So I was set to work on another song today, but as I sat down to work on it YouTube suggested this song to me, and after watching it I knew I had to move it to the front of the line. This video just really grabbed me. With everything going on right now the message spoke to me, and the imagery is very well done. I love how it starts in black and white, and I especially love the moment it moves to color. I hope it speaks to you as well.

Inspired by the separations that Covid-19 has caused, Luis Fonsi wanted to provide hope, and the idea that this difficulty will pass. His April 30th Instagram post introducing the song said “Los girasoles nunca dejan de girar” Una promesa de que todo pasará (“Sunflowers never stop turning” A promise that everything will pass). At the end of the video he says “Cuando yo pienso en un girasol, yo pienso en alegría, yo pienso en esperanza, en vitalidad,  y una canción así tan simple, guitarra, voz, que al final del día lo que habla es de amor. Es como lo que necesitamos ahora mismo.” (When I think about a sunflower, I think about happiness, I think about hope, about vitality, a song this simple, guitar, voice, that at the end of the day speaks about love. It’s what we need right now.)

But just a word of warning for those who only know Luis Fonsi from “Despacito”. This isn’t the Luis Fonsi we saw in that song. This is a return to old-school, ballad singing Luis Fonsi.

About the Artist

Luis Alfonso Rodríguez López-Cepero, who performs under the name Luis Fonsi, is a singer/songwriter and actor from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Even at a young age he showed an interest in and aptitude for music, joining the San Juan children’s choir when he was only three. When he was 10 his family moved from Puerto Rico to Orlando, Florida. During high school he was part of a group called “Big Guys” that performed locally. Joey Fatone, who would later be a part of *NSYNC, was also a part of the group. In 1995 he attended the School of Music at Florida State University on a full scholarship, where he was part of the Florida State University Singers, the university choir. He also sang with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. He dropped out to pursue a career in music, and a short time later landed a contract with Universal Music Latin.

In 1998 he released his first album entitled Comenzaré (I Will Begin). The album was a hit across Latin America and reached number 11 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. In 2002 he released an album in English entitled Fight the Feeling, and he opened for Britney Spears in her Dream Within a Dream Tour. While his earlier albums were popular in Latin America, his sixth album Paso a Paso introduced him into international markets, having debuted at number one on the charts. His seventh album Palabras del Silencio did even better, not only debuting at number one, but staying there for many weeks. One of the songs from this album, “No Me Doy por Vencido”, was Luis Fonsi’s first appearance on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 92. It also reached number one on the Billboard Hot Latin Tracks chart, and spent 21 weeks at number one on the Hot Latin Songs chart. It remains one of his biggest hits, and was Billboard’s “Latin Pop Song of the Decade”.

Luis Fonsi’s biggest hit to date came in January of 2017 when he released “Despacito” featuring Daddy Yankee. The official video on YouTube reached one billion views after just 97 days, the second-fastest video to do so behind “Hello” by Adele. It was also the first YouTube video to reach five billion views, achieving this in April, 2018. As of February 2020 “Despacito” was up to more than 6.7 billion views, making it the most-watched YouTube video ever. In April 2017 an English remix was released featuring Justin Bieber. The week of May 27, 2017 the remix reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for 16 consecutive weeks, making it the longest reigning number one song in the chart’s history. It was also the first number one song on this chart for both Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, and the first Latin song to hit number one since “Macarena”in 1996. The remix also had more than 20 million views in 24 hours. As of 2018 “Despacito” had broken seven Guinness World Records and sold more than 11 million records.

Luis Fonsi has won numerous awards. Among them are his first Latin Grammy Award for Song of the Year for the song “Aquí Estoy Yo”, which also won three Billboard Latin Music Awards. “Despacito” won four Latin Grammy Awards, seven Billboard Latin Music Awards and five Billboard music Awards. His 2017 duo with Demi Lovato, entitled “Échame la Culpa” won Song of the Year at the Latin American Music Awards in 2018. Billboard named him “Leader of Latin Music’s new Generation” in 2019.

He has performed at numerous large events. In 2003 he performed at Miss World 2003 in China. In May 2000 he performed in front of Pope John Paul II at the Great Jubilee Concert for a Debt-Free World. Among other artists, he performed at the White House to honor September 11 victims. He performed at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert honoring recipient Barack Obama in December of 2009 in Oslo. In 2019 he performed at both the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and at the opening ceremony of the 1019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

He has been a coach for The Voice and The Voice Kids in numerous Latin American countries, and in 2019, was a coach for the first Spanish season of Telemundo’s La Voz (The Voice).

