Mercedes Sosa (July 9, 1935 – October 4, 2009) can be remembered as one of the most memorable, famous, and great singers of the 20th century. She was known as “La Negra” — the Black One, symbolizing the fact that she often sang for and with, giving voice to, those that are “darker,” and “blacker” –who are now expendable in a global structure, silenced and shunned.
She spent much of her life in prison, then had to live in exile from her homeland because of her leftist views. She united many music aficionados across South America and in Europe by singing her native Argentinian folk songs as well as those of Cuba and Brazil, often singing of heartache. longing in their connection to loss, politics, and cultural survival.
Here, the video is one of my favorite songs by her: Todo Cambia, (Everything Changes).
I thank Nancho21 who uploaded this nice video on Youtube and I offer an edited version of the translation below the video.
What is superficial changes
What is profound also changes
The mind changes
Everything changes in this world.
The traveler changes his way
Even if this harms him
And just like everything changes
That I change is not strange
Change, everything changes
Change, everything changes
The sun changes its path
When the night prevails
The plants change and dress
in green in Spring
The beast changes its fur
The old man changes his hair
And just like everything changes
That I change is not strange
Change, everything changes
Change, everything changes
But my love does not change
Regardless of the distance
or the memory or the pain
Of my land and my people
What changed yesterday
Will have to change tomorrow
Just as I change
In this distant land
Everything changes
Everything changes
Everything changes
Everything changes
AI NO KO 