According to… Read Full Bio ↴Guajira is a music genre derived from the Punto cubano.
According to some specialists on this theme, the Punto cubano was known in Spain since the 18th century, where it was called "punto de La Habana", and by the second half of the 19th century it was adopted by the incipient Spanish Flamenco style, which included it within its "palos" with the name of Guajira.
The popular Guajira genre was utilized by Spanish Zarzuela composers, such as Ruperto Chapí, who included it in his well known play "La Revoltosa", from 1897. Two years later, in 1899, the Cuban composer Jorge Anckermann inaugurated a new genre with his song "El arroyo que murmura", the first Cuban Guajira.
This song became a model that was adopted by many other Cuban composers at a later time, and was frequently included in the Cuban Zarzuela and vernacular theater.
The Cuban Guajira preserved the characteristic rhythm of its ancestors, the Punto cubano and the Spanish Guajira, which was the sesquiáltera or horizontal Hemiola.
Its form usually alternates a first section in minor mode, with a second section modulating to its direct Major relative. Its lyrics frequently refer to rural themes in an idealistic and bucolic way, and generally evoke the goodness of rural life and romantic love stories.
El carretero
Buena Vista Social Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Un carretero alegre pasó
Con su canciones que es muy sentida
Y muy guajira alegre cantó
Me voy al transbordador bam-bam
A descargar la carreta (bam-bam)
Me voy al transbordador bam-bam
A descargar la carreta bam-bam
Para cumplir con la meta (bam-bam)
De mi pequeña labor
A caballo vamos pa'l monte
A caballo vamos pa'l monte
A caballo vamos pa'l monte
A caballo vamos pa'l monte
Yo trabajo sin reposo (bam-bam)
Para poderme casar (bam-bam)
Yo trabajo sin reposo (bam-bam)
Para poderme casar (bam-bam)
Y si lo llego a lograr (bam-bam)
Seré un guajiro dichoso
A caballo vamos pa'l monte
A caballo vamos pa'l monte
A caballo vamos pa'l monte
A caballo vamos pa'l monte
Yo soy guajiro y carretero (bam-bam)
Y en el campo vivo bien que (bam-bam)
Soy guajiro y carretero (bam-bam)
Y en el campo vivo bien (bam-bam)
Porque el campo es el edén (bam-bam)
Más lindo del mundo entero (bam-bam)
A caballo vamos pa'l monte
A caballo vamos pa'l monte
A caballo vamos pa'l monte
A caballo vamos pa'l monte
Chapea el monte, cultiva el llano
Recoge el fruto de tu sudor
Chapea el monte, cultiva el llano
Recoge el fruto de tu sudor
The song "El Carretero" by Buena Vista Social Club describes the life of a carretero, who is a person who drives a cart with horses or oxen to transport goods. The song starts with a description of the carretero passing by the singer's home, singing his songs with great emotion and joy. He sings about his work, which involves transporting goods using a cart and horses, and his goal to fulfill his duties by unloading the cart at the transbordador (a type of dock). He adds that he will work hard to get married and be happy with his life as a guajiro (a person from the countryside).
The chorus of the song is an encouragement to work hard and reap the fruits of one's labor. The singer explains that he is proud of his life as a guajiro and carretero, and that he loves living in the countryside. The song ends with a statement that encourages everyone to work hard and reap the rewards of their hard work.
Overall, "El Carretero" is a celebration of the simple life in the countryside, and a tribute to the hard work of carreteros who transport goods and make a living for themselves and their families.
