Abre La Puerta

The Bird Sings Oral Tradition Song Library

Abre La Puerta

A fantastic, infectious and upbeat community singing anthem in Spanish from Glen Phillips. This song is best done with guitar but can be effective without as well.

A great version of this song is available on Lisa’s community singing album, Spirit Found Us.

Composer & Copyright

Original song by Glen Phillips.

Recording

Recording by Glen Phillips with Lisa G. Littlebird, used with permission.

 

Lyrics

Part I:
Abre
 la puerta
 
Part II:
Que entre la vida
Que entre el sol
Que entre la tierra
En el corazon
 
Part III:
Somos los ojos
Los ojos de Dios

Chords

capo 3rd fret

Main Part: Am C G Am
Somos los ojos: C G G Am / C G G E

Teaching Notes

This is perhaps the easiest Spanish song I know of for teaching in community… singers of all levels of experience tend to pick it up quickly. It works well to teach parts 1 and 2 and play with those till they are solidified, then teach singers to listen for the chord change as a cue for part 3 and teach that. When simplifying the song harmonies can be taken out of part 1 and 3, and the final, wordless descant could be added by the songleader if the singers are holding their own on parts 1 and 2.

This recording is in the key of C minor. I sometimes share this song in lower keys by lowering or removing the capo.

5

Level of teaching speed/ difficulty (1 = very easy, 10 = very challenging)

7 Comments
  • Uwe Böhm

    Grossartiges Lied, das mir seit Tagen nachläuft und sehr geeignet ist, mich fröhlich zu machen. Vielen herzlichen Dank !!
    Great song that has been following me for days and is very suitable to make me happy. Many many thanks !!

  • Emma Trenorden

    Our song circle is loving this song with its beautiful layers. Once we’re singing it we don’t want to stop…

  • Giulietta Garland

    Thank you for this. I’ll be teaching this to my 3rd graders for The Day of the Dead. I so appreciate this site!

  • Gabriele

    Beautiful song. Thank you.

  • Jean Turrell

    How about a translation?

    • lauraleanalle@gmail.com

      Abre la puerta: Open the door
      Que entre la vida: that enters life
      Que entre el sol: that enters the sun
      Que entre la tierra: that enters the earth
      En el corazon: in the heart
      Somos los ojos: we are eyes
      Los ojos de Dios: the eyes of God

  • Arianna Husband

    Lisa,bless your heart for the magnificence of these offerings and good mentoring and instruction….Miss you already and need to remember the fierceness of Sekhmet….how quickly it wanes in this out over culture…..

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