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Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades (born July 16, 1948) is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, actor and politician. As songwriter, Blades brought the lyrical sophistication of South American nueva canción and Cuban nueva trova to salsa, creating thinking persons' dance music. He remains wildly popular in that country and much admired throughout Latin America, and he managed to attract 20% of the vote in his failed attempt to win the Panamanian presidency in 1994. Read Full BioRubén Blades (born July 16, 1948) is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, actor and politician. As songwriter, Blades brought the lyrical sophistication of South American nueva canción and Cuban nueva trova to salsa, creating thinking persons' dance music. He remains wildly popular in that country and much admired throughout Latin America, and he managed to attract 20% of the vote in his failed attempt to win the Panamanian presidency in 1994. In September 2004, he was appointed minister of tourism by Panamanian president Martín Torrijos. Blades is completely bilingual, working both in English and Spanish. His most famous song is "Pedro Navaja", a song about a panderer whose day to die has come.
Blades's father is a percussionist-turned-detective and his mother was a singer and radio performer. His grandfather, Reuben Blades, was an English-speaking native of St. Lucia who came to work on the canal, as he tells in the song West Indian Man on the album Amor y Control ("That's where the Blades comes from.") (1992)
After obtaining degrees in political science and law at Panama's Universidad Nacional, Blades worked at the Bank of Panama as a lawyer. In 1974, Blades moved to the United States, staying temporarily with his exiled parents in Miami before moving to New York City. Blades began his musical career in New York writing songs while working in the mailroom at Fania Records, and soon was working with salseros Ray Barretto and Larry Harlow. Shortly thereafter Blades started collaborating with trombonist and band leader Willie Colón, and they recorded several albums together. Their album Siembra (1978) became the best-selling salsa record in history.
After 1980, Blades tried to terminate his contract with Fania, but he was contractually obliged to record several more albums. These are generally considered toss-offs and Blades himself told his fans to avoid them. When he was free of his contractual obligations, Blades signed with another label, Elektra, and assembled a top-notch band (known variously as Seis Del Solar or Son Del Solar) and recorded a number of albums with them.
In the early 1980s, Blades began his career in films as a composer of soundtracks.
In 1982, Blades got his first acting role in The Last Fight writing the title song as well as portraying a singer-turned-boxer vying for a championship against a fighter who was played by real life world champion boxer Salvador Sánchez.
In 1985, Blades gained widespread recognition as co-writer and star of the independent film Crossover Dreams as a New York salsa singer willing to do anything to break into the mainstream. This same year he earned a master's degree in international law from Harvard University. He was also the subject of Robert Mugge's documentary The Return of Ruben Blades, which debuted at that year's Denver Film Festival. During the 1990s, he acted in films, mounted his unsuccessful presidential bid, founding the party Movimiento Papa Egoró, and continued to make salsa records.
His many film appearances include The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), The Two Jakes (1990), Mo' Better Blues (1990), and Devil's Own (1997). In 1999, he played Mexican artist Diego Rivera in Tim Robbins' Cradle Will Rock.
In 1997, Blades headed the cast of singer/songwriter Paul Simon's first Broadway musical, The Capeman, based on a true story about a violent youth who becomes a poet in prison. In the 2003 film Once Upon a Time in Mexico, starring Johnny Depp, Antonio Banderas, and Willem Dafoe, he played the role of a retired FBI agent.
Blades' 1999 album Tiempos which he made with the 12-piece Costa Rican band Editus, represented a break from his salsa past and a rejection of commercial trends in Latin music.
Some might say that "his biggest mistake was releasing an English-language album in 1988 in the wake of his 1987 Grammy for Escenas" [sic] but in fact, he tends to avoid commercial choices. After winning his first Grammy for Escenas in 1986 he recorded the album Agua de Luna based on the short stories of Gabriel Garcia Marquez in 1987. The next year he released the English language collaboration with rock artists Sting, Elvis Costello, and Lou Reed the same year as Antecedente, another Grammy winner. In 2003 he followed the World Music Grammy winner Mundo with a web site free download project. As he said in 2005 when receiving the ASCAP Founders Award about his non-commercial choices, "That's the way I think."
In 2004 he put his artistic careers on hold when he began serving as Minister of Tourism of Panama.
Source: Wikipedia®
Blades's father is a percussionist-turned-detective and his mother was a singer and radio performer. His grandfather, Reuben Blades, was an English-speaking native of St. Lucia who came to work on the canal, as he tells in the song West Indian Man on the album Amor y Control ("That's where the Blades comes from.") (1992)
After obtaining degrees in political science and law at Panama's Universidad Nacional, Blades worked at the Bank of Panama as a lawyer. In 1974, Blades moved to the United States, staying temporarily with his exiled parents in Miami before moving to New York City. Blades began his musical career in New York writing songs while working in the mailroom at Fania Records, and soon was working with salseros Ray Barretto and Larry Harlow. Shortly thereafter Blades started collaborating with trombonist and band leader Willie Colón, and they recorded several albums together. Their album Siembra (1978) became the best-selling salsa record in history.
