Mercedes Sosa

Confined to a clinic in Argentina, this great singer and champion of the people is asking for a miracle in order to stay with us.

It may not be true, this legend I heard of her, that the Argentine government banned her from singing this song by Leon Gieco. She was on stage at the Plaza de Cinco de Mayo in Buenas Aires, which was packed with people. Police snippers were on the rooftops as well as around the srage. She motioned to the band to start up the song and Sosa stood silent before the microphone, listing to the immense crowd sing the lyrics.

I was told this by my Puerto Rican compatriots when we were all in the holding cell in Vieques in 2001, awaiting transport fo the Federal prison in San Juan. Even if was only a legend, the story kept us strong.

Thank you for your courage, hermana, your songs will never die.

Spanish
Sólo le pido a Dos
Sólo le pido a Dios
que el dolor no me sea indiferente,
que la reseca muerte no me encuentre
vacío y solo, sin haber hecho lo suficiente.

Sólo le pido a Dios
que lo injusto no me sea indiferente,
que no me abofeteen la otra mejilla,
después que una garra me arañó esta suerte.

Sólo le pido a Dios
que la guerra no me sea indiferente,
es un monstruo grande y pisa fuerte
toda la pobre inocencia de la gente.

Sólo le pido a Dios
que el engaño no me sea indiferente,
si un traidor puede más que unos cuantos,
que esos cuantos no lo olviden fácilmente.

Sólo le pido a Dios
que el futuro no me sea indiferente,
desahuciado está el que tiene que marchar
a vivir una cultura diferente.

Sólo le pido a Dios
que la guerra no me sea indiferente,
es un monstruo grande y pisa fuerte
toda la pobre inocencia de la gente.


English
All I ask of God

All I ask of God

That pain does not leave me indifferent,
And that parched death will not find me
Alone and empty not having done sufficient.

All I ask of God
That I not be indifferent to injustice
That they won’t slap my other cheek,
After their talon has scraped away my luck.

All I ask of God
That I not be indifferent to war,
It’s a big monster which crushes
All the poor innocence of the people.

All I ask of God
That I am be indifferent to deceit,
If a traitor can do more than the masses,
Then let not the masses forget him easily.

All I ask of God
That i am not indifferent to the future,
Hopeless is he who has to go away
To live a different culture.

All I ask of God
That i am not indifferent to war,
It’s a big monster that crushes
All the poor innocence of people.