A few weeks back our practice group listened to the song “Guam Bomb” by KC DeLeon Guererro, and here are the lyrics we transcribed with the English translation. In this particular song, we are reminded in a humorous way of the benefits of owning an older car, even if it isn’t the prettiest. 🙂
| Chamoru | English |
| Guam Bomb i karetå-hu, sesso’ yu’ di ma kassi | My car is a Guam Bomb, they often tease me |
| Tinake’ i sanhilo’ yan daloggai i santåtte | The top is rusted and the back is dented |
| Ya este na karetå-hu måttu gi ti bunitu* | And this my car has arrived at a state of not being pretty* |
| Lao bai hu nå’i si Yu’os gråsia na ti hu didibi i bangku | But I will give God grace that I do not owe the bank |
| Pues maila ya en hingok este på’go na estoriå-hu | Then come and all of you listen to my story |
| Humuhuyong put un kareta ni ilek-ña Guam Bomb på’go | It’s coming out because of one car that they say now is a Guam Bomb |
| Ya sesso’ i manhoben, sesso’ yu di ma kassi | And often the young people, they often tease me |
| Na Guam Bomb i karetå-hu lao tåya bångku hu didibi | That my car is a Guam Bomb, but there is no bank that I owe |
| Guam Bomb i karetå-hu, sesso’ yu’ di ma kassi | My car is a Guam Bomb, they often tease me |
| Tinake’ i sanhilo’ yan daloggai i santåtte | The top is rusted, and the back is dented |
| Ya este na karetå-hu måttu gi ti bunitu | And this my car has arrived at a state of not being pretty* |
| Lao bai hu nå’i si Yu’os gråsia na ti hu didibi i bangku | But I will give God grace because I do not owe the bank |
| Ai guaha karetå-hu sesso’ en li’e gi kanton chålan | Ai, I have a car that you all often see on the side of the road |
| Sa’ an tåya’ gasolina siempre ha’ en sångan na mayulang | Because when there is no gasoline, surely you all say that it’s broken |
| Ya sesso’ i manhoben, sesso’ yu di ma kassi | And often the youth, they often tease me |
| Na Guam Bomb i karetå-hu lao tåya bångku hu didibi | That my car is a Guam Bomb, but there’s no bank that I owe |
| Guam Bomb i karetå-hu, sesso’ yu’ di ma kassi | My car is a Guam Bomb, they often tease me |
| Tinake’ i sanhilo’ yan daloggai i santåtte | The top is rusted, and the back is dented |
| Ya esti na karetå-hu måttu gi ti bunitu | And this my car has arrived at a state of not being pretty* |
| Lao bai hu nå’i si Yu’os gråsia na ti hu didibi i bangku | But I will give God grace because I do not owe the bank |
| Ya på’go i manhoben gof yan-niha i karetan nuebu | And nowadays the young people really like the new cars |
| Lao an Bietnes tåftåf an oga’an siha mamifila gi bångku | But when it is Friday early in the morning they are the ones lining up at the bank |
| Ya sesso’ yu di ma stani*, sesso’ yu di ma kassi (one time!)* | And they often joke at me, they often tease me (one time!) |
| Ilek-hu i Guam Bomb i karetå-hu lao tåya’ bångku hu didibi | I say my car is a Guam Bomb, but there is no bank that I owe |
| Guam Bomb i karetå-hu, sesso’ yu’ di ma kassi | My car is a Guam Bomb, they often tease me |
| Tinake’ i sanhilo’ yan daloggai i santatte | The top is rusted, and the back is dented |
| Ya este na karetå-hu måttu gi ti bunitu | And this my car has arrived at a state of not being pretty* |
| Lao bai hu nå’i si Yu’os gråsia na ti hu didibi i bangku | But I will give God grace because I do not owe the bank |
| Lao bai hu nå’i si Yu’os gråsia na ti hu didibi i bangku | But I will give God grace because I do not owe the bank |
Notes
Guam Bomb: A really junky car; think of it as a car that runs, but not much else.
Ya este na kareta-hu mattu gi ti bunitu: Essentially, he is saying that his car is not pretty. With the addition of matto gi ti bunitu we interpreted this as meaning that the car is already in a state of not being pretty.
Stani: This is a shortened version of ossitani which means “to joke at”
One time!: For this phrase, one of the women in our practice group gave the context of being the driver of the car, taking your friends around who are joking about your car. It’s in the sense of “You get to tease me, but just one time! Because I’m the driver here.”
Lengguahi-ta 