Born Aug 22, 1961 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he began his professional musical career at the age of 17 playing keyboards in Raíces.
In 1981 he incorporated to one of the main bands of the Argentinean '80s rock scene: Los Abuelos de la Nada. Although the band was led by the brilliant Miguel Abuelo, Calamaro composed most of the band's hits, like "Mil Horas," "Así es el calor," "Sin gamulán" and "Costumbres Argentinas."
In 1984 he made his solo debut with Hotel Calamaro. The album was a bizarre mix of styles and musicians, and didn't gain public or press support.
In 1985 he left Los Abuelos de la Nada and registered his second album Vida Cruel. Inspite of the important musicians and guests, such as Luis Alberto Spinetta and Charly García, the album was a disappointment: both commercially and artistically. But if as a songwriter the luck was out of reach, he had an intense and successful work as a producer of bands like Los Enanitos Verdes, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs and Don Cornelio y la zona. He also worked and collaborated with many artists of different styles and genres, a constant attitude through his whole career. The third album Por Mirarte showed Calamaro in a better shape with an established band. Released in 1988 it contains some outstanding songs such as "Con los dientes apretados" and "Me olvidé de los demás," while others like "Cartas sin Marcar" and "Loco por tí" helped the album to get popular.
When Calamaro released in 1989 Nadie Sale Vivo de Aquí, Argentina was living it's worst economical crisis: few albums were released. The album title suggest it all: Nobody comes out alive from here. The LP production was paralyzed, and the few that could make it were almost ignored. That was Calamaro's case. This situation lead the singer to settle in Spain, following a road taken by many Argentinean rockers. Out there in Spain he met Ariel Rot y Javier Infante, former members of Tequila. They formed Los Rodríguez in 1991, a pop-rock band that was very popular in Spain and Latin America: Calamaro's songs began to be popular like in the early '80s: the hit maker was on the road again. Curiously, from Spain, he was conquering Argentina. While being part of the band he didn't release any new solo material, just Grabaciones Encontradas 1 y 2, a couple of CDs that contained unreleased and rare material from the '80s.
After the split of Los Rodríguez, Calamaro returned to his solo career recording Alta Suciedad in 1997, an album produced by Joe Blaney. This album brought him the commercial success that seemed to fail in his previous solo efforts, and sold 300.000 copies just in Argentina. That is certainly a huge amount for the country's small market. No doubts, that album helped him to be placed between the star legends of the national rock scene. Before that album Calamaro was considered an important character, appreciated by other musicians, but not a main one. After he broke up with his spanish girlfriend he released in 1999 the double CD Honestidad Brutal. Recorded when he was 37, it contained 37 songs of despair, love loss, drugs and regret. It was not as successful at the previous album, but showed a new Calamaro: desperate, decadent and often elegant at the same time, with a new and raw lyrical approach. El Salmon followed in spring 2001.
Calamaro's next proyect, El Cantante, was released in 2005. A delicious mixture of tango, rock n'roll and flamenco guitars (mostly played by spanish prodigy El Niño Josele).
After a break, he returned to the stages with a tour full of classics that gave birth to a live album called El Regreso on 2005, recorded with members of Bersuit Vergarabat as a backing band. This album was very well received for the charts as well as for the critics, wich lead him to different awards. One year later, on 2006, Andres published a new album from the roots of tango with the collaboration of guitarrists Niño Josele and Juanjo Dominguez. On 2007 El palacio de las flores was published, although it was recorded on 2006. The album had the collaboration and musical influence of argentine composer Lito Nebbia and was also recorded on his studio. This was the return to a classic Calamaro album with new songs and hits.
El Arriero
Andrés Calamaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
El sol juega en el brillo del pedregal
Y prendido a la magia de los caminos
El arriero va, el arriero va
Es bandera de niebla su poncho al viento
Lo saludan las flautas del pajonal
Y guapeando en la senda por esos cerros
Las penas y las vaquitas se van por la misma senda
Las penas y las vaquitas se van por la misma senda
Las penas son de nosotros, las vaquitas son ajenas
Las penas son de nosotros, las vaquitas son ajenas
Un degüeyo de soles muestra la tarde
Se han dormido las luces del pedregal
Y animando a la tropa, dale que dale
El arriero va, el arriero va
Ojalá que la noche traiga recuerdos
Que haga menos pesada la soledad
Como sombra en la sombra por esos cerros
El arriero va, el arriero va
Las penas y las vaquitas se van por la misma senda
Las penas y las vaquitas se van por la misma senda
Las penas son de nosotros, las vaquitas son ajenas
Las penas son de nosotros, las vaquitas son ajenas
Y prendido la magia de los caminos
El arriero va, el arriero va
Andrés Calamaro's El Arriero is a song that celebrates the life and work of the arriero, who is the individual who drives cattle across the countryside in Argentina. The song describes the arriero journeying through the mountains of the region on his mule, with only the company of his cattle as he navigates the treacherous and often unpredictable trails through the rugged terrain. The lyrics are filled with vivid imagery, describing the arriero as a fearless, free-spirited adventurer who is connected to the natural world around him.
The opening lines of the song "In the sands, the whirling dances; /the sun plays with the shine of the stones/And attached to the magic of the roads, /the arriero goes, the arriero goes" sets the tone for the rest of the piece. The arriero is described as someone who is at one with nature and the environment around him. His poncho billows in the wind, and he is accompanied by the sound of flutes coming from the meadow. The song's chorus emphasizes that the cattle and the arriero all travel the same path, but only the arriero deals with his personal struggles. The final verse describes the arriero continuing onwards in his journey, hoping that the night brings memories to keep him company in his solitude.
Line by Line Meaning
En las arenas bailan los remolinos
The swirling sands dance around in the air.
El sol juega en el brillo del pedregal
The sun shines on the glittering stones of the field.
Y prendido a la magia de los caminos
Captivated by the magic of the roads,
El arriero va, el arriero va
The muleteer goes on his way.
Es bandera de niebla su poncho al viento
His poncho floats like a flag in the foggy wind.
Lo saludan las flautas del pajonal
The reeds in the field greet him with their melodies.
Y guapeando en la senda por esos cerros
With courage on the path through the hills,
El arriero va, el arriero va
The muleteer goes on his way.
Las penas y las vaquitas se van por la misma senda
Sorrows and cows follow the same path.
Las penas son de nosotros, las vaquitas son ajenas
Sorrows are ours, cows are someone else's.
Un degüeyo de soles muestra la tarde
The evening is awash with light from the sun.
Se han dormido las luces del pedregal
The lights of the field have gone to sleep.
Y animando a la tropa, dale que dale
Encouraging his flock, he keeps going and going.
El arriero va, el arriero va
The muleteer goes on his way.
Ojalá que la noche traiga recuerdos
Hopefully, the night will bring memories.
Que haga menos pesada la soledad
Making loneliness a little less burdensome.
Como sombra en la sombra por esos cerros
Like a shadow in the shadows of the hills,
El arriero va, el arriero va
The muleteer goes on his way.
Y prendido la magia de los caminos
And captivated by the magic of the roads,
El arriero va, el arriero va
The muleteer goes on his way.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HECTOR ROBERTO CHAVERO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind