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One of the highlights of WOMAD last weekend was the passionate Chilean Nano Stern, "When he sings, you listen, even if you don't speak Spanish,
because it feels like the truth." Some vids with translations here:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nano-Ste ... 0?sk=notes

I found this beautiful duet with another fine Chilean singer-songwriter, Chinoy. Para La Pena No:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PleHSetA8DA


It comes from goodness
It comes from the Sun
From the heart
From the heart

It comes from goodness
It comes from a flower
From the sinner's haul

It comes from the heart,
To be what I am
It comes when I go
For pain
And not for pain
For pain
And not for pain

It comes from goodness
It comes in the form of song
Between streets and backstreets

It comes like honey
It comes like forgiveness
Like flames
In a gale

It comes from the heart
To be what I am
It comes when I go
For pain
And not for pain
For pain
And not for pain

I've seen Nano Stern a couple of times at the Port Fairy Folk Festival and he was one of the highlights for us too! That quote sums it up really well - he draws you into the emotion of the song, even if it's in another language.

Yes he does, Tundra.

I much recommend his new album La Cosecha http://www.vitamin.net.au/albumdefault.asp?ai=611. It includes the song El Cigarrito, by Victor Jara.

This year has been the 40th anniversary of the killing of Jara. Here is Nano singing another of his songs, Lo Unico que Tengo (written by Isabel Parra, daughter of Violetta Parra):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtLkvX-RkFo


Lo Unico Que Tengo

Quién me iba a decir a mí,
cómo me iba a imaginar
si yo no tengo un lugar
en la tierra.

Y mis manos son lo único que tengo
y mis manos son mi amor y mi sustento.

No hay casa donde llegar,
mi paire y mi maire están
más lejos de este barrial
que una estrella.

Quién me iba a decir a mí
que yo me iba a enamorar
cuando no tengo un lugar
en la tierra.


All That I Have

Who could have told me,
How could I imagine
If I have no place
On Earth.

And my hands are all I have
And my hands are my love and my sustenance.

There's no home to reach
My mother and father are
Further from this muddy land
Than a star.

Who could have told me
That I was going to fall in love
When I have no place
On Earth.


(Springsteen did a Jara tribute too recently, playing Manifesto in Santiago.)

I thank my brother for translating lyrics for me for this thread.

PS Here is a marvellous song from the new album, that I am finding difficult to get out of my head right now!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H6saDTQBfc
written and performed by Nano Stern

The chorus is so sing-alongable:

Y esta es mi despedida,
hasta siempre corazón.
Que mi canto de perdón,
te devuelva ya la vida.