Our Saturday evening practice group listened to this last weekend, and our friend Dabit was on fire with his listening comprehension. Meanwhile with my listening comprehension, it was as though my ears were plugged up with cotton! Listening comprehension is always and forever my weakest skill, which is why I appreciate our Saturday evening practice sessions that focus entirely on listening. If this song sounds familiar to you, that’s because it’s a cover of “Ten Feet Away” by Keith Whitley. As always, Chamorro lyrics and an English translation are included in this post for the song “Dies Pasu Guatu” by the Castro Boyz. Happy listening!

Quick Note: In this song, we decided to interpret it as (mostly) in the past tense.

Chamoru	English
Guiya ha’ gi un lamasa,	It was just her at a table
Annai umá’fakcha’ matan-måmi	When our eyes happened to meet
Hu kåkånta put i piniti-hu,	I was singing about my pain
Ha na’fitme mås inatan-ña	She made her gaze more intense
Hu kåkånta put sinente-ku,	I was singing about my feelings
Guiya duru gumimen	She is the one who continued to drink
I kuåttu gof åsu,	The room is very smokey
Lao annok klåru na parehu prubleman-måmi	But it’s shown clearly that we have the same problem
Guinaiya dies påsu guatu	Love ten feet over there
Ai mohon ya guiya hu tótoktok på’go,	Oh, if only she were the one I were hugging now
Gi un bånda gi fina’homhom	On one side, in a dark place
Guinaiya dies påsu guatu	Love ten feet over there
Humallom yu’ na esta ti u åpmam,	It came to me that already it will not be long
Buenti siña yu’ suette	Probably I can get lucky
Guíguiya guini, esta gof paingi	It’s just her here, it’s already late
Lao pues måttu un estrangeru	But then a stranger arrived
Ha cháchagi para u kombensi,	He was trying to persuade her
Lao i palao’an ti ha attendi	But the woman did not pay attention to him
Ya annai sumuha, ai sen magof yu’,	And when he moved away, oh I was so happy
På’go na puengi, suetti yu’	Tonight I am lucky
Guinaiya dies påsu guatu	Love ten feet over there
Ai mohon ya guiya hu tótoktok på’go,	Oh, if only she were the one I were hugging now
Gi un bånda gi fina’homhom	On one side, in a dark place
Guinaiya dies påsu guatu	Love ten feet over there
Guinaiya dies påsu guatu	Love ten feet over there
Ai mohon ya guiya hu tótoktok på’go,	Oh, if only she were the one I were hugging now
Gi un bånda gi fina’homhom	On one side, in a dark place
Guinaiya dies påsu guatu	Love ten feet over there
Guinaiya dies påsu guatu	Love ten feet over there
Guinaiya dies påsu guatu	Love ten feet over there