Julián Lyrics in English by Joan Sebastian
A capo y coda is a musical term that literally means "from the beginning to the end" (capo means head/beginning, coda means tail/end). It's a unique and interesting phrase to find in song lyrics, especially outside of a purely musical context.
In this song, Joan Sebastian uses it metaphorically to tell his son Julián to "dance it, enjoy it from beginning to end" in reference to the waltz he wrote for him. It beautifully conveys the idea of fully experiencing and savoring life's important moments, like his graduation and wedding day.
Joan Sebastian wrote this one straight to his son. He opens by admitting that even after “Aunque escribí mil canciones” [though I've written a thousand songs], he still hadn't managed to say “Lo que yo siento por ti” [what I feel for you]. So instead of explaining it, he turns it into a vals, something to actually dance to, and tells him exactly when to use it: “Báilalo, disfruta a capo y coda” [dance to it, enjoy it start to finish], “En tu graduación y el día de tu boda” [at your graduation and on your wedding day].
The second half turns the song from a birthday gift into something closer to a will. “Dios fue muy bueno conmigo” [God was very good to me], he sings, for the honor of “ser padre y tu amigo” [being your father and your friend]. Then he says flatly that he'll be at both future days regardless: “Desde algún rincón, te miraré bailando” [from some corner, I'll watch you dance]. He's picturing a future he might not get to see in person, so he wrote the waltz to cover it either way.