Biographical information from Wikipedia (English and Spanish)

Cultural References, Idioms and Explanations

‘tener que’ – While by itself the verb ‘tener’ means ‘to have’, when followed by ‘que’ it means to have to do, for example ‘tengo que irme’ (I have to leave), or ‘tienes que hacer tus deberes’ (you have to do your homework).

‘ir a’ – The verb ‘ir’ means ‘to go’. As in English, when this verb is used with a place, it implies movement towards that place. But when it is used with another verb, it implies that that action will be preformed in the future. For example ‘I am going to the store’ ‘(voy a la tienda’) vs ‘I am going to read’ (‘voy a leer’).

‘dejar de + infinitive’ – While the verb ‘dejar on its own means ‘to leave’, ‘dejar de’ followed by an infinitive means ‘to stop doing’ something (the action of the infinitive verb). For example ‘dejar de girar’ means ‘to stop turning’.

‘agua’ – This is a feminine noun meaning ‘water’, however it is somewhat unique. As the word begins with an initial stressed ‘a’, the singular form is proceeded by ‘el’ and ‘un’ rather than ‘la’ and ‘una’.

‘cuando vuelvas’ – The verb ‘volver’ in this sentence is in the subjunctive tense. The reason for this is that the present subjunctive is typically used following ‘cuando’ when the verb refers to an action or state of being that has yet to occur.

‘con la certeza’ – Although ‘certeza’ means ‘certainty’, in this context ‘con la certeza que respiro’ I feel that ‘as sure as I breathe’ is a better and more natural translation than “with the certainty that I breathe’.

‘la lluvia y la flor’ – Although the word ‘flor’ or ‘flower’ in this phrase is in the singular form, the phrase seems to refer to flowers in general. Since in English it is not natural to use singular nouns in generalizations, I have translated it in the plural form.

‘florecer’ – This phrase can mean either ‘to flower’ or ‘to bloom, or ‘to flourish’ or ‘to prosper’. Though I would normally translate references to people in the latter manner, as the comparison was made to rain and flowers, I have used the former translation in this context.

‘verse’ – Literally meaning ‘to see oneself’, this phrase means ‘to look’ or ‘to seem’ as in having the appearance of. For example ‘te ves cansado’ means ‘you look tired’.

Song Lyrics with Grammatical Breakdown

Mouse over a term for grammatical information. A chart of the terms and grammatical information can be found here.

Girasolesgirasolsunflower | noun | masc pl

[Verse 1]
Comocomolike, as since | adv lalathe | def art | fem sing lunalunamoon | noun | fem sing yyand | conj elelthe | def art | masc sing solsolsun | noun | masc sing
Quequethat, than | conj hastahastauntil; even | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing nochenochenight | noun | fem sing siempresiempreevery time, whenever, always | adv tienentenerto have | verb | third pers pl present | tener que = to have to quequethat, than | conj esperaresperarto wait | verb | infin
Aunqueaunqueeven though, although, even if | conj nononot | adv estásestarto be | verb | sec pers sing pres hoyhoytoday; nowadays, now | adv aato, into, by | prep mimimy | poss adj | masc and fem sing ladoladoside | noun | masc sing
YoyoI | pron | first pers sing sésaberto know | verb | first pers sing pres quequethat, than | conj tútúyou | pron | sec pers sing vasirto go | verb | sec pers sing pres | ir a + infin = to be going to do aato, into, by | prep llegarllegarto reach, arrive | verb | infin
Loslosthe | def art | masc pl girasolesgirasolsunflower | noun | masc pl nuncanuncanever | adv dejandejarto let, allow; to leave | verb | third pers pl pres | dejar de + infin = to stop doing dedefrom, of | prep girargirarto spin, turn, twirl | verb | infin
Comocomolike, as since | adv enenin, on, during | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing orillaorillaedge, bank, shore | noun | fem sing delde + elfrom the, of the | prep + def art | masc sing marmarocean, sea | noun | masc sing
Elelthe | def art | masc sing aguaaguawater | noun | fem | fem nouns with initial stressed 'a' are preceeded by 'el' vienevenirto come | verb | third pers sing pres conconwith | prep cariciascariciastroke, pat, caress; pet | noun | fem pl quequethat, than | conj sesehimself, herself, itself, themselves | pron | reflex, third pers sing vanirto go | verb | third pers pl pres | irse = to leave
YoyoI | pron | first pers sing sésaberto know | verb | first pers sing pres muymuyvery, too, greatly, highly | adv bienbienwell; very | adv quequethat, than | conj tútúyou | pron | sec pers sing teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing fuisteirto go | verb | sec pers sing pret | irse = to leave
Tútúyou | pron | sec pers sing sabessaberto know | verb | sec pers sing pres bienbienwell; very | adv quequethat, than | conj volverásvolverto return, come back | verb | sec pers sing fut
Loslosthe | def art | masc pl girasolesgirasolsunflower | noun | masc pl nuncanuncanever | adv dejandejarto let, allow; to leave | verb | third pers pl pres | dejar de plus infin = to stop doing dedefrom, of | prep girargirarto spin, turn, twirl | verb | infin

