Corazón de Hojalata Lyrics (English Translation) – Camilo

The other way around
You have me with your hands where my feet used to go
And on the tightrope you cut my harness
And I was afraid and because I was afraid I fell

and I went looking for you
Under water and without knowing how to swim
And when I died I could breathe
And suddenly I found you again

And the night became light again
And I could see you in the dark

you brought colors
you gave me reasons
I was thirsty
In the middle of the desert

Following your trail I got lost
In the garden labyrinth
My tin heart creaks

I wanted to shoot
My last flare to see it light up
And that no one would come to rescue me
And suddenly I found you again

And the night became light again
The turbulence calmed down again
And I could see you in the dark

you brought colors
you gave me reasons
I was thirsty
In the middle of the desert

Following your trail I got lost
In the garden labyrinth
My tin heart creaks

In the first paragraph, the lyrics describe a reversal of roles, where the beloved has taken a position of control over the narrator, guiding them in a direction they didn’t expect. This imagery of hands where feet should be and cutting a harness on a tightrope signifies a loss of stability and agency, leading to a fall fueled by fear.

The second paragraph depicts the narrator’s desperate search for their beloved, even in perilous situations where they feel out of their depth. Despite the fear and uncertainty, finding their loved one again brings a sense of relief and renewal, as if being reborn into a new life.

The third and fourth paragraphs highlight the transformative power of love, where the presence of the beloved brings light to darkness, colors to a monochrome existence, and reasons to carry on despite adversity. The imagery of being thirsty in the desert symbolizes a profound longing that only love can quench.

The fifth paragraph delves into the narrator’s experience of getting lost while following their beloved’s trail, trapped in a maze of confusion and uncertainty. The metaphor of a tin heart creaking suggests vulnerability and fragility in the face of love’s challenges.

The final paragraph reflects a desire for rescue and redemption, expressed through the imagery of shooting a flare and the relief of finding the beloved once more. It emphasizes the cyclical nature of love’s journey, where turmoil gives way to calm and darkness is replaced by light, echoing the themes of renewal and resilience present throughout the song.