Line by Line Meaning
Por el camino del sitio mío
Along the path of my land
Un carretero alegre pasó
A cheerful carter passed by
Con su canciones que es muy sentida
With his heartfelt songs
Y muy guajira alegre cantó
And he sang a very joyful folksy song
Me voy al transbordador bam-bam
I'm off to the ferry bam-bam
A descargar la carreta (bam-bam)
To unload the cart (bam-bam)
Para cumplir con la meta (bam-bam)
To meet the goal (bam-bam)
De mi pequeña labor
Of my small work
A caballo vamos pa'l monte
On horseback we go to the countryside
Yo trabajo sin reposo (bam-bam)
I work without rest (bam-bam)
Para poderme casar (bam-bam)
So that I can get married (bam-bam)
Y si lo llego a lograr (bam-bam)
And if I manage to achieve it (bam-bam)
Seré un guajiro dichoso
I'll be a happy country man
Yo soy guajiro y carretero (bam-bam)
I am a country man and a carter (bam-bam)
Y en el campo vivo bien que (bam-bam)
And I live well in the countryside (bam-bam)
Porque el campo es el edén (bam-bam)
Because the countryside is paradise (bam-bam)
Más lindo del mundo entero (bam-bam)
The most beautiful in the whole world (bam-bam)
Chapea el monte, cultiva el llano
Clear the forest, cultivate the plain
Recoge el fruto de tu sudor
Reap the fruit of your labor
Chapea el monte, cultiva el llano
Clear the forest, cultivate the plain
Recoge el fruto de tu sudor
Reap the fruit of your labor
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Guillermo Portabales
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@d.cypher2920
One of my absolute favorite songs.
"Por que en el campo es el eden,
Mas lindo de mundo enterro"
--"because the land is a paradise,
The most beautiful place on earth!"
😎😏🤠
El carretero 'the cart driver'
@d.cypher2920
@Hunter Falck umm... i believe the very end is actually::
"...por que el campo es el eden,
¡Mas lindo de mudo enterro!"
"...because the land is an eden,
The most beautiful place on earth!"
...ah caballo vamos p'al monte, ah caballo vamos p'al monte.
Se un guajiro Carretero,
....
...
You get the idea.
VIVA CUBA, CUBA LIBRÉ!!
AHORA!!
😎🇺🇸
@markbrown4260
Along the road of my place,
a happy cart driver passed by
with his very heartfelt songs.
And with rural style, he happily sang.
I'm going to the ferry
to unload my cart,
to complete the tasks
of my humble job.
[Chorus]
On horseback we go to the countryside.
On horseback we go to the countryside.
I work without rest,
so someday I can get married,
and if I achieve it,
I will be a fortunate person.
I'm a farmer and cart driver,
and in the country I live well,
because the country is Eden,
more lovely than anyplace.
Clear the land, cultivate the land
harvest the fruit of your sweat.
@rpm1796
Mi Gusta...Mi favourita.....Viva la Independencia!
''Along the road of my place
A happy cart driver passed by
With his heart felt songs
and with rural style, He happily sang
I'm going to the ferry
to unload my cart
to complete the tasks
of my humble job
On horseback we go to the countryside
On horseback we go to the countryside
@raquelcroesraquelcroes1hot193
Mi abuelo vivió un tiempo en cuba y era carretero. Al principio del siglo 20
@ultramet
Just forever grateful to have had the privilege and honor to see the BVSC perform during the tour accompanying this magnificent album. Sadly, several original members of the BVSC are no longer with us but their great music lives with us forever. Thank you Ry Cooder for everything you did to bring this musical project to fruition for all the world to see and hear.
@vandoo66
Just forever grateful that I was never born in the Hell hole that is Cuba. If the adage that great art comes from great pain was ever true….
@romyman1971
Second your thank you to Ry Cooder for this beautiful gift. I suspect if this happened today Ry would be cancelled for cultural appropriation. 🙄
@adriancarter9970
Hearing this song always makes me so proud to be cuban, every single one of these and so many more by BVSC sang by my grandfather almost daily till he passed. I’ll be carrying the torch viejo, asta luego mi chama ❤️
@danielguimaraes1815
Música cubana ès increíble. Saludos desde Brasil.
@user-jh4ni4sd5o
May his soul rest in peace 🙏🏻 I'll be visiting Cuba in April! With love, from Cyprus 🥰
@ronlatronica3112
God bless your abuelito, caballero.
@teodorlartrist4440
Eschivează en tu lingua
@yvesdt3515
I'm not cuban but I like very much Buena Vista Social Club. Great music!