Jumping Fences (http://www.jumpingfences.com.au/) at Foco Nuevo (http://www.foconuevo.org.au/)... Sue Monk (vocals and guitar) Lachlan Hurse (bass) perform this beautiful Cuban song by Raul Torres.
In these difficult times with this week's announcement of yet another war in the middle east when there is a sense of isolation for progressive organisation, some solace can be found in the way Cuba struggled to overcome the US embargo in the 1990s.
My recording does not do real justice to this performance or the song but I think this is overcome by the honesty of both 'Candil de Nieve' and Jumping Fences' performance of it. Apologies also for the english translation, it needs work.
“Candil de nieve” (English - "Lantern in the Snow")
You need a catatonic, nocturnal escape, a brief wind
To the Eden of one Saturday, where a myopic bird waits to carry you,
From the bad crashes, you cannot escape, lantern in the snow,
The problem is that if you see it blowing onto the petal of another flower
You get angry, you become flushed, lantern in the snow.
Awaken carnation, with dawn you will see the reason
For what you lacked, why it didn’t reach more than your heart.
I don’t think that suffering is the option
That some god gave us to survive;
Don’t blow out the lantern
Or the snow will collapse in the center of your pain.
You need an escape to a true world, of madness
When they come for you, not just the beauty should dazzle you.
Other tears wait for you, as passing anxieties on your journey
And other lighter muses will paint and choose another destiny
Go out to look for them, lantern in the snow.
Candil de Nieve (Español)
Necesitas una fuga, catatónica, nocturna, un viento breve
Al edén de un sábado, donde un ave miope te espera leve,
De las malas colisiones, no te puedes escapar, candil de nieve,
Y es que si lo ves volando sobre el labio de otra flor
Te encolerizas, te ruborizas candil de nieve.
Enciéndete clavel, cuando amanecer veas la razón
De lo que te faltó, luego no alcanzó, más tu corazón.
No pienso que sufrir es aquella opción
Que nos dio algún dios para salvarnos;
No apagues el candil
O la nieve te hunde en el centro del dolor.
Necesitas una fuga hacia un mundo verdadero, de locura
Y cuando vengan por ti no sólo ha de deslumbrarte la hermosura.
Otras lágrimas te esperan cual angustias pasajeras en tu camino
Y otras musas más ligeras pintarán y tocarán otro destino
Sal a buscarlas candil de nieve.
Enciéndete clavel, cuando amanecer veas la razón
De lo que se te dio, luego no alcanzó más tu corazón.
No pienso que sufrir, es aquella opción
Que nos dio algún dios para salvarnos.
No apagues el candil
O la nieve te hunde en el centro del dolor.
Foco Nuevo is the performance project of Jumping Fences, where they have adapted the Latin American peña into their own informal concert held on the First Friday of every month at the Kurilpa Hall in West End, Brisbane.
Original recording of live performance at Foco Nuevo in 2014 by Ian Curr.
Liner notes and photo by Ian Curr
Photo depicts the supermoon in August 2014 over Deadman's Beach on North Stradbroke Island, Queensland.
