Octavo Día Lyrics in English by Shakira
Perdición is a powerful word that translates to "perdition," "ruin," or "damnation." It's a dramatic, almost biblical term that carries much more weight than a simple word like "fin" (end).
In this song's unique story, Shakira imagines God becoming disillusioned and abandoning humanity. She sings, "Sería nuestra perdición" (It would be our ruin), to describe the dire consequences of this departure. Using such a strong, theological word to explore a modern social critique makes it a fascinating and memorable part of the lyrics.
Have you ever wondered what would happen if God took a day off? In "Octavo Día," Shakira imagines exactly that. The story starts on the eighth day, when God decides to take a well-deserved break and goes for a walk in space. But when he returns, he finds the world in an "desorden infernal" [infernal mess] and, in a brilliant twist, becomes just another unemployed person wandering the streets, hoping for someone to talk to.
While God is forgotten, the world keeps spinning, and Shakira says a powerful few are controlling the rest of us "como fichas de ajedrez" [like chess pieces]. She even jokes that if God gets too lonely and leaves for good, our only option would be to "adorar a Michael Jackson / A Bill Clinton o a Tarzán" [worship Michael Jackson / Bill Clinton or Tarzan]. It's a sharp, funny look at a world that seems to value celebrity and power more than anything else, leaving even God himself feeling like a "rey sin corona" [king without a crown].
