El Condor Pasa (If I Could) - Simon & Garfunkel (Song Meaning & Lyrics Explained)

Improve your English with music as I explain the lyrics and meaning of the song El Condor Pasa (If I Could) by Simon and Garfunkel. Transcript at: https://explainedinenglish.com/podcas...

Lyrics Difficulty: ✦✦✧

INTRO:
(00:00) Opening Statement
(00:22) Introduction to "El Condor Pasa"

VERSE ONE:
(01:32) I'd rather be a sparrow than a snail
(03:55) Yes I would, If I could, I surely would

CHORUS:
(04:35) Away, I'd rather sail away
(05:59) Like a swan that's here and gone
(07:31) A man gets tied up to the ground
(10:32) He gives the world its saddest sound

VERSE TWO, THREE, FOUR:
(12:07) I'd rather be a hammer than a nail... [v2]
(13:52) I'd rather be a forest than a street [v3]
(14:52) I'd rather feel the earth beneath my feet [v4]

INTERPRETATION:
(16:19) Interpretation of song meaning
(18:16) More songs at explainedinenglish.com
(18:44) Need English lessons? I'll be your teacher!

[Transcript]

INTRO: (00:21)
"El Condor Pasa" is a Spanish title which means the condor passes, or even, the condor flies by. A condor is a very large type of bird which is commonly seen in the Andes region of South America. The title of the song is in Spanish because the music was written by Daniel Alomía Robles in 1913 and he was a Peruvian. However, the lyrics were written by Paul Simon. One of the lines that you hear very often in the song is "If I could...", which is often used as another title for this song. So, "El Condor Pasa", or "If I Could".

[Transcript continues at:]
https://explainedinenglish.com/podcas...

Website:
https://explainedinenglish.com

Listen to the official music on YouTube:
   • Simon & Garfunkel - El Condor Pasa (I...  

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