Vuelve Lyrics in English Shakira
Mordido hasta los codos literally translates to "bitten my elbows." This is a vivid and somewhat grotesque idiom in Spanish, used to express extreme anguish, frustration, or desperation.
In the song, Shakira uses this phrase to convey the depth of her suffering and longing for her lost love, singing "Que de angustia me he mordido hasta los codos" (That from anguish I've bitten my elbows). It's a memorable and unique way to describe being at one's wit's end.
“Vuelve” finds Colombian superstar Shakira painting a larger-than-life picture of heartbreak. She stacks vivid images of decay and loneliness – from being “fría como una estatua de sal” to feeling “como Alejandro Magno sin su espada” – to show just how empty life feels without her lost love. All those crumbling monuments, defeated conquerors, and deserted explorers become metaphors for her own ruined spirit.
But beneath the dramatic comparisons beats a simple, urgent plea: come back. The chorus repeats “Vuelve, vuelve,” while she catalogs the everyday toll of separation – calloused feet, bitten elbows, a sinking boat. The moment her lover returns, “se viste de verde el corazón,” and hope sprouts again like fresh spring leaves. In short, the song turns history and mythology into a heartfelt postcard that says: my world is falling apart without you, so hurry home and revive it.
