Becoming involved in music since he was 15, in 1979 he and his brother Alejandro formed underground rock band ZAS. The following year he managed to contact Queen frontman Freddie Mercury and gain a spot on stage as the opening act for the British group for their Buenos Aires concerts. He turned ZAS into one of the most important argentine rock bands of the early 80s.
In 1986, Mateos recorded in the United States his first solo album (officially, but in practice he still used members of ZAS as supporting band). With a much more polished sound, and greater pop accessibility than the ZAS works, Mateos jumped on the crest of the wave of Argentine rock acts that dominated the 1986-1988 period all over Latin America, Spain, and elsewhere.
Solos en América was considered a watershed album containing cuts that would become classics of Rock en Español from that time, including the homonymous track, "Cuando Seas Grande", and "Mi Sombra en la Pared".
Riding a wave of massive popularity in Mexico, Mateos introduced the slogan "Rock en tu Idíoma" (Rock In Your Language) in 1987. He began touring that nation, introducing along the way local acts such as Caifanes and Maldita Vecindad, among others. All those groups would become major acts in their own right within a short period. In the 1987-1988 Mateos would tour Latin America to sell-out stadiums.[1] He was among the first Rock en Español acts to receive active support from fledgling MTV International.
The 1990s would be a period of continued solo success for Mateos and his now adult-pop rock music across the Spanish-speaking world, though ironically he would drop off somewhat in popularity in his homeland. In general, what in the rest of Latin America is considered rock, in Argentina tends to be seen as pop. This has sometimes led to cultural confusion about how to categorize the current Miguel Mateos musical output, as outside Argentina Mateos remains an iconic figure of the Rock en Español movement.
Mateos went on the so-called first Rock en Español tour of the United States in 1990, where he was awared the Bravo Musical Award. He released Bar Imperio in 1998 and after a hiatus released Uno in 2005.
Cuando Seas Grande
Miguel Mateos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Camino a la ciudad con mi guitarra
Sin molestar a nadie
Voy cortando cadenas
Estoy creciendo contra la miseria
De alguna que otra pena
Pero pierdo el control
Llego a casa y escucho su voz
Siempre la misma canción
Nene, nene, ¿qué vas a ser cuando seas grande?
Nene, nene, ¿qué vas a ser cuando seas grande?
¿Estrella de rock-n-roll, presidente de la nación?
Nene, ¿qué vas hacer cuando alguien apriete el botón?
Estoy casi condenado
Ante el éxito para no ser un perro fracasado
Así, así, así, así yo te he enseñado
Generaciones tras generaciones
Marchanami lado
Solo quiero jugar
Soy el sueño de mamá y papá
No les puedo fallar
Nene, nene, ¿qué vas a ser cuando seas grande?
Nene, nene, ¿qué vas a ser cuando seas grande?
¿Estrella de rock-n-roll, presidente de la nación?
Nene, ¿qué vas hacer cuando alguien apriete el botón?
Nene, nene, ¿qué vas a ser cuando seas grande?
Woah, woah, woah
Nene, nene, ¿qué vas a ser cuando seas grande?
(Cuando seas grande)
The lyrics to Miguel Mateos's song "Cuando Seas Grande" are about a young musician who dreams of making it big in the music industry. He is a "chico de la calle" (street kid) who walks to the city with his guitar, cutting chains and breaking free from the grip of poverty and hardships. He is determined to become successful and not become another "perro fracasado" (failed dog).
However, he is constantly reminded of the realities of life by the voice of his parents asking him what he will do when he grows up. Will he be an "estrella de rock-n-roll" (rock star) or even the president of the nation, or will he crumble when faced with difficult situations? The song encapsulates the pressure that young people face to succeed, to live up to the expectations placed upon them by their parents, society, and their own dreams.
As the young musician marches on, he only wants to play his music and not let his parents down, but the pressure to succeed gets increasingly intense, and his future is uncertain. The song touches on the balancing act of fulfilling one's dreams while still dealing with the challenges of growing up and finding one's place in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Soy un chico de la calle
I am a boy from the streets
Camino a la ciudad con mi guitarra
I am walking to the city with my guitar
Sin molestar a nadie
Without bothering anyone
Voy cortando cadenas
I am cutting chains
Estoy creciendo contra la miseria
I am growing up against poverty
De alguna que otra pena
And the occasional sadness
Pero pierdo el control
But I lose control
Llego a casa y escucho su voz
I come home and hear her voice
Siempre la misma canción
Always the same song
Nene, nene, ¿qué vas a ser cuando seas grande?
Kid, kid, what will you be when you grow up?
¿Estrella de rock-n-roll, presidente de la nación?
A rock star, president of the nation?
Nene, ¿qué vas hacer cuando alguien apriete el botón?
Kid, what will you do when someone presses the button?
Estoy casi condenado
I am almost condemned
Ante el éxito para no ser un perro fracasado
I am pressured to succeed, so I won't be a failure
Así, así, así, así yo te he enseñado
This is how I have taught you
Generaciones tras generaciones marchanami lado
Generations after generations walk by my side
Solo quiero jugar
I just want to play
Soy el sueño de mamá y papá
I am mom and dad's dream
No les puedo fallar
I cannot fail them
Woah, woah, woah
Woah, woah, woah
Nene, nene, ¿qué vas a ser cuando seas grande?
Kid, kid, what will you be when you grow up?
(Cuando seas grande)
(When you grow up)
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Miguel Angel Mateos
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind