1968 [English translation]

That year may lasted twelve months

you and I were already born

and a very serious man was dying of displeasure.

In the first page of the ABC, 1

the carnations were biting the judges,

Paris was a neighbourhood with accordion,

Marx forbid his children

to be late

to the sweet bonfire of insurrection,

The poetry went out to the streets,

we recognized our faces,

we knew everything was possible

in 1968.

Jean Paul Sartre and Dylan were doing a duet

Lenin and Rimbaud were ringing around the rosies,

the clocks were striking 40ºC of fever,

at Renault they were talking about sex,

two and two never again sumed four,

even De Gaulle had lovesickness,

in the middle of Prage poppies were sprouting

like a red challenge to the grey concrete,

The poetry went out to the streets,

we recognized our faces,

we knew everything was possible

in 1968.

But we couldn't reinvent history,

lady death was chewing gum in Vietnam,

the tanks were stepping over the Prague flowrs,

in Mexico lindo they were shooting to kill

while the Che was digging his grave in Bolivia

Massiel was singing in Eurovision

and my father was getting on time to work

with the white collar and the brown suit.

If now I find that friend

I read in the bottom of his eyes

that now went dry the flowers

of 1968.

The pictures went on strike at the museums,

Paris was red, San Francisco was blue,

a wanderer was chosen mayor

and the Sorbonne was at Kathmandu,

Survive imbecile! It's rock or death

drink coca cola, sing this song

that spring will last too little

that tomorrow is monday and last night it rained.

If now I find that friend

I read in the bottom of his eyes

that now went dry the flowers

of 1968.

1. Spanish newspaper

• Artist:Joaquin Sabina
• Album:Inventario