Tranquilo Majete Lyrics in English Celtas Cortos

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Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Tranquilo Majete by Celtas Cortos from Spanish to English.

If in the land of the Croats

The whole crowd is trading blows

If in Somalia they're dying like rats

As you see on television

If in Spain unemployment's rise

Is already hitting the third million

And if the countryside is going to sh*t

And power reeks of corruption

Relax, don't get nervous, relax

Relax, buddy, in your armchair

If today AIDS is a close cousin

That makes love very doubtful

If the draft screws everyone

And refusal is a crime

If in Latin America they kill

The natives without compassion

If the Amazon kicks the bucket

And if pollution increases

Relax, don't get nervous, relax

Relax, buddy, in your armchair

If studying's worth little

When you're looking for a job

If bars get closed early

Because we have to be 'europedos'

If to rent a house

You have to pawn a kidney

If there're no parks or bike lanes

And there's only pollution

Relax, don't get nervous, relax

Relax, buddy, in your armchair

Relax, don't get nervous, relax

Relax, buddy, in your armchair

Relax, don't get nervous, relax

Relax, buddy, in your armchair

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empeñar un riñón — to pawn a kidney

Empeñar un riñón is a fantastic Spanish idiom that literally means "to pawn a kidney". It's a humorous and dramatic way to say that something is extremely expensive, forcing you to give up something vital.

In this song, the band uses it to criticize the high cost of living, singing that to rent a house, "tienes que empeñar un riñón". Learning vivid, hyperbolic expressions like this is a great way to understand cultural humor and make your Spanish sound much more natural.

Picture yourself flicking through the news, bombarded by wars, pollution and unemployment, yet someone next to you keeps repeating tranquilo majete — "relax, buddy." This song is a sharp, witty collage of the world’s troubles: conflicts in far-off countries, the AIDS crisis, political corruption, skyrocketing rent and even the early closing of bars. Celtas Cortos line up these grim headlines one after another, only to undercut them with that laid-back refrain, turning calmness into pure sarcasm.

By contrasting serious problems with a carefree "stay cool" attitude, the band criticises the passive comfort of watching chaos from an armchair. It’s a musical nudge that asks: will you stay seated or get involved? Behind the catchy melody lies a call to wake up, leave the sofa and start changing the channel — not on the TV, but on reality.

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Celtas Cortos Tranquilo Majete Lyrics