Comment from Zi

Aw!! this is the only villancico i remember from my childhood years spent in spain. I only remembered the first verse and chorus and sing this all the time haha! Very catchy! thanks for reviving it for me. Feliz Navidades!

Comment from Rachel

Only slightly irritating with the high pitched voices, but it’s actually quite catchy

Comment from Luke de Juan de Urbieta

I actually have a student called Belen….I might have to loosen up the old vocal chords and surprise her with this one! At a slightly lower pitch though!

Comment from Jenny

I totally agree Ben. Tacky! But so it seems are all the Spanish-style villancicos. I just want to say thank you to you and Marina for providing me with a wonderful classroom resource – yes, I’m a Spanish teacher using your podcasts in my lessons. If you see a customer in Norfolk that’s probably one of mine! Well done for an excellent idea, and I hope to meet you one day in Madrid! I feel like I know you already! Feliz Navidad.

Comment from Ron

I love how it says “Christmas Merry” on the shop sign.

Comment from Ariane

Ben, I share your former opinion. I like Spain for many things, but no one can touch the traditional Christmas carols that I’ve been singing since childhood.

Hah at “Christmas Merry.” Nice eye, Ron.

Comment from Cate

En México también este villancico, junto con “Peces en el rio”, es efectivamente uno de los más populares. ¡Como extraño la navidad mexicana! Muchas veces me había preguntado cómo se diría en español palabras como “tacky”, “cheesy” and “corny”. No sé si “hortera” se entendería en América Latina. Voy a probarlo durante mi próxima visita a México.

Comment from Patti Wood

Ah. Couldn’t you have found a longer version?!?!

Comment from Mother Theresa

More than “hortera”, I would call it “cursi” (corny), but whatever you call it, it is part of Christmas here.

Comment from Amie

MUY HORTERA! Pero es muy divertido conocerla y compartirla con mis estudiantes. Gracias y Feliz Navidad.

Comment from Jane

Very refreshing to hear childrens’ voices : so clear and happy. the tune is catching. Saludos para los dias de fiesta toB,M and all the staff on notes in spanish

Comment from leo

Very nice and long christmas song!

Comment from Anne

Notice you didn’t need to translate ‘vino’.

Comment from Indira

Wow, que buena cancion!

Comment from Indira

Marina, tengo algo que preguntar, necesito a tus consejos. por favor

Comment from Pat

A Marina le gusta Joaquin Sabina aquí está una canción diferente de Navidad http://youtu.be/JmakJea1LwQ
y un enlace al articulo y las palabras http://www.elpais.com/articulo/cultura/olor/zambomba/Serrat/Sabina/elpepucul/20111212elpepucul_6/Tes

Happy Christmas!

Comment from Claire

I love the villancicos, but this is a rather tacky version. They are better unaccompanied or sung in the Flamenco style as in the Gypsy Kings version of Los Peces en el Rio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zv0eDhQLOk In our village we sing them in the bar on Christmas Eve afternoon, and the locals are very impressed when I join in!

Comment from Stephen Walkley

Sorry to be dense but what does Sobre mean in this context? “Campana sobre campana, y sobre campana uno.”

Bell on bell and on one bell, doesnt make a lot of sense (i know it is only a song! and doesn’t need to make sense!)

Comment from Ben

Thanks for all the comments!

@Stephen, good point, I’ll ask Marina to ‘chime in’ on the bells question when she gets a moment, but I guess it just means bells ringing all over the place!

Comment from marina

@Pat

Gracias por los links Pat, no había escuchado el villancico de Sabina y Serrat aún.

@Claire,
A mi también me gustan los villancicos en versión flamenca. El otro día estuve escuchando una versión de Camarón de la Isla de “A Belén Pastores” en Spotify.

@Stephen,

I’m sorry but the meaning is not very clear to me either. I guess they are referring to the fact that the bells are ringing non stop because of the birth of Jesus.

Comment from Bella

Great carol! I’ve never heard that one before. My favourite Spanish carol is El Tamborilero or El Niño del Tambor (Little Drummer Boy).

Comment from marilyn

A mí me gustó mucho

Comment from Marie Barnes

We’re having a fun, crafty Friday making ornaments in my primary special education class tomorrow. This cute song will be the background music. I have a student in the Autistic Spectrum who loves anything international. I also have a son living in Madrid. I swear, I’ll start my Spanish lessons again in January. Gracias, Ben y Marina.
Marie

Comment from Mercedes

LLevo viviendo en Filadelfia muchísimos años y este villancinco me transportó a la Navidades de mi infancia en Madrid. De hortera nada, me ha encantado escucharlo, casi se me saltan las lágrimas!