Not from here, nor from there

These days while visiting my parents, Rodolfo Enrique Cabral Camiñas, known in the art world as Facundo Cabral, who at the time defined himself as a "first-class vagabond,” came back to my ears. He could tell stories with his guitar, which I believe is lacking in our days, for he taught while talking and stroking his guitar, and this without necessarily singing.

I took the liberty of translating an introduction he made live at a concert when he played his famous song: "No soy de aquí, ni soy de allá" (I'm not from here, nor am I from there). The video is on YouTube, and it was impossible for me to find the date and place of the concert, but I think the introduction is not to be missed.

“I like those who are silent, and I like those who sing, and from so much walking with me, I like what happens to me.

“Things like this happen to me, even though it's of no importance, to go around telling everyone, all the things that happen.

“Because one does not live alone. and what happens to you, is happening to the world, only reason and cause.

“For everything is so perfect, because God is perfect, that some star moves, when I pluck a flower, that’s why if there is one, there are two.

“I knew about the devil, the night I said no to the hungry one, that night I also knew, that the devil is the son of God.

“I walk through life alone, with a tone and dominant modestly cantor, with no pretense of teaching, because if the world is round

I don't know what it is to go forward.

“Walking and walking, always walking, nothing more than walking, I did not come to explain to the world, I only came to play.

“I don't want to judge the man, 

I want to tell man my condition is life, and my way to sing, singing and telling about life, is my way of walking.

“One day I arrived in Tandil, and I met an old man, who for lack of intelligence he was very wise.

“I asked him about Jesus, one night to the nice old man, and right there I met him when he handed me a mirror.

“I dance to my song, and not the one they play for me, I am not freedom, but I am the one who provokes it.

“If I already know the way, why am I going to walk on the side, if I like freedom, why am I going to live as a slave?”

“To choose, I always choose more than for me, for my brother, and if I have chosen to be an eagle, it was for love of the worm.

“I prefer to continue on foot, and not on a borrowed horse, someone for an apple forever in debt always arrives first, the one who goes more unloaded.

“The day I die, there will be no need to use the scales,  because watching over a singer, a milonga is enough.

“I turn my face to the enemy, my back to the good commentary, because he who accepts flattery begins to be dominated, the man caresses the horse to ride him.

“I'm sorry if I got carried away, and I got morose, no one can give advice, there's no man that's that old.

“I put the sun on my shoulder, and the world is yellow.

“I like to walk, but I don't follow the path, for the sure thing has no more mystery.

“I like to go in the summer far away, but to return to my mother's in winter, and see the dogs that never forgot me, and the horses and the hugs my brothers give me, I like it, I like it, I like it, I like it....”