El Que Manda Soy Yo Lyrics in English by Victor Muñoz
Ratico is a warm, colloquial diminutive of rato, meaning “a little while” or “a short time.” The ending -ico gives it an affectionate, informal tone, making it especially characteristic of Caribbean and Colombian Spanish.
In the song, “el que manda es un ratico” suggests that being the one in charge only lasts for a little while, adding a playful twist to the song’s confident romantic theme.
Victor Muñoz’s “El Que Manda Soy Yo” (“I’m the one in charge”) plays with the idea of control in a relationship. The speaker insists, “el que manda soy yo” [I’m the one in charge], and says that after an argument, things should go his way. But the boast quickly loses its force when he admits that his heart gets tangled up and that one look from his partner makes him say, “perdóname” [forgive me]. The title sounds bossy, yet the lyrics keep revealing someone who is completely affected by love.
The song is also funny and very domestic. He promises to help with chores, saying he will “te la lavo o te plancho” [wash it for you or iron it], and begs, “no me dejes más” [don’t leave me anymore]. Some lines are playful or garbled in the lyric, but the central idea stays clear: arguments hurt, pride does not last, and love takes over. Near the end, he admits the real authority with “el que manda es el amor” [love is the one in charge]. So his claim to be the boss becomes a teasing confession: he says he rules, while his feelings clearly rule him.
