Guantanamera – The Sandpipers – YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm1anurhbeg
Now if you just want to click on the youtube link above and hear The Sandpipers’ well-known song from 1966 then please do so but, if you’re wondering at the title of my blog post, you may be interested to know why I looked in the mirror this morning and felt the urge to sing “Guantanamera” (not to be confused with Guantanamo, which my text prompt insists is the word I should use); and also, why all day long I have been breaking into bursts of conversation spoken with a Mexican Spanish accent.
“Hey gringo!”, I called out (adopting my “Speedy Gonzales” accent) from our bedroom door at the bottom of the stairs, “Are you wearing shorts today?”
That brought Chris to the top of the stairs.
“No I’m not…”, he paused and smiled as he observed me, “but as you’re wearing shorts I think I’ll join you!” (We’re very together like that.)
Actually, it wasn’t my Aussie red shorts that put the smile on my husband’s face, it was the new top, which I acquired at half-price from Tesco’s last Saturday. I kind of understood why they hadn’t been big sellers on the racks – they were so colourful! And stripey! And red, white, orange, black and pink… with a big, bobble-edged gathered flounce all around the shoulders (no, not like Coco the clown, but a cheerful Mexican or Peruvian!).
“How do I look?” I asked Chris.
“Guantanamera, da da da, Guantanamera,” he sang but he couldn’t sing more than that because he doesn’t know any more of the words.
“Si Señor, I, too, was singing that a minute ago,” I said (like Speedy”) and added, “Riba, riba… anderlay, anderlay (whatever that means)…”
“If you go to Rosie’s farm today the alpacas will get excited,” Chris said before taking a bite of his toast and marmalade.
“Oh, Señor, I suppose I do look a bit funny for Dawlish – I might go and change, anderlay, anderlay (or is it underlay?)” I suggested.
“No, no, you’ll be a trailblazer,” Chris said and hummed the tune of Guantanamera.
“The Mexican trail,” I laughed.
“If only I’d known I’d have brought my pan pipes,” he quipped.
Out by the front door I sang and hummed Guantanamera while I put on my sandals. Chris joined me and grabbed the car keys off the hook.
“Come on, riba, riba, let’s go to Mum’s and frighten her,” he said, “and don’t forget the guitar!”
Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera
Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera
Yo soy un hombre sincero
De don de crece la palma
Yo soy un hombre sincero
De don de crece la palma
Antes des morirme quiero
Echar mis versos del alma
Guantanamera, guajira, guantanamera
Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera
Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera
Yo soy un hombre sincero
De don de crece la palma
Yo soy un hombre sincero
De don de crece la palma
Antes des morirme quiero
Echar mis versos del alma
Guantanamera, guajira, guantanamera
Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera
Mi verso es de un verde claro
Y de un carmín encendido
Mi verso es de un verde claro
Y de un carmín encendido
Mi verso es un querido cielo
Que busca en el monte amparo
Y de un carmín encendido
Mi verso es de un verde claro
Y de un carmín encendido
Mi verso es un querido cielo
Que busca en el monte amparo
Guantanamera, guajira, guantanamera
Guantanamera, guajira, guantanamera
Guantanamera, guajira, guantanamera
Songwriters: Peter Seeger / Julian Orbon / Hector Angulo / Jose Fernandez Diaz
Guantanamera lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, The Bicycle Music Company