Noel Estrada - "En Mi Viejo San Juan"

"En Mi Viejo San Juan"

External audio
You may listen to Luciano Quiñones piano interpretation of Estrada 's "En mi viejo San Juan" here.
and an interpretation of the song by "Javier Solis" and "El Trio Los Panchos" here

"En mi Viejo San Juan" is considered a second national anthem by many Puerto Ricans, especially the Puerto Ricans who live far away from Puerto Rico. The City of San Juan adopted the song as its official city anthem. "En mi Viejo San Juan" is considered a classic and has been performed by many artists. Originally interpreted by El Trío Vegabajeño, the song would later be interpreted by such renowned artists like Javier Solis, Vikki Carr, Marco Antonio Muñiz, Rafael Cortijo, Ismael Rivera, Pedro Rivera Toledo, Celia Cruz, and Rocío Dúrcal.

Lyrics to "En Mi Viejo San Juan"
"En Mi Viejo San Juan"
by Noel Estrada
Spanish
(original version)
English
translation
En mi Viejo San Juan

Cuantos sueños forjé
 En mis noches de infancia.
 Mi primera ilusión
 Y mis cuitas de amor
 Son recuerdos del alma.
 Una tarde me fuí hacia extraña nación
 Pues lo quiso el destino.
 Pero mi corazón se quedó frente al mar

En mi viejo San Juan.
In my Old San Juan,

many dreams I forged
 in my childhood nights.
 My first illusion,
 and my troubles of love
 are memories of the soul.
 One afternoon I departed to a foreign nation,
 for that's how destiny would have it.
 But my heart remained before the sea,

in my Old San Juan.
Adiós... adiós, adiós

Borinquen querida,
 Tierra de mi amor.
 Adiós... adiós, adiós
 Mi diosa del mar...
 Mi reina del palmar.
 Me voy pero un día volveré
 A buscar mi querer
 A soñar otra vez

En mi viejo San Juan.
Goodbye (goodbye, goodbye)

My dear Borinquen*
 Land of my love
 Goodbye (goodbye, goodbye)
 My Goddess of the Sea
 My Queen of the palm grove
 I'm leaving but someday I'll return
 To search for my love
 To dream once again

In my Old San Juan.
Pero el tiempo pasó

Y el destino burló
 Mi terrible nostalgia.
 Y no pude volver
 Al San Juan que yo amé
 Pedacito de patria.
 Mi cabello blanqueó
 Y mi vida se va
 Ya la muerte me llama
 Y no quiero morir
 Alejado de tí

Puerto Rico del alma.
But time passed by,

and destiny mocked
 my terrible nostalgia.
 And I could not return
 to the San Juan that I loved
 little piece of my homeland.
 My hair turned white,
 and my life is fleeting,
 death is now calling me.
 And I don't want to die
 Away from you,

Puerto Rico of my soul!

Note:

Read more about this topic:  Noel Estrada

Famous quotes containing the words san and/or juan:

    “There they are at last, Miss Rutledge. The will-o-the-wisps with plagues of fortune. San Francisco, the latest newborn of a great republic.”
    —Ben Hecht (1893–1964)

    “Is that the Craig Jurgesen that Teddy Roosevelt gave you?... And you used it at San Juan Hill defending liberty. Now you want to destroy it.”
    —Laurence Stallings (1894–1968)