February 2020 - El Trabajador

My good friend Marco Lopez wrote an instrumental piece called "El Trabajador" way back in 2017 but I didn't hear it until early 2020. I loved the feel and thought that maybe a vocal part might work - I checked with Marco and he was open to it so I tried some stuff out. I was keen to ensure that the song didn't end up becoming a regular vocal song - whatever I came up with needed to fit around the existing instruments, kind of like an extra instrument itself rather than taking centre stage. I think the end result goes close to achieving that, with the vocals interjecting intermittently and briefly, and with a melody that could have been a counter melody on any other instrument.

Lyrically I worked off the title (which translates to "The Worker") and what Marco told me about what was going on in his life at the time. I wanted to try to convey the toil but also the dignity of working hard to provide for a family. The arrangement we landed on, with the fade in and fade out, evokes the idea that this effort is ongoing, it never ends.

Levantándome a un cielo oscuro

“Ya me tengo que ir” murmuro

Ella se da la vuelta a dormir

Con la ropa de ayer me cubro

Otro dia delante duro

Si no da para más que hacer?

Sin la luz ni ruido me escapo

Que duerman un pequeño rato

Escalar cuesta mucho sudor

Voy andando, el camino es largo

Y esta noche si no me tardo

Un beso, una caricia (al) acostar

Translation

Waking to a dark sky,

I murmur "I have to leave now",

She turns and goes back to sleep.

I put on yesterday's clothes,

Another hard day ahead,

No other options, what to do?

I leave in darkness, without a sound.

Let them sleep a little while,

Getting ahead will take toil.

I'm off, the road is long

And tonight, if I can get away on time,

A kiss, a caress before bed.