After 1980, Blades tried to terminate his contract with Fania, but he was contractually obliged to record several more albums. These are generally considered toss-offs and Blades himself told his fans to avoid them. When he was free of his contractual obligations, Blades signed with another label, Elektra, and assembled a top-notch band (known variously as Seis Del Solar or Son Del Solar) and recorded a number of albums with them.
In the early 1980s, Blades began his career in films as a composer of soundtracks.
In 1982, Blades got his first acting role in The Last Fight writing the title song as well as portraying a singer-turned-boxer vying for a championship against a fighter who was played by real life world champion boxer Salvador Sánchez.
In 1985, Blades gained widespread recognition as co-writer and star of the independent film Crossover Dreams as a New York salsa singer willing to do anything to break into the mainstream. This same year he earned a master's degree in international law from Harvard University. He was also the subject of Robert Mugge's documentary The Return of Ruben Blades, which debuted at that year's Denver Film Festival. During the 1990s, he acted in films, mounted his unsuccessful presidential bid, founding the party Movimiento Papa Egoró, and continued to make salsa records.
His many film appearances include The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), The Two Jakes (1990), Mo' Better Blues (1990), and Devil's Own (1997). In 1999, he played Mexican artist Diego Rivera in Tim Robbins' Cradle Will Rock.
In 1997, Blades headed the cast of singer/songwriter Paul Simon's first Broadway musical, The Capeman, based on a true story about a violent youth who becomes a poet in prison. In the 2003 film Once Upon a Time in Mexico, starring Johnny Depp, Antonio Banderas, and Willem Dafoe, he played the role of a retired FBI agent.
Blades' 1999 album Tiempos which he made with the 12-piece Costa Rican band Editus, represented a break from his salsa past and a rejection of commercial trends in Latin music.
Some might say that "his biggest mistake was releasing an English-language album in 1988 in the wake of his 1987 Grammy for Escenas" [sic] but in fact, he tends to avoid commercial choices. After winning his first Grammy for Escenas in 1986 he recorded the album Agua de Luna based on the short stories of Gabriel Garcia Marquez in 1987. The next year he released the English language collaboration with rock artists Sting, Elvis Costello, and Lou Reed the same year as Antecedente, another Grammy winner. In 2003 he followed the World Music Grammy winner Mundo with a web site free download project. As he said in 2005 when receiving the ASCAP Founders Award about his non-commercial choices, "That's the way I think."
In 2004 he put his artistic careers on hold when he began serving as Minister of Tourism of Panama.
Source: Wikipedia®
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Pedro Navaja
by Rubén Blades and Leopoldo Federico Orchestra
Por la esquina del viejo barrio lo vi pasar
Con el tumbao' que tienen los guapos al caminar
Las manos siempre en los bolsillos de su gabán
Pa' que no sepan en cuál de ellas lleva el puñal
Usa un sombrero de ala ancha de medio lao
Y zapatillas por si hay problemas salir volao'
Lentes oscuros pa' que no sepan qué está mirando
Y un diente de oro que cuando rie se ve brillando
Como a tres cuadras de aquella esquina una mujer
Va recorriendo la acera entera por quinta vez
Y en un zaguán entra y se da un trago para olvidar
Que el día está flojo y no hay clientes pa' trabajar
Un carro pasa muy despacito por la avenida
No tiene marcas pero toos' saben ques' policia uhm
Pedro Navaja las manos siempre dentro el gabán
Mira y sonríe y el diente de oro vuelve a brillar
Mientras camina pasa la vista de esquina a esquina
No se ve un alma está desierta toa' la avenida
Cuando de pronto esa mujer sale del zaguán
Y Pedro Navaja aprieta un puño dentro 'el gabán
Mira pa' un lado mira pal' otro y no ve a nadie
Y a la carrera pero sin ruido cruza la calle
Y mientras tanto en la otra acera va esa mujer
Refunfuñando pues no hizo pesos con qué comer
Mientras camina del viejo abrigo saca un revolver, esa mujer
Iba a guardarlo en su cartera pa' que no estorbe
Un treinta y ocho esmithanhueson del especial
Que carga encima pa' que la libre de todo mal
Y Pedro Navaja puñal en mano le fue pa' encima
El diente de oro iba alumbrando
Toa' la avenida, se le hizo facil
Mientras reia el puñal le hundía sin compasión
Cuando de pronto sonó un disparo como un cañon
Y Pedro Navaja cayó en la acera mientras veía, a esa mujer
