Joan Baez - Gracias a la Vida (Here's to Life) 1974

[Xipe Totec]

[Warpy]

1. Original version, Violeta Parra

[Xipe Totec]

3. Violeta. Such a tragic figure. Along with Victor Jara. nt

[Warpy]

4. She grew up in show business with her family, performing from a young age.

She was able to travel widely and influence a whole continent's music.

She committed suicide in 1967, before the ITT/CIA/Pinochet coup. She was 49.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. English lyrics

https://lyricstranslate.com/en/gracias-la-vida-thanks-life.html-0

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me two stars, which when I open them,
Perfectly distinguish black from white
And in the tall sky its starry backdrop,
And within the multitudes the one that I love.

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me hearing that, in all of its reach
Records night and day crickets and canaries,
Hammers and turbines, bricks and storms,
And the tender voice of my beloved.

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me sound and the alphabet.
With them the words I think and declare:
“Mother,” “Friend,” “Brother” and light shining down on
The road of the soul of the one I'm loving.

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me the steps of my tired feet.
With them I have traversed cities and puddles
Valleys and deserts, mountains and plains.
And your house, your street and your garden.

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me this heart that shakes its frame,
When I see the fruit of the human brain,
When I see good so far from evil,
When I look into the depth of your light eyes…

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
It gave me laughter and it gave me tears.
With them I distinguish happiness from pain
The two elements that make up my song,
And your song, as well, which is the same song.
And everyone’s song, which is my very song.

[McKim]

5. Thanks so much for this!

Thanks so much for this. Here in Portland tonight it is too COVID dangerous for me to join the Mom’s March and reading about the mafia style killing of the judge’s son who was working on the Epstein-Deutsche Bank case just about did me in tonight. As a retired ESL Bilingual teacher I loved her song and it gave me some hope tonight.