In the 1990's Anita formed a hip-hop band Los Gemelos (The Twins) with a fellow rapper Zaturno (later became famous as a member of Tiro de Gracia). In 1997 she gained first major attention after singing in a Los Tetas' hit single "La Medicina". Later she joined DJ Squat, Cenzi and Seo2, and Makiza was formed.
After Makiza went on hiatus in 2001, Anita returned to France and took a break from music until 2004. After coming back to Chile in 2004 she became singing with the funk/acid jazz band Aluzinati, and later in 2005 she reformed Makiza with Seo2 and two new members and released the band's final album to date, Casino Royale.
In 2007 Anita appeared on Julieta Venegas' hit single, "Eres Para Mí" and finally released her solo debut, Kaos. Thanks to the first single, "Despabílate", Anita was nominated for the Latin version of the MTV Video Music Awards 2007 under the categories Best New Artist and Best Urban Artist.
In October 2009, Tijoux released her second solo album, titled 1977 after the year she was born. The album was a return to her rap roots, an homage to the "golden age of hip-hop"; it was largely auto-biographical, exploring mature themes from her own life, from the death of a close friend to having a creative crises, from friendship to bad luck, amongst others. It was simple and straight to the point, as emphasized by her leaving behind a lot of the singing she had been doing of late in other more pop collaborations, and concentrating on rap, both in Spanish and French. After years of sharing the spotlight with her group, collaborating with other artists, and trying to find her way as a solo artist, she has finally arrived in her own right—a raw, direct, and mature MC.
Recorded between May and September 2009, the new album was produced by Hordatoj, Foex and Tee, of the label Potoco Discos, together with Habitación del Pánico. Guests on the record include the saxophonist Agustín Moya with whom she worked with in Aluzinati, Andrés Celis, Solo Di Medina, Bubaseta, Stailok from the group Movimiento Original, DJ Dacel, Quique Neira (formerly from Gondwana), Cómo Asesinar A Felipes, and the Detroit-based MC Invincible, whom she met over MySpace and did a virtual collaboration for the song "Sube".
The album and its first single 1977 were an immediate hit in the underground rap circles of Chile, where she was welcomed back after a bit of a stray. The record was amongst the top 10 of 2009 for the blog [worldhiphopmarket.com], and it was soon picked up by the U.S.-based Latin Alternative label Nacional Records, who released it in April 2010. She was invited to attend the prestigious South By South West Music Festival in Austin, Texas, in March 2010, and from there went on to her first ever North American tour. The song 1977 is featured in FIFA 11 soundtrack, and it also appears in episode five of the fourth season of Breaking Bad.
In 2011 Ana released her new solo album, La Bala. The album deals with many political and social issues in Chile, and the lead single, "Shock", was inspired by the strikes of the Chilean students which took part in 2011.
Las Cosas por Su Nombre
Ana Tijoux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tenemos trajes sin etiqueta pero se vende el lujo
En carato insulto mascado
El Manuel de tereno se borro de este lado
Ni tu ministerio ni monasterio ni dinero
Que por cierto viene de nuestros impuestos
Todo es completud con mala
Que puedes perder tributo
Porque te pueden demoler vivir conmigo a la mier
Ni chicha ni limonada
Esa cosa light con sabor a nada
Nada cortada no cabe de entrada
A la miel, alacon, a la chu
Tenemos el rosario mas perfecto
Las cosas por su nombre
A la miel, alacon, a la chu
Tenemos el rosario mas perfecto
Las cosas por su nombre
No te gusta la gente rara
A mi no me gusta el publico con cara de nada
El amor es libre sabias
Por lo menos eso nos queda
Mi abuela decía que es mejor estar sola que mal acompanada
Rodeada de gente de buena honda que no quiere ver platos
Las cosas por su nombre ni fu ni fa
Aquí la verdad la buena honda
Que si tu ministerio dice que no tengo
Ahora te puedes comer completa
Mi proyección lingüística
Que tengas cuidado que se van a cerrar las puertas
Seamos claros nunca estuvieron abiertas
A la miel, alacon, a la chu
Tenemos el rosario mas perfecto
Las cosas por su nombre
A la miel, alacon, a la chu
Tenemos el rosario mas perfecto
Las cosas por su nombre
The lyrics of Ana Tijoux's song Las Cosas por Su Nombre challenge the societal norms that have been imposed on people. The title itself means to call things what they really are, without any hesitation or reservation. The song reflects on the way things are presented in society, emphasizing the fact that people are being sold luxury items but without the price tag. It deconstructs the pretenses that come with wealth and materialism, calling out the luxuries that are being consumed even though they lack any true value or substance.
In keeping with the theme of calling things as they are, the lyrics then turn to the societal expectations placed upon individuals. It highlights the fact that people often hide behind their public persona, pretending to be something they're not. The artist reflects on the importance of being true to oneself and not falling into societal expectations, urging people to say what they think even if it means falling out of line. Throughout the song, the artist urges people to stay true to themselves and their beliefs, and to not compromise their integrity for the convenience of societal expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
Las cosas por su nombre sin tabuco
Let's call things by their name directly
Tenemos trajes sin etiqueta pero se vende el lujo
We have clothes without a label, but luxury is being sold
En carato insulto mascado
In many well-presented things, there is an ugly truth
El Manuel de tereno se borro de este lado
The Manual of Land was erased from this side
Ni tu ministerio ni monasterio ni dinero
Neither your ministry, nor your monastery, nor your money
Que por cierto viene de nuestros impuestos
Which, by the way, comes from our taxes
Todo es completud con mala
Everything is compromised with bad intentions/greed
Que puedes perder tributo
You could lose tribute/tax
Caer por caer ven decir lo que piensa
Come, say what you think (even if you fall)
Porque te pueden demoler vivir conmigo a la mier
Because they can demolish you, live with me in (to hell with) it
Ni chicha ni limonada
Not one nor the other
Esa cosa light con sabor a nada
That light thing with no taste
Nada cortada no cabe de entrada
Nothing cut fits at first glance
A la miel, alacon, a la chu
To honey, to slobber, to chu (onomatopoeia for kissing sound)
Tenemos el rosario más perfecto
We have the most perfect rosary
Las cosas por su nombre
Let's call things by their name directly
No te gusta la gente rara
You don't like weird people
A mi no me gusta el publico con cara de nada
I don't like an audience with no expression
El amor es libre sabias
Love is free, you know
Por lo menos eso nos queda
At least we have that
Mi abuela decía que es mejor estar sola que mal acompanada
My grandmom used to say it's better to be alone than with bad company
Rodeada de gente de buena honda que no quiere ver platos
Surrounded by nice people who don't want to see the dirty dishes
Las cosas por su nombre ni fu ni fa
Call things by their name directly, neither yes nor no
Aquí la verdad la buena honda
Here's the truth, good vibes
Que si tu ministerio dice que no tengo
That if your ministry says I don't have it
Ahora te puedes comer completa
Now you can swallow it whole
Mi proyección lingüística
My linguistic projection
Que tengas cuidado que se van a cerrar las puertas
Be careful, the doors will close on you
Seamos claros nunca estuvieron abiertas
Let's be clear, they were never open
A la miel, alacon, a la chu
To honey, to slobber, to chu (onomatopoeia for kissing sound)
Tenemos el rosario más perfecto
We have the most perfect rosary
Las cosas por su nombre
Let's call things by their name directly
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG Rights Management
Written by: ANA MARIA MERINO TIJOUX, DANIEL CELSO HUERTA RIFFO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind