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.
Freaks
Andrés Calamaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
queridos monstruos de la infancia
que ignorancia ignorar rebundancia, fatal.
El espejo me explicó
el monstruo verdadero soy yo,
el monstruo verdadero soy yo.
Rita Hayworth, Greta, Jane Birkin, Gainsbourg la tuvo!
ningún boludo, ningún boludo
si digo distrito federal
si no puedo envidiar odiar, qué me va a pasar.
¿Qué me va a pasar?
Hace 500 años viniste con las carabelas
a la primera y segunda fundación
comiste del mismo plato que Mendoza, Garay y Pinzón
ya también son de el juez Garzón.
Nací en cualquier signo sin diez mandamientos
que audaz atrevimiento
que audaz atrevimiento
Otra vez digo la verdad cuando miento.
Otra vez digo la verdad cuando miento.
Otra vez digo la verdad cuando miento.
Vendeme, alquilame, regalame.
Vendeme, alquilame, regalame
un poco de tu amor,
de lo demás todo está muy de moda
tomársela toda.
Lo dijo un juglar que no hablaba en joda.
Lo dijo un juglar que no hablaba en joda.
Bacalaó en guerra.
Bacalaó en guerra.
Sirenas de la policía, pasamontañas,
pestañas quemadas
Y un clavo saca otro clavo,
cuatro clavos forman una cruz,
y todo a media luz, a media luz los dos
el hijo del esclavo trajo su propio clavo
para crucificarse al lado mío.
Para crucificarse al lado mío.
Para crucificarse al lado mío.
Para ver la luz al tercer día,
para ver la luz
cerca de la cruz
el ladrón lo sabía
el ladrón lo sabía por zorro y por viejo ladrón.
Y todo a media luz, a media luz los dos
y todo a media luz, a media luz los dos,
Y todo a media luz.
Mi cruz, mi cruz, welcome to mi cruz.
Mi cruz, mi cruz, welcome to mi cruz.
Mi cruz, mi cruz, welcome to mi cruz.
Mi cruz, mi cruz, welcome to mi cruz.
Tengo dudas sobre la cordura,
la locura me da miedo,
¿No será un invento de los de en medio?
Será algún mediocre que se confesó en invierno
Será una intimidad,
será universal
¡Crucify me!
The lyrics to "Freaks" by Andrés Calamaro are filled with references to monsters, Hollywood icons, and historical events. The first verse speaks to the nostalgia for classic movie monsters like Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolfman, which were beloved by many during childhood. The line "que ignorancia ignorar rebundancia, fatal" suggests that it is foolish to ignore these monsters, and perhaps that they are a reminder of the darkness that exists within all of us. The second verse shifts to a more personal reflection, with the lines "el espejo me explicó / el monstruo verdadero soy yo." Here, Calamaro is grappling with his own inner demons and recognizing that he may be the real monster. The song goes on to reference Rita Hayworth, Greta Garbo, and Jane Birkin, and the jealousy and envy that can come with comparing oneself to these Hollywood icons. The final lines of the song, "¡Crucify me!" suggest a desire for punishment or redemption for these feelings of envy and internal darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
Frankenstein, Drácula, el hombre lobo
Addressing beloved childhood monsters Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolfman
queridos monstruos de la infancia
Dear monsters from my childhood
que ignorancia ignorar rebundancia, fatal.
It is a fatal mistake to ignore redundancy in our ignorance
El espejo me explicó
The mirror explained to me
el monstruo verdadero soy yo,
I am the true monster
Rita Hayworth, Greta, Jane Birkin, Gainsbourg la tuvo!
Rita Hayworth, Greta Garbo, Jane Birkin, and Gainsbourg had it all!
ningún boludo, ningún boludo
None of them were fools
que pecado capital
What a deadly sin
si digo distrito federal
If I say 'Federal District'
si no puedo envidiar odiar, qué me va a pasar.
If I can't envy or hate, what will happen to me?
¿Qué me va a pasar?
What will happen to me?
Hace 500 años viniste con las carabelas
Five hundred years ago you came with caravels
a la primera y segunda fundación
To the first and second foundation
comiste del mismo plato que Mendoza, Garay y Pinzón
You ate off the same plate as Mendoza, Garay, and Pinzon
ya también son de el juez Garzón.
Now they belong to Judge Garzón
Nací en cualquier signo sin diez mandamientos
I was born under any sign without ten commandments
que audaz atrevimiento
What a bold dare
Otra vez digo la verdad cuando miento.
Once again, I tell the truth when I lie
Vendeme, alquilame, regalame.
Sell me, rent me, give me away
un poco de tu amor,
A little bit of your love
de lo demás todo está muy de moda
Everything else is very fashionable
tomársela toda.
Take it all in
Lo dijo un juglar que no hablaba en joda.
A jester who wasn't joking said that
Bacalaó en guerra.
Cod in war
Sirenas de la policía, pasamontañas,
Police sirens, balaclavas
pestañas quemadas
Burned eyelashes
Y un clavo saca otro clavo,
A nail removes another nail
cuatro clavos forman una cruz,
Four nails form a cross
y todo a media luz, a media luz los dos
And everything in half-light, in half-light the two
el hijo del esclavo trajo su propio clavo
The slave's son brought his own nail
para crucificarse al lado mío.
To be crucified alongside me
Para ver la luz al tercer día,
To see the light on the third day
para ver la luz cerca de la cruz
To see the light near the cross
el ladrón lo sabía
The thief knew
el ladrón lo sabía por zorro y por viejo ladrón.
The thief knew because he was a fox and an old thief
Mi cruz, mi cruz, welcome to mi cruz.
My cross, my cross, welcome to my cross
Tengo dudas sobre la cordura,
I have doubts about sanity
la locura me da miedo,
Madness scares me
¿No será un invento de los de en medio?
Isn't it an invention of the intermediary?
Será algún mediocre que se confesó en invierno
Maybe some mediocre person confessed in winter
Será una intimidad,
Maybe it's a privacy
será universal
Maybe it's universal
¡Crucify me!
Crucify me!
Contributed by Nolan H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.