriba y arriba
Ay! Arriba y arriba
Por ti sere, por ti sere, por ti sere
Yo no soy marinero
Yo no soy marinero, soy capitan
Soy capitan, soy capitan
freetranslation.com
“To dance the Bamba.
To dance the Bamba itself necesita a little of grace.
A little of grace and another cosita–and up and up.
Oh! Up and up.
By you I was, by you
I was, by you I was.
I am not a sailor.
I am not a sailor.
I am capitan.
I am capitan.
I am capitan.”
babelfish.altavista.com
“In order to dance the Bamba.
In order to dance the necesita Bamba one little of grace.
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One little of grace and another small thing–and above and above.
Ay! It arrives above and.
By you sere, you sere, you sere.
I am not marine.
I am not marine.
I am captain.
I am captain.
I am captain.”
imtranslator.net
“To dance the Bamba.
To dance the Bamba necesita the small one of grace.
The small one of grace and cosituated other one–and it arrives and arrives.
Moan! It arrives and arrives.
For you I will be, for you I will be, for you I will be.
I am not seaworthy.
I am not seaworthy.
I am a captain.
I am a captain.
I am a captain.”
straightdope.com
Cecil Adam’s Straight Dope research staff provides the best translation–and a lesson in using Internet text translators:
“To dance La Bamba.
To dance La Bamba, you need to be a little bit funny.
A little bit funny and another little thing–get going, get going!
Literally ‘get up and get up’ Ay!
Get going, get going.
I’ll be for you, I’ll be for you, I’ll be for you.
I’m not a sailor.
I’m not a sailor,
I’m a captain,
I’m a captain,
I’m a captain.”
STRAIGHT DOPE ADDS:
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“What exactly does ‘La Bamba’ mean? Consider: ‘Bambolear’ means swinging or swaying, and a ‘bambollero/bambollera’ is someone who likes to boast (e.g., ‘I’m not a sailor, I’m a captain!’). The song is a play on words. Spanish words. Perhaps that’s why it’s better left in Spanish.”