Mi Chayerita

Pal' tiempo e' los carnavales

For the time of carnivals

me voy yendo pa' La Rioja,

I'm heading to La Rioja,

cajita en la mano, velay

Little box in hand, behold

chumao con aloja,

Crouched with aloja,

y sembrando de coplas el aire,

And sowing the air with verses,

vidita yo andaré.

I'll wander, my dear life.

Chinita de ojos negros

Little Chinese with black eyes

bienhaiga mi chayerita,

Blessings to my chayerita,

su andarcito arisco es igual

Her wild way is like

que una palomita,

A little dove,

con los changos chayando en la siesta

With the fellows chatting in the nap,

seguro te hallaré.

Surely, I'll find you.

Va llegando el carnaval

Carnival is approaching

diablito adentro,

Little devil inside,

meta chayar hemos de andar

We must go around singing

por los callejones,

Through the alleys,

añapita y alhoja en los...........

Garland and aloja in the...........

que viva el carnaval.

Long live the carnival.

Mi chayerita riojana

My chayerita from La Rioja

mojada y enharinada,

Wet and floured,

carnaval sin ella es igual

Carnival without her is like

que sin la vidala,

Without the vidala,

caminito e'la acequia la llevo

On the path of the ditch, I'll take her

vidita pa'chayar.

My dear, for carnival.

Debajo del sauce viejo

Under the old willow

bailaremos esta zamba,

We'll dance this zamba,

con mi chayerita, achalay,

With my chayerita, achalay,

florcita de albaca,

Little flower of basil,

que se va que se viene en el aire

That goes and comes in the air

su poyerita azul.

Her blue skirt.

Va llegando el carnaval

Carnival is approaching

diablito adentro,

Little devil inside,

meta chayar hemos de andar

We must go around singing

por los callejones,

Through the alleys,

añapita y alhoja en los...........

Garland and aloja in the...........

que viva el carnaval.

Long live the carnival.