Bordar literally means "to embroider," the beautiful art of decorating fabric with a needle and thread. It's a word you won't find in most pop songs!
Juan Luis Guerra uses it in a stunningly poetic metaphor. He sings about wanting to be a fish so he can "bordar de corales tu cintura" (embroider your waist with corals), imagining a delicate and loving act of decorating her with the treasures of the sea. This unique use of the word transforms a simple caress into a work of art.
This song is one of the most creative love poems you'll ever hear. Juan Luis Guerra, a master from the Dominican Republic, isn't just saying he's in love; he's describing a heart that's completely lost its mind. He calls it a "corazĂłn / Mutilado de esperanza y de razĂłn" (a heart / Mutilated of hope and reason) that loses all control whenever he hears this person's voice. It's a "pobre corazĂłn / Que no atrapa su cordura" (poor heart / That can't hold on to its sanity).
His solution to this love-madness is wonderfully strange: "Quisiera ser un pez" (I would like to be a fish). Why a fish? So he can live in his lover's fishbowl, gently bumping his nose against the glass. He imagines he could "hacer burbujas de amor por dondequiera" (make bubbles of love everywhere) and spend the night "mojado en ti" (wet in you). It's a beautiful, slightly crazy metaphor for wanting to be completely submerged in another person's world, to surround them with affection and satisfy a love he calls a "locura" (madness).
Juan Luis Guerra is a celebrated Dominican musician, singer, composer, and record producer known for his influential role in popularizing merengue and bachata music around the world. Born in Santo Domingo in 1957, he graduated from Berklee College of Music and has since crafted a distinctive style blending traditional Dominican rhythms with jazz, salsa, and Latin pop.
With a career spanning over four decades, Guerra has sold more than 15 million records globally and earned numerous accolades including 28 Latin Grammy Awards and three Grammy Awards. His poetic lyrics and innovative fusion have made hits like "Ojalá Que Llueva Café" and "Bachata Rosa" timeless classics that continue to captivate audiences internationally.