Si Nos Dejan Lyrics in English by José Alfredo Jiménez
Terciopelo translates to "velvet". It's a luxurious and descriptive word that isn't heard in everyday conversation or most songs, making it quite unique and memorable.
In this classic romantic song, the lyrics paint a picture of an idyllic escape: "Hacemos con las nubes terciopelo" (We make velvet with the clouds). This beautiful imagery suggests creating a soft, comfortable, and dreamlike haven, emphasizing the depth of their love and desire for a perfect world together. It's a poetic choice that truly elevates the romantic sentiment.
Imagine telling someone that you could build a whole life together, but there is one giant condition hanging over both of you: outside permission. In "Si Nos Dejan", Mexican songwriter José Alfredo Jiménez leans into that exact tension. The entire track hangs on that repeated phrase, "Si nos dejan" ("If they let us"). He does not specify who they are. It could be disapproving families, noisy neighbors, or society itself. Regardless, the narrator dreams of packing up and slipping away to "un mundo nuevo" ("a new world") where nobody gets in the way. He insists to his love, "podemos ser felices todavía" ("we can still be happy"), which lets you know things have probably been rocky up to this point.
From there, Jiménez goes completely over the top with sweet, cosmic daydreaming. He promises to find "un rincón cerca del cielo" ("a corner close to heaven") and craft "con las nubes terciopelo" ("velvet out of the clouds"). Velvet clouds sound slightly ridiculous if you think about it literally, but that is the charm of classic Regional Mexican romance. He wraps it up with the affectionate pet name "corazón" (literally "heart," used here like "sweetheart" or "darling") and makes a simple pact: "De todo lo demás nos olvidamos" ("We forget about everything else"). It is a song about running away together and leaving the critics behind.
