Gigliola Cinquetti - Il Condor (El condor pasa)

El Condor Pasa

   Paul Simon version

I'd rather be a sparrow than a snail.
Yes I would.
If I could,
I surely would.
I'd rather be a hammer than a nail.
Yes I would.
If I only could,
I surely would.

CHORUS
Away, I'd rather sail away
Like a swan that's here and gone
A man gets tied up to the ground,
he gives the world
its saddest sound,
its saddest sound.

I'd rather be a forest than a street.
Yes I would.
If I could,
I surely would.

I'd rather feel the earth beneath my feet,
Yes I would.
If I only could,
I surely would.

El Condor Pasa, Simon & Garfunkel with lyrics


El Cóndor Pasa is a Peruvian zarzuela, or musical play, and its more famous title song....
The song appears in the finale. Originally it was wordless. The tune is a cashua, a kind of Andean dance similar to a huaino. It was inspired by traditional Andean songs.
The words are in Quechua, the language of the Inca Empire which is still spoken by the indigenous people of Peru. The singer calls on the mighty condor of the Andes to take him back to the old Inca kingdom of Machu Picchu.

The original lyrics are not clearly known or not existing.
From the traditional Andean song, the new version of the song was created in 1913 by a Peruvian composer, Daniel Alomia Robles. Perhaps the most representative song from the Andes folklore. Obviously, not composed by Paul Simon or Garfunkel, but the arrangement they made in the 60ies using this melody boosted them and the song to a world hit. This version quotes elements of an arrangement made in the 70ies by LOS DE CANATA (Bolivia).

EL CÓNDOR PASA

       D. A. Robles version

El amor como un cóndor bajará,
mi corazón golpeará,
después se irá...
La luna en el desierto brillará
y tú vendrás solamente un beso me dejarás.
Quién sabe mañana donde irás
qué harás, me pensarás?
Yo sé que nunca volverás
mas pienso que no viviré.
Cómo podré?
La angustia y el dolor me dejarás
mi corazón sufrirá y morirá.
El amor como un cóndor volará,
partirá, y así nunca más regresará.
Yo sé que nunca...

EL CONDOR PASA [PAN PIPES]

Data from the Internet, webpage composed by SNUMA WM
May 28, 2012