The singer is Mercedes Sosa an Argentina freedom fighter …


The words are …

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
Me dio dos luceros, que cuando los abro,
It gave me two bright stars, which when I open them,
Perfecto distingo lo negro del blanco
Perfectly distinguish black from white
Y en el alto cielo su fondo estrellado
And in the tall sky its starry backdrop,
Y en las multitudes el hombre que yo amo
And within the multitudes the one that I love.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
Me ha dado el oído que en todo su ancho
It gave me hearing that, in all of its reach
Graba noche y día, grillos y canarios,
Records night and day crickets and canaries,
Martillos, turbinas, ladridos, chubascos,
Hammers and turbines, bricks and storms,
Y la voz tan tierna de mi bien amado
And the tender voice of my beloved.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
Me ha dado el sonido y el abecedario;
It gave me sound and the alphabet.
Con el las palabras que pienso y declaro:
With them the words I think and declare:
Madre, amigo, hermano, y luz alumbrando
“Mother,” “Friend,” “Brother” and light shining down on
La ruta del alma del que estoy amando
The road of the soul of the one I’m loving.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
Me ha dado la marcha de mis pies cansados;
It gave me the steps of my tired feet.
Con ellos anduve ciudades y charcos,
With them I have traversed cities and puddles
Playas y desiertos, montañas y llanos,
Valleys and deserts, mountains and plains.
Y la casa tuya, tu calle y tu patio
And your house, your street and your garden.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
Me dio el corazón que agita su marco
It gave me this heart that shakes its frame,
Cuando miro el fruto del cerebro humano,
When I see the fruit of the human brain,
Cuando miro al bueno tan lejos del malo,
When I see good so far from evil,
Cuando miro al fondo de tus ojos claros
When I look into the depth of your light eyes…

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Thanks to life, which has given me so much.
Me ha dado la risa y me ha dado el llanto
It gave me laughter and it gave me tears.
Así yo distingo dicha de quebranto,
With them I distinguish happiness from pain
Los dos materiales que forman mi canto,
The two elements that make up my song,
Y el canto de ustedes que es mi mismo canto,
And your song, as well, which is the same song.
Y el canto de todos que es mi propio canto
And everyone’s song, which is my very song.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto

from Wikipedia:

“Gracias a la vida” (English: Thanks to life) is the name of a song composed and first performed by Chilean musician Violeta Parra, one of the artists who set the basis for the movement known as Nueva Canción. It was released in Las Últimas Composiciones (1966), the last album Parra published before committing suicide in 1967.

The song is one of Parra’s most renowned and is performed through the world, and remains as one of the most covered Latin American songs in history.

Legendary folk singer Joan Baez brought the song to the American audiences in 1974 when she included a cover of the song on her Spanish language album of the same name. It remains a concert staple of Baez’s to this day. A well-known cover by prominent Mercedes Sosa has been regarded as her “signature song”[1].

Finnish singer Arja Saijonmaa recorded this song in both Finnish (Miten voin kyllin kiittää) and Swedish (Jag vill tacka livet). Her Swedish interpretation is one of the most well-known of her Swedish-language oeuvres.

Canadian singer/songwriter Nancy White recorded her English translation (with permission of Warner Chappell Music Argentina (SADAIC))on her 1998 Borealis cd “Gaelic Envy”.

One of the artists most associated with “Gracias a la vida” is the Argentine singer Mercedes Sosa. “Gracias a la vida” became something of a personal anthem for Sosa and was a constant in all of her performances up until her death.

 

Haydée Mercedes Sosa, known as La Negra, (9 July 1935[1] – 4 October 2009) was an Argentine singer who was popular throughout South America and some countries outside the continent. With her roots in Argentine folk music, Sosa became one of the preeminent exponents of nueva canción. She gave voice to songs written by both Brazilians and Cubans. She was best known as the “voice of the voiceless ones”.[2]

Sosa performed in venues such as the Lincoln Center in New York City, theThéâtre Mogador in Paris and the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, as well as sell-out shows in New York’s Carnegie Hall and the Roman Coliseum during her final decade of life. Her career spanned four decades and she has been the recipient of several Grammy awards and nominations, including three nominations which will be decided posthumously. She served as an ambassador for UNICEF.