[Chorus]
Teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing esperaré,esperarto wait | verb | first pers sing fut teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing esperaréesperarto wait | verb | first pers sing fut
Yyand | conj cuandocuandowhen | adv | followed by subj when referring to an action or state of being that has yet to occur vuelvasvolverto return, come back | verb | sec pers sing subj conconwith | prep ununa | indef art | masc sing beso,besokiss | noun | masc sing aquíaquíhere, now | adv estaréestarto be | verb | first pers sing fut
Teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing esperaré,esperarto wait | verb | first pers sing fut teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing esperaréesperarto wait | verb | first pers sing fut
Conconwith | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing certezacertezacertainty, conviction | noun | fem sing quequethat, than | conj respiro,respirarto breath | verb | first pers sing pres teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing amaréamarto love | verb | first pers sing fut
Porqueporquebecause | conj aunqueaunqueeven though, although, even if | conj sésaberto know | verb | first pers sing pres quequethat, than | conj tútúyou | pron | sec pers sing teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing fuisteirto go | verb | sec pers sing pret | irse = to leave
Tútúyou | pron | sec pers sing sabessaberto know | verb | sec pers sing pres bienbienwell; very | adv quequethat, than | conj volverásvolverto return, come back | verb | sec pers sing fut
Loslosthe | def art | masc pl girasolesgirasolsunflower | noun | masc pl nuncanuncanever | adv dejandejarto let, allow; to leave | verb | third pers pl pres | dejar de plus infin = to stop doing dedefrom, of | prep girargirarto spin, turn, twirl | verb | infin

[Verse 2]
Comocomolike, as since | adv lalathe | def art | fem sing lluvialluviarain | noun | fem sing yyand | conj lalathe | def art | fem sing florflorflower | noun | fem sing
Unaunaa, an | indef art | fem sing tormentatormentastorm | noun | fem sing puedepoderto be able to | verb | third pers sing pres hacertehacer + teto do, to make + you | verb + pron | infin florecerflorecerflower, bloom; flourish, prosper | verb | infin
Yyand | conj cuandocuandowhen | adv yayanow, already | adv sesehimself, herself, itself, themselves | pron | reflex, third pers sing calmacalmarto calm, pacify | verb | third pers sing pres | calmarse = to calm down, quiet down elelthe | def art | masc sing vientovientowind | noun | masc sing
Másmásmore, plus | adv lindalindopretty, beautiful; cute, sweet | adj | fem sing tútúyou | pron | sec pers sing teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing vasirto go | verb | sec pers sing pres | ir a + infin = to be going to do aato, into, by | prep ververto see | verb | infin | verse = to look, to seem (appearance)
Aquíaquíhere, now | adv estaré,estarto be | verb | first pers sing fut yoyoI | pron | first pers sing sésaberto know | verb | first pers sing pres quequethat, than | conj tútúyou | pron | sec pers sing vasirto go | verb | sec pers sing pres | ir a + infin = to be going to do aato, into, by | prep volvervolverto return, come back | verb | infin

[Chorus]
Teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing esperaré,esperarto wait | verb | first pers sing fut teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing esperaréesperarto wait | verb | first pers sing fut
Yyand | conj cuandocuandowhen | adv | followed by subj when referring to an action or state of being that has yet to occur vuelvasvolverto return, come back | verb | sec pers sing subj conconwith | prep ununa | indef art | masc sing beso,besokiss | noun | masc sing aquíaquíhere, now | adv estaréestarto be | verb | first pers sing fut
Teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing esperaré,esperarto wait | verb | first pers sing fut teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing esperaréesperarto wait | verb | first pers sing fut
Conconwith | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing certezacertezacertainty, conviction | noun | fem sing quequethat, than | conj respiro,respirarto breath | verb | first pers sing pres teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing amaréamarto love | verb | first pers sing fut
Porqueporquebecause | conj aunqueaunqueeven though, although, even if | conj sésaberto know | verb | first pers sing pres quequethat, than | conj tútúyou | pron | sec pers sing teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing fuisteirto go | verb | sec pers sing pret | irse = to leave
Tútúyou | pron | sec pers sing sabessaberto know | verb | sec pers sing pres bienbienwell; very | adv quequethat, than | conj volverásvolverto return, come back | verb | sec pers sing fut
Loslosthe | def art | masc pl girasolesgirasolsunflower | noun | masc pl nuncanuncanever | adv dejandejarto let, allow; to leave | verb | third pers pl pres | dejar de plus infin = to stop doing dedefrom, of | prep girargirarto spin, turn, twirl | verb | infin

