She sang in public for the first time in a radio contest at the age of ten. She didn't win that year, but won the next year. Her early singing caught the attention of a movie producer who introduced her to the cinema audiences as "Ana Belen" in the movie "Zampo y Yo" when she was thirteen.
Ana didn't want to become a child-star and focused on her studying. It wasn't until she finished drama school that she went back performing in public, being theater her prefered way to do so. She did small incursions in movies till she was offered major parts.
In 1973 she was cast opposite Víctor Manuel in Morbo and he became her husband as well as the composer of the songs included in her first album. In 1982 she released "Ana en Rio", an album with Brazilian music that included the song "Balance" and became an instant hit.
In 1986, took one more step and became one of the first female movie directors in Spain with the movie "Cómo ser mujer y no morir en el intento" which earned her the Gold Medal of Spanish Cinematographic Academy. That year concluded with another major success, a tour with Victor Manuel and many special guests of which they released a live album: "Mucho mas que dos". The success of this tour lead to a new one, "El Gusto es Nuestro" with Miguel Rios, Joan Manuel Serrat y Victor Manuel.
She releases several albums through the 90's that achieve great success like "Veneno para el Corazon" that included Spanish versions of Cole Porter songs among others, "Mirame" full of duets with the most important Spanish voices or "Lorquiana", a double CD with popular songs and poems of Federico García Lorca.
The new century finds her busy with filming and recording songs. Albums "Peces de Ciudad" or "Viva L'Italia" are released as she appears on stage plays and her name is on some of the most acclaimed films of the moment.
In 2006, she is currently touring with her husband Víctor Manuel across Spain with "Una Cancion me Trajo Aqui", a CD+DVD has been released of their very first performance in Segovia.She also has a new album in the works and a new movie pending.
La Banda
Ana Belén Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Y aquel amor me llamó
A ver la banda pasar
Cantando cosas de amor
Toda mi gente sufrida
Se despidió del dolor
Al ver la banda pasar
Cantando cosas de amor
El hombre serio
Que contaba el dinero
Paró
El farolero
Que contaba sus triunfos
Calló
La enamorada
Que contaba estrellas
Paró para ver
Y oír el pasacalles
La moza triste
Que vivía callada
Sonrió
La rosa triste
Que vivía cerrada
Se abrió
Gente menuda
Se arremolinó
Al ver la banda pasar
Cantando cosas de amor
Andaba medio perdida
Y aquel amor me llamó
A ver la banda pasar
Cantando cosas de amor
Toda mi gente sufrida
Se despidió del dolor
Al ver la banda pasar
Cantando cosas de amor
El viejo frágil
Se olvidó del cansancio
Y pensó
Que aún era joven
Y saltó de la acera
Y bailó
La moza fea
Se apoyaba en la puerta
Pensó que la banda
Tocaba para ella
La marcha alegre
Atravesó la avenida
Y siguió
La luna llena
Que vivía escondida
Salió
Y mi cuidad
Toda se embelleció
Al ver la banda pasar
Cantando cosas de amor
Andaba medio perdida
Y aquel amor me llamó
A ver la banda pasar
Cantando cosas de amor
Toda mi gente sufrida
Se despidió del dolor
Al ver la banda pasar
Cantando cosas de amor
Al ver la banda pasar
Cantando cosas de amor
Más para mi desencanto
Lo que era dulce acabó
Todo volvió a su lugar
Cuando la banda pasó
Y cada cual con su canto
En cada canto un dolor
Cuando la banda se fué
Cantando cosas de amor
The opening lyrics of Ana Belén's song, La Banda, describe the singer's wandering state and her encounter with a band singing about love. As the band passes by, the charm of their music permeates the surroundings, causing the serious man counting money, the streetlight-keeper enumerating his triumphs, and the lovelorn woman counting stars to halt and listen to the passing music. Even the forlorn rose opens and the city takes on a new hue as the band continues to perform. The lyrics suggest that love is the catalyst that brings people together and can heal their wounds.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Cantando cosas de amor" which means "singing things of love". This phrase can be considered a summary of the song's theme. It highlights the transformative power of music and love, which can soothe the sorrows of the suffering people.
However, the song does not end on an optimistic note. The singer expresses disappointment as the band packs up and leaves, and the magic dissipates. The people are left to return to their own individual sorrows, expressed in each of their songs. The song implies that life is a temporary respite from pain and that love, though beautiful, is fleeting.
Line by Line Meaning
Andaba medio perdida
I was feeling lost and unsure of myself
Y aquel amor me llamó
But then love called out to me
A ver la banda pasar
As I watched the band go by
Cantando cosas de amor
Singing songs of love
Toda mi gente sufrida
All the people around me who had suffered
Se despidió del dolor
Were able to say goodbye to their pain
Al ver la banda pasar
When they saw the band go by
Cantando cosas de amor
Singing songs of love
El hombre serio
The serious man
Que contaba el dinero
Who counted his money
Paró
Stopped
El farolero
The lamplighter
Que contaba sus triunfos
Who counted his triumphs
Calló
Became silent
La enamorada
The lover
Que contaba estrellas
Who counted stars
Paró para ver
Stopped to watch
Y oír el pasacalles
And listen to the serenade
La moza triste
The sad young girl
Que vivía callada
Who lived quietly
Sonrió
Smiled
La rosa triste
The sad rose
Que vivía cerrada
That had closed itself off
Se abrió
Opened up
Gente menuda
The small people
Se arremolinó
Gathered around
Al ver la banda pasar
As they watched the band go by
Cantando cosas de amor
Singing songs of love
El viejo frágil
The frail old man
Se olvidó del cansancio
Forgot his tiredness
Y pensó
And thought
Que aún era joven
That he was still young
Y saltó de la acera
And jumped off the sidewalk
Y bailó
And danced
La moza fea
The unattractive young woman
Se apoyaba en la puerta
Leaning against the door
Pensó que la banda
Thinking that the band
Tocaba para ella
Was playing for her
La marcha alegre
The cheerful march
Atravesó la avenida
Crossed the avenue
Y siguió
And continued
La luna llena
The full moon
Que vivía escondida
That had been hiding away
Salió
Came out
Y mi cuidad
And my city
Toda se embelleció
Suddenly became more beautiful
Al ver la banda pasar
When they saw the band go by
Cantando cosas de amor
Singing songs of love
Más para mi desencanto
But to my disappointment
Lo que era dulce acabó
The sweetness faded away
Todo volvió a su lugar
Everything returned to its place
Cuando la banda pasó
When the band passed by
Y cada cual con su canto
And everyone with their own song
En cada canto un dolor
Each song filled with pain
Cuando la banda se fué
When the band left
Cantando cosas de amor
Singing songs of love
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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