Tanto Lyrics in English by Jesse & Joy, Luis Fonsi
Cursilería is a fantastic Spanish word for "cheesiness" or "corniness," perfectly describing anything that is overly sentimental or cliché in a romantic way.
In "Tanto," the singer admits, "Tanta cursilería, me suele incomodar" (So much cheesiness, it tends to make me uncomfortable). This is ironic because the whole song is an incredibly sweet and heartfelt declaration of love, showing just how much the other person has changed them.
Have you ever loved someone so fiercely that trying to put it into words makes you feel completely silly? That is the exact dilemma in "Tanto" by Mexican pop duo Jesse & Joy, teaming up with Puerto Rican star Luis Fonsi. Joy kicks things off by admitting she is hard to read: "Tú dices que soy imposible de descifrar / Callada, reservada y temperamental" ("You say I'm impossible to decipher / Quiet, reserved, and moody"). She confesses that "hablar de sentimientos a mí no se me da" ("talking about feelings isn't really my thing"), using the everyday phrase no se me da to show she simply lacks the knack for emotional speeches. Fonsi mirrors her awkwardness right back, complaining that "Tanta cursilería, me suele incomodar" ("So much cheesiness usually makes me uncomfortable"). In Spanish, cursilería refers to that overly sweet, cheesy romantic stuff that makes shy people cringe. Yet, despite their shared dread of sappy declarations, both decide to try anyway.
What follows is an honest, slightly panicked confession: "Te amo tanto / Tanto que no sé explicarlo / Tanto que hasta yo me espanto" ("I love you so much / So much that I don't know how to explain it / So much that even I scare myself"). The word espanto literally means to be terrified or spooked, which is a delightfully dramatic way to describe falling head over heels. To solve their word shortage, they turn to impossible math. They tell each other, "Cuenta todas las estrellas y súmale una más" ("Count all the stars and add one more"), before Joy playfully ups the stakes: count every star, add all the freckles on her face ("Súmale todas mis pecas"), and right when you think you are close, toss in one more. It is an adorable pop duet about two emotionally clumsy people who would rather count freckles and galaxies than write a traditional love poem.
