10 Inspirational Spanish Songs About Not Giving Up

Author:
Nalini Marquez
Updated date:
Oct 27, 2021

Nalini has an ear for curating good music. Chances are she's made (or will eventually make) a list that fits your musical needs.

Find inspiration in these Spanish songs about overcoming obstacles and not giving up.
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Songs to Help Get Through Hard Times

Music rooted in our cultural backgrounds can help us through the hard times in our lives. Music is one tool that people use to work through difficult emotions. The Latino/a culture has created many incredible songs about overcoming adversity. In order to overcome painful memories, they have taken those memories and turned them into great art. Below you will find songs that remind us to "feel-better," to "keep going," to take in the beauty around us and never forget that "it gets-better." These songs will get you off the ground and on your feet. They will have you dancing, tapping, and overcoming those mountains in no time.

To celebrate this amazing culture, I've created this list of songs about overcoming obstacles Latino style. The list includes lyric excerpts from each of the songs with their corresponding translations. While no translation can ever fully do justice to the original meaning, message, context, and feelings implicit in the original Spanish versions, I've translated the lyrics to try to maintain the integrity of the original language. I've tried to capture the overall message of each song as closely as possible.

These songs are listed in no particular order and are great for those times when the English language is just not enough. So, for those of you who understand Spanish, speak English and Spanish, fall somewhere in between, or have an appreciation of Latin grooves and need a little música to climb that montaña, this one's for you. Wepa!

Spanish Songs for Overcoming Obstacles


Song	Artist
1. "Que Suenan los Tambores"	Victor Manuelle
2. "Pégate"	Ricky Martin
3. "Vivir Mi Vida"	Marc Anthony
4. "Creo en Mi"	Natalia Jiménez
5. "La Vida Es un Carnaval"	Celia Cruz
6. "Llama al Sol"	Tito El Bambino
7. "Echa Pa'lla"	Pitbull featuring Papayo
8. "Como Se Sufre Se Baila"	Pedro Alonso
9. "Vivo La Vida"	Olga Tañon
10. "Madre Tierra (Oye)"	Chayanne

1. "Que Suenan los Tambores," Victor Manuelle

Lyric highlight:

¡Que suenen los tambores!
Ay no te desesperes y ten paciencia
Que todo en la vida viene
No se trata de velocidad, si no resistencia
Para lograr lo que se quiere

Let the drums sound!
Don't despair and have patience
Everything in life comes
It's not about velocity, but resistance
To reach what one wants.

— Victor Manuelle, "Que Suenan los Tambores" (English translation)

2. "Pégate," Ricky Martin

Pa'l dolor pa'l mal de amores
Nada como el repique de mis tambores
Que hay que tirarse a la calle dejando atras los problemas
Que como decia mi madre bailando todo se arregla.

English translation:

For the pain, for love problems
There's nothing like the ringing of my drums
Have to throw oneself to the street leaving problems behind
Like my mother said, everything is fixed with dancing.

— Ricky Martin, "Pégate" (English translation)

3. "Vivir Mi Vida," Marc Anthony

Y para qué llorar, pa' qué
Si duele una pena, se olvida
Y para qué sufrir, pa' qué
Si así es la vida, hay que vivirla, la la lé
Voy a reír, voy a bailar
Vivir mi vida la la la la
Voy a reír, voy a gozar
Vivir mi vida la la la la
Eso!

English translation:

And why cry? For what?
If a sorrow hurts, it is forgotten
And why suffer? For what?
That's how life is. You have to live it.
I'm going to laugh, I'm going to dance
Live my life, la la la la
I'm going to laugh, I'm going to enjoy
Live my life la la la la
That's it!

