Four years ago I posted my compilation of Spanish language rock from the Sixties. This year I have been adding lyrics for several of the “missing” songs to this blog, and with this entry all 28 songs are finally included…
This track from 1966 is generally considered the first original rock single in Argentina. The band had little money or equipment, which led to one member of the group imitating a “fuzz guitar” sound with his mouth. The only single by Los Beatniks was generally ignored, and it was Los Gatos with “La Balsa” the following year who broke through. The B-side of that single was written by ex-Beatnik Moris, who enjoyed a successful solo career. The other former members went on to the groups Manal (who have featured on this blog) and La Barra de Chocolate.
REBELDE
ESTRIBILLO:
Rebelde me llama la gente
rebelde es mi corazón
soy libre y quieren hacerme
esclavo de una tradición
Todo se hace por interés
porque este mundo es al revés
si, todo esto hay que cambiar
siendo rebelde se puede empezar
ESTRIBILLO
¿Por qué el hombre quiere luchar,
aproximando la guerra nuclear?
¡Cambien las armas por el amor
y haremos un mundo mejor!
ESTRIBILLO
Yeah, rebelde seré
Yeah, rebelde hasta el fin
Yeah, y así moriré
REBEL
CHORUS:
People call me a rebel
My heart is rebellious
I’m free and they want to make me
A slave to tradition
They do everything for self interest
Because this world is upside down
Yes, all this has to change
You can begin by being a rebel
CHORUS
Why do men want to fight
Bringing nuclear war closer?
Swap arms for love
And we could make a better world!
CHORUS
Yeah, I'll be a rebel
Yeah, a rebel untilthe end
Yeah, and that's how I'll die
After the military coup in 1976 there was an exodus of musicians from Argentina, and many of then went to start a new life in Spain. One of them was Maria Teresa Campilongo, who had already sung in her homeland as a member of her husband’s group Los Tíos Queridos. After arriving in Spain she discovered the exciting Movida scene in Madrid, and was inspired to reinvent herself as Rubi. With an image partly inspired by Blondie, she became a one hit wonder in 1981 with this witty new wave novelty.
Los Casinos included Ciro Fogliatta, another expat (formerly with Los Gatos).
Sadly Rubi parted ways with the Los Casinos immediately after the single, and she never enjoyed much success in her subsequent solo career. Nacho Cano of Mecano wrote ‘Me he enamorado de un fan’ for her debut LP. Though it flopped it became a hit a few years later for the Mexican pop group Flans.
Many of the Argentine musicians in Spain struggled, but Moris enjoyed success with ‘Fiebre de Vivir’ (1978). On that album he was backed by the half Spanish / half Argentinian group Tequilla, who soon became famous in their own right. Ultimately, the majority of these musicians returned to their homeland when they felt the political situation had improved sufficiently.
YO TENÍA UN NOVIO
(QUE TOCABA EN UN CONJUNTO BEAT)
Yo le acompañaba en aquellos días,
le quería comprar una batería.
Él era mi novio y yo le quería,
y también quería a su batería.
Y le acompañaba, a ir a ensayar.
Como me gustaba, oírle tocar tan bien.
Yo tenía un novio que tocaba en un conjunto beat.
Le llevaba las baquetas en un bolso gris. Si, si, si.
Sus amigos me querían y mi novio me quería,
le ayudaba a cargar en el furgón la batería.
Yo puse mis pelas para sus caprichos,
era el primer día que iban a actuar.
Y cuando grabaron aquel primer disco,
todo era alegría, iban a triunfar.
Y desde ese día, me fuiste olvidando,
no vengas decías, tu imagen me hace mal.
Yo tenía un novio que tocaba en conjunto beat.
Ahora tiene un regio coche y casa con jardín.
Y una chica guapa y rica, rubia de peluquería.
Se olvidó de todo el cariño que yo le tenía.
I HAD A BOYFRIEND
(WHO PLAYED IN A BEAT GROUP)
I hung around with him those days
I wanted to buy him a drum kit
He was my boyfriend and I loved him
And I loved his drum kit too
And I went with him to rehearsals
I used to love listening to him play so well
I had a boyfriend who played in a beat group
He carried his drum sticks in a grey bag. Yes, yes, yes
His friends loved me, and my boyfriend loved me
I helped them load his drum kit into the van
I put all my pennies towards supporting his dreams
It was the first day they were going to perform
And when they recorded that first album
Everything was great, they were going to make it
And from that day, you were forgetting me
'Don't come' you said, 'seeing you makes me sick'
I had a boyfriend who played in a beat group
Now he has a posh car and a house with a garden
And a rich, pretty girlfriend with dyed blonde hair
He forget about all the love that I had for him
The impact of Los Shakers quickly inspired local bands. Moris was the singer with Los Beatniks, whose 1966 single ‘Rebelde’ is generally considered the first original rock single to come out of Argentina. However, it was a complete flop. The breakthrough came the following year when ‘La Balsa’ by Los Gatos was a smash hit. For the first time the public bought an original rock single sung in Spanish, and overnight many groups were inspired to give up English cover versions and follow their lead.
The B-Side of ‘La Balsa’ was ‘Ayer Nomás’, a song written by Moris. However, Los Gatos toned down the protest elements of the original lyrics, turning it into more of a generic love song. Here is Moris’ own version from 1969, with the original lyrics. It also appears on his eclectic but occasionaly brilliant debut album which belatedly appeared in 1970.
AYER NOMÁS
Ayer nomás,
en el colegio me enseñaron,
que este país
es grande y tiene libertad.
Hoy desperté
y vi mi cama y vi mi cuarto
en este mes
no tuve mucho que comer.
Ayer nomás,
mis familiares me decían
que hoy hay que tener
dinero para ser feliz.
Hoy desperté,
y vi mi cama y vi mi cuarto,
ya todo es gris y sin sentido,
la gente vive sin creer.
Ayer nomás,
había una chica en mi cuarto
y la besé sin fundamento.
Hoy ya la chica ya no está.
Ayer nomás
vi una chica en mis brazos.
En este mes
no tuve mucho que comer.
Ayer nomás
salí a la calle y vi la gente
ya todo es gris y sin sentido,
la gente vive sin creer.
Sin creer.
JUST YESTERDAY
Just yesterday,
They taught me in school,
That this country
Is large and free.
Today I woke up
And saw my bed and my room
This month
I didn't have much to eat.
Just yesterday,
My family told me
Today you have to have
Money to be happy.
Today I woke up,
And saw my bed and my room
Now everything is grey and meaningless,
People live without believing.
Just yesterday,
there was a girl in my room
I kissed her without reason.
Today the girl has already gone.
Just yesterday,
I saw a girl in my arms.
This month
I didn't have much to eat.
Just yesterday
I went outside and I saw the people
Now everything is grey and meaningless,
People live without believing.
Without believing.
To celebrate four years of Spanish Pop Lyrics, and also as a kind of Xmas gift, here is this blog’s first ever compilation / mix-tape (much of it in authentic low fidelity). Download
All the songs are sung in Spanish, and all but a handful are original songs rather than covers.
It’s generally up tempo, but there are a couple of slower tracks at the end.
Almost all the songs have been featured on this blog, and those that aren’t may well appear in the near future. Anyway, you know where to look for the lyrics…
UPDATE (Nov 2017): Now the lyrics to all 28 songs are available on this blog. The download link has also been updated.
Spanish Pop Lyrics 