Gracias a la vida

Live at Festival des Vieilles Charrues, Carhaix, Bretagne, FRANCE, 2000. This is one of Joan Baez's classics, although it's a cover of a song written by a Chilean folk singer and visual artist: Violeta Parra, who committed suicide in 1967. Her song "Gracias a la vida", composed one year before her death, is one of the most covered latin american songs. IF YOU LIKE JOAN BAEZ'S MUSIC, PLEASE BUY IT :) Gracias a la Vida que me ha dado tanto me dio dos luceros que cuando los abro perfecto distingo lo negro del blanco y en el alto cielo su fondo estrellado y en las multitudes el hombre que yo amo. Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto me ha dado el oido que en todo su ancho graba noche y dia grillos y canarios martillos, turbinas, ladridos, chubascos y la voz tan tierna de mi bien amado. Gracias a la Vida que me ha dado tanto me ha dado el sonido y el abedecedario con él las palabras que pienso y declaro madre amigo hermano y luz alumbrando, la ruta del alma del que estoy amando. Gracias a la Vida que me ha dado tanto me ha dado la marcha de mis pies cansados con ellos anduve ciudades y charcos, playas y desiertos montañas y llanos y la casa tuya, tu calle y tu patio. Gracias a la Vida que me ha dado tanto me dio el corazón que agita su marco cuando miro el fruto del cerebro humano, cuando miro el bueno tan lejos del malo, cuando miro el fondo de tus ojos claros. Gracias a la Vida que me ha dado tanto me ha dado la risa y me ha dado el llanto, así yo distingo dicha de quebranto los dos materiales que forman mi canto y el canto de ustedes que es el mismo canto y el canto de todos que es mi propio canto. TRANSLATION (source: www.williammorin.com) Thank you to life, which has given me so much It gave me two beams of light, that when opened Can perfectly distinguish black from white And in the sky above, her starry backdrop And from within the multitude The one that I love Thank you to life, which has given me so much It gave me an ear that, in all of its width Records— night and day—crickets and canaries Hammers and turbines and bricks and storms And the tender voice of my beloved Thank you to life, which has given me so much It gave me sound and the alphabet With them the words that I think and declare Mother, Friend, Brother and the light shining The route of the soul from which comes love Thank you to life, which has given me so much It gave me the ability to walk with my tired feet With them I have traversed cities and puddles Valleys and deserts, mountains and plains And your house, your street and your patio Thank you to life, which has given me so much It gave me a heart, that causes my frame to shudder When I see the fruit of the human brain When I see good so far from bad When I see within the clarity of your eyes Thank you to life, which has given me so muc It gave me laughter and it gave me longing With them I distinguish happiness and pain The two materials from which my songs are formed And your song, as well, which is the