La Bicicleta Lyrics in English Shakira , Carlos Vives

Below, I translated the lyrics of the song La Bicicleta by Shakira from Spanish to English.
These lyrics have verified word for word translations. Click any lyric word to see the translation and hear the pronunciation!
Verse 1
I will do nothing
Digging in the wounds of the past
Or: Searching through the wounds of the past
I'm not going to lose
I don't want to be a guy from the other side
In your way, uncomplicated
On a bike that takes you everywhere
A desperate vallenato
Vallenato, along with cumbia, is a popular folk music genre of Colombia
Chorus 1
A little letter that I keep where I wrote to you
That I dream of you and that I love you so much
That for a while, my heart is
Beating for you, beating for you
The one that I keep where I wrote to you
That I dream of you and that I love you so much
That for a while, my heart is
Beating for you, beating for you
Verse 2
I can be happy
Walking relaxed among people
I want you like this
And I like you because you're different
In my way, disheveled
Despelucado means disheveled, when your hair is messy. Another similar word in Spanish is 'despeinado'
On a bike that takes me everywhere
A desperate vallenato
Vallenato primarily comes from Colombia's Caribbean region
Chorus 2
A little letter that I keep where I wrote to you
That I dream of you and that I love you so much
That for a while, my heart is
Beating for you, beating for you
The one that I keep where I wrote to you
That I dream of you and that I love you so much
That for a while, my heart is
Beating for you, beating for you
Verse 3
She is the favorite, the one who sings in the area
She moves her hips like a boat on the waves
She has bare feet like a child who is adored
And her long hair is a sun that you crave
She likes to be told that she's the girl, the girl
She likes to be watched when she dances alone
She likes more the home, that the hours don't pass
She likes Barranquilla, she likes Barcelona
Barranquilla is the capital district of Atlántico Department in Colombia. Barcelona is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain.
Bridge 1
Take, take me on your bicycle
Listen to me, Carlos, take me on your bicycle
I want us to travel that area together
From Santa Marta to La Arenosa
Santa Marta is a city in Colombia. La Arenosa (meaning The Sandy) is another name given to Barranquilla, a large city in Colombia, located near the Caribbean Sea.
Bridge 2
Take, take me on your bicycle
So that we play bola-'e-trapo there in flip-flops
Bola-'e-trapo is the name of a traditional game of Barranquilla (city of Colombia). It's basically soccer played in the streets. Can be baseball too.
Because if some day you show Pique the Tayrona
The Tayrona National Natural Park is an area in the Colombian northern Caribbean region
After he won't want to go to Barcelona
Prechorus
In my way, uncomplicated
On a bike that takes me everywhere
A desperate vallenato
Vallenato literally means 'born in the valley'
Chorus 3
A little letter that I keep where I wrote to you
That I dream of you and that I love you so much
That for a while, my heart is
Beating for you, beating for you
The one that I keep where I wrote to you
That I dream of you and that I love you so much
That for a while, my heart is
Beating for you, beating for you
Outro 1
Take, take me on your bicycle
Listen to me, Carlos, take me on your bicycle
Because if some day you show Pique the Tayrona
Pique is Shakira's long term partner. He is a football player, who plays for FC Barcelona.
After he won't want to go to Barcelona
Outro 2
Take, take me on your bicycle
Listen to me, Carlos, take me on your bicycle
Because if you show my Pique the Tayrona
After he won't want to go to Barcelona
Did you like this lyrics translation?

despelucado — disheveled / with messy hair

Despelucado literally means 'disheveled' or 'having messy hair', creatively originating from the root word for wig (peluca).

It is a fun, highly descriptive adjective that perfectly captures the carefree feeling of riding a bicycle and letting the coastal wind mess up your hairstyle. In the lyrics, it paints a vivid picture of a relaxed journey and highlights the laid-back, uncomplicated vibe of the song.

Shakira and Carlos Vives invite you on a sun-soaked bike ride along Colombia’s Caribbean coast. 🇨🇴🚲 La Bicicleta celebrates living descomplicado - free of past wounds, hair in the wind, heart beating to vallenato rhythms. Each pedal stroke is a promise of love, friendship, and pride in hometown treasures such as Barranquilla, Santa Marta, and the dazzling Tayrona National Park.

The lyrics feel like a handwritten note tucked in your pocket: I dream of you, I love you so much. Between playful shout-outs to Shakira’s partner Piqué and vivid images of dancing hips, the song blends romance with cultural sightseeing. Its message is clear: true happiness lies in simple moments, local music, and a trusty bicycle that can carry you - and your beloved - absolutely everywhere.

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