Growing up, I have LOVED this song. I would dance to this song in elementary school for our talent show every year. It is so energetic and enlightening, I do not think I have came across any Latino that has disliked this song. I think whether Latino or not, anybody could find inspiration and motivation by the melody and lyrics composed by Celia Cruz.
Today’s song is…
La Vida Es Un Carnaval by Celia Cruz
English Subtitles:
Celia Cruz is famous in the Latino community for her Salsa music, and also bringing in and popularizing this genre in the United States. She is Afro-Cuban and she loved to show off her heritage through her music. Sadly, she passed away in 2003 due to cancer, but her legacy will always and forever live on through her music and her catchphrase “Azucar!”
Let’s look at the lyrics:
Anyone who thinks that life is unfair
Of course, Celia Cruz is referring to the saying “life is unfair”, something that a lot of people know and accept. However, by mentioning this in the song, she wants to let her listeners know that they are not alone in the feeling. I also like to think that this lyric is referring to the struggles in Latin America, more specifically Cuba.
That in life, no one is alone, there is always someone
She is basically saying that there is somebody for everybody, so you are never really alone. She probably wrote this thinking about her husband, Pedro Knight, who gave up his career to become her manager.
Oh, there’s no need to cry (No need to cry)
that life is a carnival
Carnivals are veryyy popular in Latin American culture. She is telling us to live life as if it were a carnival, have fun and keep pushing forward!
And it is more beautiful to live singing
Obviously, Cruz’s profession is to sing, but she knows that her signing and music brings joy to the world. She is telling her audience to follow her and rejoice and spread positivity in the world.
Anyone who thinks that life is always cruel
They have to know that it is not so
That there are only bad moments and everything passes
A lot of people would consider life to be cruel, but Celia Cruz would protest otherwise. Sure, there are bad moments in life, but without the bad there can be no good. These harsh times will pass soon enough.
That in bad times, smile hard, and everything changes
This one was a bit difficult to translate, but as I wrote above, it means to smile at the hard times. When you are in a bad situation, it is better to be optimistic and look at it from a good perspective rather than dwelling on the negative. I personally feel that it will make the bad times pass quicker.
Citations:
Brady, Emily. “Amid the Gravestones, a Final Love Song.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 25 Feb. 2007, https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/nyregion/thecity/25celia.html.
“Cuban Nostalgia Havana Carnival 1970 – 1974. Allegorical Float for Parade or Carnival Salsa Dancers by Elena Gantchikova.” Fine Art America, https://fineartamerica.com/featured/cuban-nostalgia-havana-carnival-1970-1974-allegorical-float-for-parade-or-carnival-salsa-dancers-elena-gantchikova.html.
Estevez, Marjua. “La Negra Tiene Tumbao: Celia Cruz’s Most Iconic Looks.” VIBE.com, 21 Oct. 2016, https://www.vibe.com/gallery/celia-cruz-most-iconic-looks/.
“New York Debut! Celia Cruz the Musical, Starring Lucrecia @ Lehman Center, Sat. November 16.” The Riverdale Press, The Riverdale Press, 4 Nov. 2019, https://www.riverdalepress.com/stories/new-york-debut-celia-cruz-the-musical-starring-lucrecia-lehman-center-sat-november-16,70427.
Peggynoonanny/. “The Cuban Regime Is a Defeated Foe.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 18 Dec. 2014, https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-cuban-regime-is-a-defeated-foe-1418946550.
“Yo Regresaré: Celia Cruz and Cuban Exile Memory.” Home, https://www.historians.org/research-and-publications/perspectives-on-history/january-2023/yo-regresar%C3%A9-celia-cruz-and-cuban-exile-memory.