Translating songs: Methods, strategies and a didactic proposal

Abstract

There is very little literature in translation and musicology that focuses on the translation of song lyrics. However, this type of subordinate translation poses exciting challenges and activates specific translation strategies that deserve to be studied in greater depth. This study offers a broad perspective on the specific challenges that the translation of songs represents. Awareness of these problems is a key factor for professionals striving to succeed in such an endeavor. Firstly, we examine the different positions of the experts who have studied the field of song translation throughout history, as well as the different modalities of music translation. The characteristics and difficulties presented by this kind of subordinate translation are then analyzed. Secondly, the musical work The Stranger Song by Leonard Cohen, versioned in Spanish as Canción del Extranjero by Nacho Vegas, is the focus of our study and the song used to exemplify the translation methodology proposed. A practical analysis of the song is carried out both from a translational and a musicological perspective with special emphasis on the musical, metrics and translation strategies used by the translator. Finally, we also present a translation teaching methodology that facilitates the musical-translation analysis conducted in the classroom.