[Outro]
Hoyhoytoday; nowadays, now | adv quequethat, than | conj teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing hehaberto have | verb | third pers sing pres | aux verb used with the pp in the pret perf vistoverto see | verb | pp volvervolverto return, come back | verb | infin
Milmilone thousand | adj girasolesgirasolsunflower | noun | masc pl teteyou, to you, yourself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, sec pers sing esperaronesperarto wait, wait for | verb | third pers pl pret ala + elto the | prep + def art | masc sing llegarllegarto reach, arrive | verb | infin
Nononot | adv preguntaronpreguntarto ask, inquire | verb | third pers pl pret dóndedóndewhere | adv estabasestarto be | verb | sec pers sing imperf
Peroperobut | conj girarongirarto spin, turn, twirl | verb | third pers pl pret sinsinwithout | prep pensarpensarto think | verb | infin
Igualigualthe same, alike, identical | adj | masc and fem sing quequethat, than | conj yo,yoI | pron | first pers sing nuncanuncanever | adv dejarondejarto let, allow; to leave | verb | third pers pl pret dedefrom, of | prep esperaresperarto wait | verb | infin
Loslosthe | def art | masc pl girasolesgirasolsunflower | noun | masc pl nuncanuncanever | adv dejandejarto let, allow; to leave | verb | third pers pl pres | dejar de plus infin = to stop doing dedefrom, of | prep girargirarto spin, turn, twirl | verb | infin

Lyrics with Translation

Songs in any language often leave room for multiple interpretations. Following is my interpretation of the song lyrics.

Girasoles
Sunflowers

[Verse 1]
Como la luna y el sol
Like the moon and the sun
Que hasta la noche siempre tienen que esperar
That always have to wait until night
Aunque no estás hoy a mi lado
Although you are not by my side today
Yo sé que tú vas a llegar
I know you’re going to arrive
Los girasoles nunca dejan de girar
Sunflowers never stop turning
Como en la orilla del mar
Like at the seahore
El agua viene con caricias que se van
The water comes with caresses that go away
Yo sé muy bien que tú te fuiste
I know very well that you left
Tú sabes bien que volverás
You know very well that you’ll come back
Los girasoles nunca dejan de girar
Sunflowers never stop turning

[Chorus]
Te esperaré, te esperaré
I’ll wait for you, I’ll wait for you
Y cuando vuelvas con un beso, aquí estaré
And when you come back with a kiss, I’ll be here
Te esperaré, te esperaré
I’ll wait for you, I’ll wait for you
Con la certeza que respiro, te amaré
As sure as I breathe, I will love you
Porque aunque sé que tú te fuiste
Because even though I know you left
Tú sabes bien que volverás
You know very well that you’ll come back
Los girasoles nunca dejan de girar
Sunflowers never stop turning

[Verse 2]
Como la lluvia y la flor
Like rain and flowers
Una tormenta puede hacerte florecer
A storm can make you bloom (flourish)
Y cuando ya se calma el viento
And when the wind calms down
Más linda tú te vas a ver
You’re going to look prettier
Aquí estaré, yo sé que tú vas a volver
I’ll be here, I know you’re going to come back

[Chorus]
Te esperaré, te esperaré
I’ll wait for you, I’ll wait for you
Y cuando vuelvas con un beso, aquí estaré
And when you come back with a kiss, I’ll be here
Te esperaré, te esperaré
I’ll wait for you, I’ll wait for you
Con la certeza que respiro, te amaré
As sure as I breathe, I will love you
Porque aunque sé que tú te fuiste
Because even though I know you left
Tú sabes bien que volverás
You know very well that you’ll come back
Los girasoles nunca dejan de girar
Sunflowers never stop turning

[Outro]
Hoy que te he visto volver
Now that I’ve seen you come back
Mil girasoles te esperaron al llegar
A thousand sunflowers waited for you on your arrival
No preguntaron dónde estabas
They didn’t ask where you were
Pero giraron sin pensar
But they turned without thinking
Igual que yo, nunca dejaron de esperar
Just like me, they never stopped waiting
Los girasoles nunca dejan de girar
Sunflowers never stop turning