Camelar is a fantastic Spanish slang verb that means "to sweet-talk," "to woo," or "to seduce." It originally comes from the Caló language of the Spanish Romani people and has been adopted into everyday slang.
In "Me Gustas Tú," Manu Chao includes it in his famous list of things he likes ("Me gusta camelar, me gustas tú"). This adds a playful, charming, and slightly roguish touch to the song, suggesting he enjoys the art of charming and winning someone over.
Get ready for one of the most charming and simple love songs you'll ever hear. Manu Chao isn't writing complicated poetry here; he's just making a list of everything he likes in the world. The list is wonderfully random, including big things like airplanes, “la mar” [the sea], and traveling, and smaller things like “la lluvia” [the rain] and “la guitarra” [the guitar]. After every single item, he adds the most important thing: “me gustas tú” [I like you]. It's a sweet, direct, and repetitive way to say that this person is as wonderful to him as all his other favorite things combined.
But there's a twist of confusion in the middle of this happy list. The singer keeps asking, “¿Qué voy a hacer?” [What am I going to do?] and answering himself in French with lines like “Je ne sais pas” [I don't know] and “Je suis perdu” [I am lost]. It seems like being this in love has left him feeling a little dazed and directionless. The song feels like a global radio broadcast of his feelings, with time checks from Cuba, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, making this simple declaration of love feel like it's bouncing all around the world.
Did you know?
In addition to reading lyric translations, you can now learn Spanish with music and lyrics from your favorite artists.
Yes, including Me Gustas Tu by Manu Chao!
No more boring lessons. You can now learn with engaging and culturally relevant lyrics from the best artists.
