Justin Bieber, Luis Fonsi Sing 'Despacito': What Are the English Lyrics?
After Justin Bieber recently messed up the lyrics to Luis Fonsi's chart-topping Spanish-language song "Despacito," the Puerto Rican singer wasn't all that offended: After all, Bieber is Canadian and English is his native tongue. So it was apparently understandable to Fonsi that the pop star fumbled the words.
"That chorus is not easy to sing, even for fluent Spanish singers like myself," Fonsi told Rolling Stone during an interview released Wednesday. "It's got a lot of lyrics, it's kind of tongue-twisty."
"Despacito," which Bieber performed at the nightclub 1 OAK in New York, has maintained its No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for three weeks in a row. It's the first song the 23-year-old has sung in Spanish.
"It's big for Latin music that a global star like Justin Bieber takes the time to do the song, to do it in Spanish," the 39-year-old Fonsi said. "I've done songs in other languages, I know how hard it is."
It seems logical that singers who aren't well-versed in the Spanish language might flub the lyrics to the up-tempo love ballad, especially if they're unsure of the song's translation. So what exactly does "Despacito" mean?
It means slowly.
"I recorded all these little ideas on my phone and I said, 'Hey look, I have this idea to do kind of this fun, up-tempo song, and let's write this real sexy lyric around despacito,' which means slowly. All the things that we're gonna do slowly," Fonsi recently explained to Genius.
On the "Despacito" remix, Bieber starts off singing in English. But as the song continues, he joins in with Fonsi and Reggaeton superstar Daddy Yankee for the chorus, singing," Despacito/Quiero respirar tu cuello despacito/Deja que te diga cosas al oído/Para que te acuerdes si no estás conmigo/Despacito/Quiero desnudarte a besos despacito/Firmo en las paredes de tu laberinto/Y hacer de tu cuerpo todo un manuscrito."
In English, the song's chorus details all the sensual things Fonsi and Bieber want to do slowly, like smelling a person's neck slowly and undressing someone with their kisses:
"I want to smell your neck slowly/Let me whisper things in your ear/So that you'll remember if you're not with me/SlowlyI want to undress you with my kisses, slowly/I sign the walls of your labyrinth/And make your whole body a manuscript."
Later in the song, Bieber joins with rapper Yankee and sings about a blossoming romance developing into something deeper.
"Nos vamos pegando, poquito a poquito/Y es que esa belleza es un rompecabezas/Pero pa' montarlo aquí tengo la pieza/Oye!" he sings, which translates to, "We start sticking, little by little/And such beauty is a prize/But to solive it here I have the piece/Listen."
Check out the full English translation to "Despacito" below, and here for the original lyrics in Spanish.
[Intro: Justin Bieber]
Come on over in my direction
So thankful for that, it's such a blessin', yeah
Turn every situation into heaven, yeah
Oh, you are
My sunrise on the darkest day
Got me feelin' some kind of way
Make me wanna savor every moment slowly, slowly
You fit me, tailor-made love, how you put it on
Got the only key, know how to turn it on
The way you nibble on my ear, the only words I wanna hear
Baby, take it slow so we can last long
[Verse 1: Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee]
Oh, you, you are the magnet and I'm the metal
I keep getting closer and building up the plan
Just thinking about it raises my heartbeat
Oh, yeah
I, I'm already liking you more than usual
All my senses are asking for more
This needs to be taken with no hurry
[Chorus: Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber]
Slowly
I want to smell your neck slowly
Let me whisper things in your ear
So that you'll remember if you're not with me
Slowly
I want to undress you with my kisses, slowly
I sign the walls of your labyrinth
And make your whole body a manuscript
(Hop on, hop on, hop on!
Hop on, hop on!)
[Bridge 1: Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee]
I want to see your hair dance
I want to be your rhythm
And you show my mouth
Your favorite places
(Favorite, favorite, baby)
Let me surpass your danger zones
To make you scream
And you forget your last name
[Verse 2: Daddy Yankee]
If I ask you for a kiss, come, give it to me
I know that you're thinking about it
I've been trying for a while
Baby, this is giving and giving it
You know that your heart with mine makes you go bang-bang
You know that she is looking for my bang-bang
Come, taste from my mouth to see what it tastes like
I want to, I want to, I want to see how much love you can take in
I am not in a hurry, I want to take the trip
Let's start slow, then wild
[Bridge 2: Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber]
Step by step, smooth and gentle
We're sticking together, little by little
When you kiss me with such skill
I see that you're malice with tenderness
Step by step, smooth and gentle
We start sticking, little by little
And such beauty is a puzzle
But to solve it here I have the piece
Listen!
[Chorus: Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber]
Slowly
I want to smell your neck slowly
Let me whisper things in your ear
So that you remember if you're not with me
Slowly
I want to undress you with my kisses, slowly
I sign the walls of your labyrinth
And make your whole body a manuscript
(Hop on, hop on, hop on!
Hop on, hop on!)
[Bridge 1: Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee]
I want to see your hair dance
I want to be your rhythm
And you show my mouth
Your favorite places
(Favorite, favorite, baby)
Let me surpass your danger zones
To make you scream
And you forget your last name
[Verse 3: Luis Fonsi]
Slowly
This is how we do it down in Puerto Rico
I just wanna hear you screaming, "Oh my god!"
I can move forever when it is with you
Dance!
[Bridge 3: Daddy Yankee, Luis Fonsi & Justin Bieber]
Step by step, smooth and gentle
We're sticking together, little by little
You show my mouth
Your favorite places
(Favorite, favorite, baby)
Step by step, smooth and gentle
We're sticking together, little by little
Until we provoke screams (Fonsi)
And you forget your last name (D.Y.)
Slowly
