Japi's Blog

Early Voting in Texas - Primary Season 2008

The race for the democratic Presidential nominee has been truly compelling so far. 

It's very close but Barack Obama has both the lead and quite a lot of momentum with 10 wins in a row.  The next two states (Texas and Ohio) are extremely important for Hillary Clinton... if she loses one or both states, it's likely she will drop out of the race to allow Obama to begin his Presidential campaign in earnest.

I'm hoping that this happens since I am backing Obama for President. 

This past week has been fun for me:

I had the opportunity to see Barack Obama talk at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.  I went with my youngest son, Juan Pablo.  If you want to see some of the pictures I took, visit my Flickr Photos.

I also went to the early voting location this past Saturday... it was quick and easy.  Now I just need to go caucus for Obama on March 4th.

I'm Not Giving You Up by Gloria Estefan

Gloria Estefan has a beautiful song that wasn't extremely popular... but it's wonderfully written and the music is amazing too.

The name of the song is "I'm Not Giving You Up" from the album titled Destiny. 

Below you can read the lyrics:

To be completely honest
It scares me to imagine
What life would be without you

And for this very reason
I ask you to forgive me
For what I'm putting us through

Although there are so many things
Against us, I've decided
That I'm not giving you up, no...

Thinking back, I see what we have
Is something different
I think we've known all along
So how fair would it be
To divide this love's existence
Between what's right and what's wrong

And you, always wondering if we'll make it
Time will tell you
That I'm not giving you up, no, no...

We'll find a way to be together
However long it takes, wherever
If it means having you for only a moment
A moment just might be enough
I'm not giving you up, no
No I'm not giving you up, no

Screaming in the silence the promises we've spoken
Come back to haunt me, false and broken
Quiet desperation to see we're lost forever
Searching for water in the desert

No, I refuse to have to do
Without your kisses
I'm not giving you up, no, no

We'll find a way to be together
However long it takes, wherever
If it means having you for only a moment
A moment just might be enough
I'm not giving you up, no

No I'm not giving you up, no
No I'm not giving you up

Un Querer Como El Tuyo - by Ilan Chester

Un Querer Como El Tuyo is a beautifully romantic song composed and performed by Ilan Chester.

Ilan is a phenomenal musician born in Israel and raised in Venezuela.  He is a prolific singer/songwriter.  His vocal range is amazingly wide - this particular song doesn't really show his range... but it's one of my favorites.

Purchase the CD with this song.

Original

English

Cuando se tiene un querer como el tuyo, Las horas no cuentan, el tiempo es amigo Mi vida, contigo, no concibo algo mejor. Cuando se tiene un querer como el tuyo, Las sombras se alejan y queda el rocío En ti yo confío el quehacer del corazón… Será sincero si lo propio es lo común Amor del bueno cada vez que te recuerdo soy feliz, Y estando a tu lado me encuentro feliz, Me basta y me sobra tu amor, Al norte y al sur, al este y oeste, Declaro mi amor por ti, Y estando a tu lado me encuentro feliz Cuando se tiene un querer como el tuyo, Cuando se tiene un querer como el tuyo, No hay dudas ni quejas, se llena el vacío, No hay tuyo ni mío, somos uno entre los dos… Será sincero si lo propio es lo común Amor del bueno cada vez que te recuerdo soy feliz, Y estando a tu lado me encuentro feliz, Me basta y me sobra tu amor, Al norte y al sur, al este y oeste, Declaro mi amor por ti, Y estando a tu lado me encuentro feliz Cuando se tiene un querer como el tuyo, Cuando se tiene un querer como el tuyo, Cuando se tiene un querer como el tuyo.

To have a love as yours The hours don't count, time is a friend My life, with you, I can imagine nothing better To have a love like yours Shadows dissappear and only the dew is left I entrust my heart to you Honestly.... True love, your memory makes me happy And being next to you, I am happy Your love is filling and overflowing To the north, south, east and west I declare my love for you And being next to you, I am happy To have a love as yours To have a love as yours No doubt nor complaint will fill this void There's no yours or mine, we're one Honestly.... True love, your memory makes me happy And being next to you, I am happy Your love is filling and overflowing To the north, south, east and west I declare my love for you And being next to you, I am happy To have a love as yours To have a love as yours To have a love as yours

Transcript of Obama's Yes We Can Song

As a follow up to my post about a week ago... where I posted Barack Obama's "Yes We Can" speech/song. 

This is the transcript

It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.

Yes we can.

It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom.

Yes we can.

It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.

Yes we can.

It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.

Yes we can to justice and equality.

Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.

Yes we can heal this nation.

Yes we can repair this world.

Yes we can.

We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.

We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics...they will only grow louder and more dissonant ........... We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.

But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.

Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea --

Yes. We. Can.