Que revolver en mano y de muerte herida ahí le decía
Yo que pensaba hoy no es mi día estoy salá
Pero pedro navaja tu estas peor, no estas en na
Y creanme gente que aunque hubo ruido nadien salió
No hubo curiosos, no hubo preguntas nadie lloró
Sólo un borracho con los dos cuerpos se tropezo
Cojio el revolver, el puñal, los pesos y se marchó
Y tropezando se fue cantando desafinao'
El coro que aqui les traje y da el mensaje de mi cancion
La vida te da sorpresas. sorpresas te da la vida ay dios
Pedró Navajas matón de esquina
Quien a hierro mata, a hierro termina
La vida te da sorpresas
Sorpresas te da la vida ay dios
Valiente pescador, al anzuelo que tiraste
En vez de una sardina, un tiburón enganchaste
La vida te da sorpresas
Sorpresas te da la vida, ay dios
Ocho millones de historias tiene la ciudad de Nueva York
La vida te da sorpresas
Sorpresas te da la vida, ay dios
Como decía mi abuelita
El que último rie, se rie mejor
La vida te da sorpresas
Sorpresas te da la vida, ay dios
Cuando lo manda el destino
No lo cambia ni el mas bravo
Si necesitas un martillo del cielo te caen los clavos
La vida te da sorpresas
Sorpresas te da la vida, ay dios
De barrio cuidao en la acera
Cuidao camara que no corre vuela
La vida te da sorpresas
Sorpresas te da la vida, ay dios
Como en una novela de caca
El borracho doblo por el callejón
La vida te da
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RUBEN BLADES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
by Rubén Blades and Leopoldo Federico Orchestra
Por la esquina del viejo barrio lo vi pasar
Con el tumbao' que tienen los guapos al caminar
Las manos siempre en los bolsillos de su gabán
Pa' que no sepan en cuál de ellas lleva el puñal
Usa un sombrero de ala ancha de medio lao
Y zapatillas por si hay problemas salir volao'
Lentes oscuros pa' que no sepan qué está mirando
Y un diente de oro que cuando rie se ve brillando
Como a tres cuadras de aquella esquina una mujer
Va recorriendo la acera entera por quinta vez
Y en un zaguán entra y se da un trago para olvidar
Que el día está flojo y no hay clientes pa' trabajar
Un carro pasa muy despacito por la avenida
No tiene marcas pero toos' saben ques' policia uhm
Pedro Navaja las manos siempre dentro el gabán
Mira y sonríe y el diente de oro vuelve a brillar
Mientras camina pasa la vista de esquina a esquina
No se ve un alma está desierta toa' la avenida
Cuando de pronto esa mujer sale del zaguán
Y Pedro Navaja aprieta un puño dentro 'el gabán
Mira pa' un lado mira pal' otro y no ve a nadie
Y a la carrera pero sin ruido cruza la calle
Y mientras tanto en la otra acera va esa mujer
Refunfuñando pues no hizo pesos con qué comer
Mientras camina del viejo abrigo saca un revolver, esa mujer
Iba a guardarlo en su cartera pa' que no estorbe
Un treinta y ocho esmithanhueson del especial
Que carga encima pa' que la libre de todo mal
Y Pedro Navaja puñal en mano le fue pa' encima
El diente de oro iba alumbrando
Toa' la avenida, se le hizo facil
Mientras reia el puñal le hundía sin compasión
Cuando de pronto sonó un disparo como un cañon
Y Pedro Navaja cayó en la acera mientras veía, a esa mujer
Que revolver en mano y de muerte herida ahí le decía
Yo que pensaba hoy no es mi día estoy salá
Pero pedro navaja tu estas peor, no estas en na
Y creanme gente que aunque hubo ruido nadien salió
No hubo curiosos, no hubo preguntas nadie lloró
Sólo un borracho con los dos cuerpos se tropezo
Cojio el revolver, el puñal, los pesos y se marchó
Y tropezando se fue cantando desafinao'
El coro que aqui les traje y da el mensaje de mi cancion
La vida te da sorpresas. sorpresas te da la vida ay dios
Pedró Navajas matón de esquina
Quien a hierro mata, a hierro termina
La vida te da sorpresas
Sorpresas te da la vida ay dios
Valiente pescador, al anzuelo que tiraste
En vez de una sardina, un tiburón enganchaste
La vida te da sorpresas
Sorpresas te da la vida, ay dios
Ocho millones de historias tiene la ciudad de Nueva York
La vida te da sorpresas
Sorpresas te da la vida, ay dios
Como decía mi abuelita
El que último rie, se rie mejor
La vida te da sorpresas
Sorpresas te da la vida, ay dios
Cuando lo manda el destino
No lo cambia ni el mas bravo
Si necesitas un martillo del cielo te caen los clavos
La vida te da sorpresas
Sorpresas te da la vida, ay dios
De barrio cuidao en la acera
Cuidao camara que no corre vuela
La vida te da sorpresas
Sorpresas te da la vida, ay dios
Como en una novela de caca
El borracho doblo por el callejón
La vida te da
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RUBEN BLADES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them.
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