The third of the three Silvio Rodriguez songs I’ll be performing at my concert this Sunday evening in Huntington Beach. (Along with Beethoven, Debussy, Chopin, David Bowie & Duke Ellington.) This one asks what use are you without your beliefs. The phrase “la maza sin cantera,” which answers the question, is kind of hard to translate – it refers to the making of sculpture – what use is the sculpting hammer without the rock (or “cantera” or “quarry”) used for material? (My version of the song is a lot faster and more aggressive than Silvio’s; I combine it with the jazz standard Footprints and I’ll have percussion and a sax player joining me.) English translation:
[audio:http://orangejuiceblog.com/music/maza.mp3]
If I didn’t believe in the madness of the mockingbird’s song,
if I didn’t believe that the mountain conceals melodies and fright,
if I didn’t believe in balance, in the logic of equilibrium,
if I didn’t believe in delirium, if I didn’t believe in hope,
if I didn’t believe in what I promote, if I didn’t believe in my own way,
if I didn’t believe in my music, if I didn’t believe in my silence,
REFRAIN: What would I be? What would the hammer be without its “quarry?”
A mass of cords and tendons, a jumble of flesh and wood,
an instrument with no more brilliance than tiny lights set up for the stage.
What would I be, oh heart? What would the hammer be without its “quarry?”
The front man to the betrayer of applause, one who serves up the past in a new glass,
an eternalizer of waning gods, joy boiling over in rags and spangles.
If I didn’t believe in the toughest struggles, if I didn’t believe in longing,
if I didn’t believe in my convictions, if I didn’t believe in something pure,
if I didn’t believe in each assault, if I didn’t believe in she who comes around [death],
if I didn’t believe in what it means to become a brother to life,
if I didn’t believe in those who listen, if I didn’t believe in in the pain,
if I didn’t believe in in what endures, if I didn’t believe in in the fight… (refrain)
Gonna perform Ode to Crow?
Sorry to see you took Ives’ Waltz Rondo off the program!!! That’s the funniest piece of music ever. Where’d it go???
Maybe the Serpent piece will make up for it. Wish you could make a recording of this concert; would love to hear it from afar!
Keep goin’ back and forth on the Ives… I don’t want the first half to be so long. I’m gonna time it tonight…
Mr. Nelson I like most of the songs of Silvio Rodriguez, but don’t forget: Cafrune, Mercedez Sosa, Chico Buarque, Pablo Milanes, Serrat, Leon Gieco,Alberto Cortez,and many more Latin american ( with the exception of Serrat who is latin european) singers specially “New Trova”.Thanks for trying to show and share with our bloggers this kind the musical expression.