Celebrities featured include: Jesse Dylan, Will.i.am, Common, Scarlett Johansson, Tatyana Ali, John Legend, Herbie Hancock, Kate Walsh, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Adam Rodriquez, Kelly Hu, Amber Valetta, Eric Balfour, Aisha Tyler, Nicole Scherzinger and Nick Cannon

Alfonsina y El Mar - very sad, but wonderful metaphors

Alfonsina y El Mar, composed by Ariel Ramirez is based on the tragic death of an Argentine Poet named Alfonsina Storni, who threw herself into the sea at Mar de Plata.

This particular version is interpreted by Mercedes Sosa.  I remember watching Ms. Sosa sing this sad, yet compelling song when I was very young. 

My older sister, Elena, learned to play it in the guitar and I used to love to listen to her sing it.  The memories of Elena playing the guitar and singing this song will forever be ingrained in my mind.  She was a wonderful musician, I wish she would pick the instrument back up.

Purchase the CD with this song.

I hope you enjoy the song's sad, yet beautifully descriptive lyrics... here's a translation:

Original

English

Por la blanda arena Que lame el mar Su pequeña huella No vuelve más Un sendero solo De pena y silencio llegó Hasta el agua profunda Un sendero solo De penas mudas llegó Hasta la espuma. Sabe Dios qué angustia Te acompañó Qué dolores viejos Calló tu voz Para recostarte Arrullada en el canto De las caracolas marinas La canción que canta En el fondo oscuro del mar La caracola. Te vas Alfonsina Con tu soledad ¿Qué poemas nuevos Fuíste a buscar? Una voz antigüa De viento y de sal Te requiebra el alma Y la está llevando Y te vas hacia allá Como en sueños Dormida, Alfonsina Vestida de mar. Cinco sirenitas Te llevarán Por caminos de algas Y de coral Y fosforescentes Caballos marinos harán Una ronda a tu lado Y los habitantes Del agua van a jugar Pronto a tu lado. Bájame la lámpara Un poco más Déjame que duerma Nodriza, en paz Y si llama él No le digas nunca que estoy Di que me he ido. Te vas Alfonsina Con tu soledad ¿Qué poemas nuevos Fueste a buscar? Una voz antigüa De viento y de sal Te requiebra el alma Y la está llevando Y te vas hacia allá Como en sueños Dormida, Alfonsina Vestida de mar

On the soft sand That is licked by the sea Her small footprint Will never return A solitary path Of sorrow and silence arrived At the depths of the ocean A solitary path Of muted sorrows rose To the sea foam God knows the angst Which accompanied you The ancient pain Which quieted your voice To let you rest With the song Of the sea shell The song played At the dark depths of the sea The Sea Shell You are leaving Alfonsina With your loneliness Which new poems Did you go find? An ancient voice Made of wind and salt Breaks your soul And takes it away And you float away As in dreams Asleep, Alfonsina Dressed by the sea Five mermaids Will take you Through paths covered in seaweed And coral And fluorescent Sea horses will make A ring around you And the inhabitants Of the sea will soon play By your side Lower the lamp A little more Let me sleep In peace, nurse And if he calls Don't ever tell him I'm here Tell him I've left You are leaving Alfonsina With your loneliness Which new poems Did you go find? An ancient voice Made of wind and salt Breaks your soul And takes it away And you float away As in dreams Asleep, Alfonsina Dressed by the sea

Amor de Conuco Lyrics, absolutely beautiful!

This is one of the most beautiful songs written by Juan Luis Guerra.  He is from the Dominican Republic - his band (Juan Luis Guerra y Los 4.40) is responsible for evolving some of their caribbean rhythms into amazingly classy and gorgeous songs. 

Their vocal harmonies voices inspire many young vocalists to carry the torch and continue to improve merengue, bachata and salsa.

I've uploaded the song, Amor de Conuco, for your enjoyment.  Below is a translation of the lyrics, as it is a exchange between a man and his wife.  I hope you like it as much as I have for many years.

Juan Luis Guerra is an amazing poet and composer.

Purchase the CD with this song.

Male voice
Dime si me va a querer soy hombre de poco hablar, Consuelo no tengo na' que ofrecer un conuco, un gallo y un lucero y la luz de la mañana que entra por mi ventana, cielo y los rios y la montaña y el viento que peina tu pelo yo quisiera ofrecerte el mundo y no puedo.	Tell me if you will love me I am a man of little words, Consuelo I don't have much to offer a shack, a rooster and starlight and the morning light which comes in through the window, my darling the rivers and the mountain and the wind which combs your hair I would like to offer you the world, but I can't
Female voice:
Na me tienes que ofrecer tu mirada es lo unico que quiero dormiremos cuando el dia se acueste encima del potrero y los grillos haran su canto y entre hierba y pasto soñaremos y de tanto amor tu cuerpo hara de mi vientre lo que espero, un retrato de tu cariño, te quiero.	You don't need to offer me anything your gaze is all I want we can sleep when the day lays down on the stables the crickets will play their song on the weeds and grass we will dream and from so much love, your body will make of my what I so hope a portrait of your love for me, I adore you

Obama's Yes We Can Video

A friend sent me this video.... Obama is an inspiring speaker.  My hope is that he is also a great leader and executive.

I hope he wins the democratic nomination and the presidency.