El Viento Lyrics in English Manu Chao

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Below, I translated the lyrics of the song El Viento by Manu Chao from Spanish to English.

These lyrics have verified word for word translations. Click any lyric word to see the translation and hear the pronunciation!

Verse 1

The wind comes, the wind goes

Across the border

Or: Along the border

The wind comes, the wind goes

For no reason

Along the road, along the road

Verse 2

Hunger comes, the man goes

Across the border

Hunger comes, the man goes

When will he come back?

Along the road, along the road

Verse 3

Here comes the man across the border

Or: The man is already coming along the border

Here comes hunger, for no reason

Or: Hunger is already coming for no reason at all

Death comes, luck goes

Across the border

Death comes, luck goes

When will it return?

Along the road, along the road

Verse 4

The hunger is already coming across the border

Here comes the man, Babylon Route

Or: The man is already coming, Ruta Babylon

Along the road, along the road

Death comes, luck goes

Across the border

Verse 5

Death comes, luck goes

When will it return?

Along the road, along the road

The hunger is already coming across the border

Here comes the man, Babylon Route

Along the road, along the road

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frontera — border

Frontera literally translates to "border". It's a key word in the music of Manu Chao, who often sings about themes of migration, movement, and globalization.

In "El Viento," the frontera is the physical and symbolic line that is crossed by the wind, by a man, and even by abstract forces like hunger (el hambre) and luck (la suerte). It represents a place of constant transition and struggle, making it a powerful and essential word to unlock the song's deeper message.

Feel the gusts of change! Manu Chao’s “El Viento” paints a vivid picture of life on the move, where wind, hunger, people, luck, and even death drift back and forth across invisible borders. The repeating lines create a hypnotic rhythm that mirrors constant migration: the wind blows in, the wind blows out; the hungry arrive, the men depart. Through this cycle, Manu Chao highlights the uncertainty faced by those forced to travel “por la frontera” and “por la carretera,” suggesting that survival is often left to chance while nations decide who may come and who must go.

At the heart of the song lies a sharp social commentary. Each element—wind, hunger, man, death, luck—feels unstoppable, yet none have a permanent home. This clever parallel hints that political boundaries cannot contain natural forces or human needs. By repeating the question “¿Cuándo volverá?” the singer underlines the anxiety of separation and the hope for return. “El Viento” is therefore both a protest anthem and a poetic reminder that movement is part of the human condition, urging listeners to empathize with those who travel the Babylon road in search of a better tomorrow.

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Manu Chao El Viento Lyrics