— Marc Anthony, "Vivir Mi Vida" (English translation)

4. "Creo en Mi," Natalia Jiménez

5. "La Vida Es un Carnaval," Celia Cruz

Todo aquel
Que piense que la vida es desigual
Tiene que saber que no es así
Que la vida es una hermosura
Hay que vivirla
...
Ay, no hay que llorar (No hay que llorar)
Que la vida es un carnaval
Que es más bello vivir cantando
Oh oh oh ay, no hay que llorar (No hay que llorar)
Que la vida es una carnaval
Y las penas se van cantando

English translation:

To everyone
Who thinks that life is unequal
You have to know that it's not like that
That life is a beauty
You have to live it
...
Ay there's no need to cry (no need to cry)
Life is a carnival
It's more beautiful to live singing
Oh oh oh ay, there's no need to cry (no need to cry)
Life is a carnival
And the sorrows go singing.

— Celia Cruz, "La Vida Es un Carnaval" (English translation)

6. "Llama al Sol," Tito El Bambino

Hoy ya no hay lluvia
Salió el sol ya no llorare por ti
Y hoy llama a luna
Y de favor te pido que llame al sol
Que se seque la lluvia y entre el calor
Que se esconda la luna mientras salga el sol
Que quede claro que no llorare
Y menos por una estrella que fuga se fue

English translation:

Today there is no longer rain
The sun came out and I will not cry for you
And today the moon calls
And as a favor I ask that it calls the sun
That the rain dries and that the heat comes in
That the moon hides while the sun comes out
That it is clear, that I will not cry
And even less so for a star whose gas has gone.

— Tito El Bambino, "Llama al Sol" (English translation)

7. "Echa Pa'lla," Pitbull Featuring Papayo

Echa pa'lla, todo lo malo echa pa'lla
Say with me
Echa pa'lla, todo lo malo echa pa'lla
Say loud
Echa pa'lla, todo lo malo echa pa'lla
Say louder
Echa pa'lla, todo lo malo echa pa'lla

English translation:

Throw it that way, all that is bad, throw it it that way
Say with me
Throw it that way, all that is bad, throw it it that way
Say loud
Throw it that way, all that is bad, throw it it that way
Say louder
Throw it that way, all that is bad, throw it it that way

— Pitbull featuring Papayo, "Echa Pa'lla" (English translation)

8. "Como Se Sufre Se Baila," Pedro Alonso

No le tengas miedo
A comenzar de cero
Si quieres vivir tu sueño
Tienes que aceptar el reto
Es una batalla diaria
El que no arriesga no gana
Vivamos con alegría
Bailando todo se sana
Ay Dios
No te me mojes la cara
No te la mojes
Deja ya la tristeza
Como se sufre se baila

English translation:

Don't be afraid
Of having to start from zero
If you want to live your dream
You have to accept the challenge
It's a daily battle
He[/she] who risks nothing, gains nothing
Let's live with happiness
Dancing cures everything
Oh God
Don't wet your face
Don't wet it
Leave the sadness
How one suffers, one dances.

— Pedro Alonso, "Como Se Sufre Se Baila" (English translation)

9. "Vivo la Vida," Olga Tañon

Vivo la vida bailando
Las penas olvidando
Hay fiesta en los corazones
La música
Las penas quitan del alma

English translation:

I live life dancing
Sorrows are forgotten
There is a party in hearts
The music
Sorrows are taken from the soul.

— Olga Tañon, "Vivo la Vida" (English Translation)

10. "Madre Tierra (Oye)," Chayanne

Debes brindar amor para después pedir
Hay que perdonar para poder seguir
Recuerda que tenemos sólo un viaje de ida
Y hay que darle gracias siempre a la vida
A la vida, a la vida
Oye
Abre tus ojos
Mira hacia arriba
Disfruta las cosas buenas que tiene la vida
Abre tus ojos
Mira hacia arriba
Disfruta las cosas buenas que tiene la vida
Lalala lalala lala
Lalala lalala lala
Lalala lalala lala
Lalala lalala lala

English translation:

You should give love to later be able to ask
You have to forgive to be able to follow
Remember that we only have one trip of departure
And we have to always give thanks to life
To life, to life
Hey
Open your eyes
Look up
Enjoy the good things that life has
Open your eyes
Look up
Enjoy the good things that life has
Lalala lalala lala
Lalala lalala lala
Lalala Lalala lala
Lalala lalala lala

— Chayanne, "Madre Tierra (Oye)" (English translation)