Cypress Hill

Los Grandes Exitos en Espanol

(Ruffhouse)

by Steve Lichtenstein

It’s true that I endured seven years of Spanish classes during my school days. Sure, there was conjugation after conjugation, instructional tourist videos, inane vocabulary lessons, dreadful final exams. Still, none of the teaching was geared towards interpreting Cypress Hill’s greatest hits in Spanish. Perhaps in a better world.

But, if all I did learn from those often horrible days of classes was how to say “I want to get high” ("Yo Quiero Fumar") or insane in the brain ("Loco en el Coco"), I’d be satisfied. Alas, even with the seven wasted years of knowledge behind me, most of Los Grandes Exitos en Espanol eludes me. I can’t understand more than the titles which are translated, and if you think Spanish speakers speak rapidly, imagine them rapping.

Being largely unfamiliar with the English versions of most of these songs, aside from “Yo Quiero Fumar” and “Loco en el Coco” (I’m sorry, “I Want to Get High” and “Insane in the Brain"), it’s difficult to gauge how faithful these versions are to the more US popular English versions.

All in all, however, it’s a more than interesting mix, and rest assured: “marijuana” is universal. 

Related articles
Cypress Hill: Greatest Hits From The Bong

Review: Cypress Hill: Greatest Hits From The Bong

Pierre Hamilton

13.Mar.06

You can't call it Greatest Hits From The Bong and forget all the songs that introduced me and my generation to joys of smoking pot.

 

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