In this particular tune, there is a passage in what I guess is Spanish. It goes as follows:
El vienticinco de agosto
Abrio sus ojos Jaime Fearnley
Pero el bebe cinquante Gin-campari
Y se tendio para cerrarlos
Y Costello el rey del America
Y suntuosa Cait O Riordan
Non rompere mes colliones
Los gritos fuera de las casas
I think he’s making refernce to a couple of his bandmates as well as Elvis Costello. Can somebody please help with translation?
There are a number of errors in spelling and (apparently) in tense, and the accents are missing, which makes it a little difficult. However, I would translate it as:
The 25th of August
Jaime Fearnley opened his eyes
But he drinks 50 Gin Camparis
And he stretched out to close them [his eyes]
And Costello the king of America
And sumptuous Cait O Riordan
[The next line is so poorly spelled I’m not sure what is meant, especially “colliones,” which may possibly indicate “cojones,” or balls: “He will not break my balls,” perhaps.]
The cries [yells] outside of the house
It doesn’t make a lot of sense, but that’s it seems to say.
Sorry, the last line should be “The cries outside of the houses.” Also, the next to last line could also be “She will not break my balls,” perhaps referring to Cait O Riordan.
Colibri’s translation is the same as the one I always heard.
James Fearnley was the Pogues’ accordion player.
Elvis Costello is, well, Elvis Costello, and he produced Rum, Sodomy and the Lash.
Cait O’Riordain is (was?) Elvis Costello’s wife or ex-wife, and she was a singer in the bad during their first two albums, Red Roses for Me and Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash.
This site backs up Colibri’s translation.
Thanks, folks! Y’all answered me question.
Looks like the problem with the next-to-last line is that it’s Italian instead of Spanish, colliones being the same as Spanish cojones.
She’s his ex-wife now.