El Jefe Lyrics in English by Shakira, Fuerza Regida

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Below, I translated the lyrics of the song El Jefe by Shakira 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

Seven thirty, the alarm has rang

I want to be in bed

But it's not possible

Lit: But it can not be done

I take the kids at nine

The same coffee, the same kitchen

The same as always, the same routine

Or: The same old thing, the same routine

Another shitty day

Another day at the office

Chorus 1

I have a shitty boss who doesn't pay me well

I arrive walking and he in a Mercedes-Benz

Or: I arrive on foot and he (arrives) in a Mercedes-Benz

He has me as a recruit

The very son of a b*tch

You're dreaming of leaving the neighborhood

You have everything to be a millionaire

Expensive tastes, the mentality

You only lack the salary

Verse 2

The bills accumulate, being poor is garbage

Or: The bills pile up, being poor is trash

Mom always told me that studying ensures everything

I studied and nothing happened, damn life so hard

Or: I studied and nothing happened, damn tough life

I work harder than a b*stard, but I f*ck less than a priest

What irony, what madness, this yes is torture

You kill yourself from sunrise to sunset and don't even have a deed

They say that there's no evil that lasts more than a hundred years

But there's still my ex-father-in-law who doesn't step into the grave

Chorus 2

I have a shitty boss who doesn't pay me well

I arrive walking and he in a Mercedes-Benz

He has me as a recruit

The very son of a b*tch

You're dreaming of leaving the neighborhood

You have everything to be a millionaire

Expensive tastes, the mentality

You only lack the salary

Chorus 3

You have a shitty boss who doesn't pay you well

You arrive walking and he in a Mercedes-Benz

Or: You arrive on foot and he (arrives) in a Mercedes-Benz

He has you as a recruit

The very son of

I'm dreaming of leaving the neighborhood

I have everything to be a millionaire

Expensive tastes, the mentality

I only lack the salary

Lilly Melgar, this song is for you, because they didn't pay you your compensation

Lilly Melgar is Shakira's ex-employee, nanny for her children

Another party, as always, f* it

Outro

You're dreaming of leaving the neighborhood

You have everything to be a millionaire

Expensive tastes, the mentality

I only lack the salary

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indemnización — severance pay / compensation

Indemnización is a formal word for the compensation or severance pay an employer owes an employee when they are fired without cause. It's a very unusual and specific word to find in a pop song!

Shakira uses it to call out a real-life injustice, dedicating the song to her children's nanny, Lilly Melgar, who was allegedly fired without receiving her indemnización. This single word transforms the song from a general complaint about a bad boss into a powerful anthem for workers' rights.

Ever woken up to an early alarm, looked at your morning coffee, and realized you hate your job? Colombian superstar Shakira teams up with Fuerza Regida to vent about the daily grind in "El Jefe" (The Boss). The song jumps straight into the harsh reality of the working class with lines like "Yo llego caminando y él en Mercedes-Benz" (I arrive on foot and he comes in a Mercedes-Benz). It points out the bitter joke of being broke despite doing everything right: "Mamá siempre me decía que estudiar todo asegura / Estudié y nada pasó" (Mom always told me that studying guarantees everything / I studied and nothing happened). There is even time for petty personal digs, like wishing an ex-father-in-law would finally pass away ("ahí sigue mi ex-suegro que no pisa sepultura").

The track is full of everyday slang and sharp cultural humor. The chorus brings the punchline: "Tienes todo pa' ser millonario / Gustos caros, la mentalidad / Sólo te falta el salario" (You have everything to be a millionaire / Expensive tastes, the mindset / You only lack the salary). Shakira calls her boss an "hijo de puta" (son of a bitch) and says he treats workers like a "recluta" (a basic military recruit). Near the end, she gives a direct shout-out to a real person, dedicating the track to Lilly Melgar with "para ti esta canción, que no te pagaron la indemnización" (this song is for you, because they didn't pay your severance pay). It turns everyday financial frustration into pure, unfiltered energy.

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Shakira El Jefe Lyrics