Frente A Frente Lyrics in English by Natanael Cano
Ternura translates to "tenderness" or "affection". It's a beautiful and evocative word that captures a delicate emotion.
In the context of this song about a fading love, the line "Poca ternura" (Little tenderness) highlights the painful absence of affection that once existed. It's a poignant word that underscores the emotional distance between the two people, making it particularly impactful.
The whole song hangs on one verb. "Queda" (What's left) opens stanza after stanza, and each time it introduces a shorter inventory: "Qué poco queda" (How little is left), then "De nuestro amor apenas queda nada" (Of our love, hardly anything is left), then "Apenas ni palabras quedan" (Barely even words remain). A breakup counted out like loose change.
What makes it sting is how polite the ending is. Nobody shouts. There is "Un gesto amable" (A kind gesture), offered "Para no hacer la vida insoportable" (So as not to make life unbearable), and the occasional kiss the lyric itself admits is forced. The title line does the rest: "Frente a frente bajamos la mirada" (Face to face, we lower our eyes), because "ya no queda nada de qué hablar" (there is nothing left to talk about). Natanael Cano is singing a 1981 Spanish pop ballad over corrido guitars, and the fit is better than it sounds on paper. The song was always about two people who have run out of material.
