The next time you head to a Web site that translates text from one language to another for free, keep in mind that these literal resources usually provide only the gist of the words. Consider the funny case of the wily Mexican song “La Bamba.”

Its lyrics:

Para bailar la Bamba

Para bailar la Bamba

Se necesita una poca de gracia

Una poca de gracia y otra cosita

Y arriba y arriba

Ay! Arriba y arriba

Por ti sere, por ti sere, por ti sere

Yo no soy marinero

Yo no soy marinero, soy capitan

Soy capitan, soy capitan

(Hear a Real Audio file of Ritchie Valens’ hit version at http://www.startribune.com/a544.)

freetranslation.com

Free2Professional Translation’s text translator gives us this (oddly retaining many Spanish words): “To dance the Bamba. To dance the Bamba itself necessita a little of grace. A little of grace and another cosita – and up and up. Oh! Up and up. By you I was, by you I was, by you I was. I am not a sailor. I am not a sailor. I am capitan. I am capitan. I am capitan.”

babelfish.altavista.com

Alta Vista’s popular Babel Fish offers this similar effort: “In order to dance the Bamba. In order to dance the necessita Bamba one little of grace. One little of grace and another small thing – and above and above. Ay! It arrives above and. By you sere, you sere, you sere. I am not marine. I am not marine. I am captain. I am captain. I am captain.”

imtranslator.net

Smart Link’s IM Translator goes out on a limb with this: “To dance the Bamba. To dance the Bamba necessita the small one of grace. The small one of grace and cosituated other one – and it arrives and arrives. Moan! It arrives and arrives. For you I will be, for you I will be, for you I will be. I am not seaworthy. I am not seaworthy. I am a captain. I am a captain. I am a captain.”

www.straightdope.com

Cecil Adam’s Straight Dope research staff provides the best translation – and a lesson in using Internet text translators – in an answer to an online question (read it at www.startribune.com/545): “To dance La Bamba. To dance La Bamba, you need to be a little bit funny. A little bit funny and another little thing – get going, get going! Literally “get up and get up’ Ay! Get going, get going. I’ll be for you, I’ll be for you, I’ll be for you. I’m not a sailor. I’m not a sailor, I’m a captain, I’m a captain, I’m a captain.” Straight Dope adds: “What exactly does “La Bamba’ mean? Consider: “Bambolear’ means swinging or swaying, and a “bambollero/bambollera’ is someone who likes to boast (e.g., “I’m not a sailor, I’m a captain!’). The song is a play on words. Spanish words. Perhaps that’s why it’s better left in Spanish.”