Coplas are traditional Spanish folk songs or poetic verses, often telling passionate stories of love and suffering. This word is special because it connects the song to a rich history of Spanish musical tradition, especially flamenco.
In the lyrics, the singer imagines singing "coplas viejas" (old folk songs) to their lost love. This evokes a deep sense of nostalgia and a timeless, culturally-rooted romance, making it a perfect word for anyone learning Spanish through music.
This song is a masterclass in feeling two things at once: total heartbreak and wild hope. Buika starts by describing a world where even the jasmine flowers cry, but she can't understand how her lover's eyes can be a "desierto" [desert]. She's been deeply hurt by this person's pride, singing that "No habrá nadie en el mundo / Que cure la herida que dejó tu orgullo" [There will be no one in the world / Who can cure the wound your pride left]. The most confusing part for her is how someone who gave her so much love can now be the source of so much pain. It's a feeling of total bewilderment.
But even with this incurable wound, she hasn't given up. The second half of the song is a powerful fantasy about what will happen when her lover returns. She plans to sing them old songs about love and suffering, and then, in a burst of passion, promises, "te como a besos" [I'll eat you with kisses]. She imagines them flying high together and time itself stopping. It’s this incredible switch from deep, incurable pain to an intense, physical longing for reunion that makes the song so powerful.
Concha Buika is a Spanish singer from Palma de Mallorca, born to Equatoguinean parents, whose voice moves effortlessly between intimacy and fire.
Her sound blends flamenco, copla, jazz, soul, and pop, creating a fearless fusion that critics celebrate for its emotional depth. She broke through with Mi Niña Lola and followed with Niña de Fuego (nominated for Latin Grammy Album of the Year) and La Noche Más Larga (Grammy nominee).
In 2009 she recorded El Último Trago with Cuban piano legend Chucho Valdés, a tribute to Chavela Vargas that won the Latin Grammy for Best Traditional Tropical Album.
Buika’s songs have appeared in Pedro Almodóvar’s film The Skin I Live In, and she continues to tour globally with genre-crossing projects.