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.
La parte de adelante
Andrés Calamaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Soy carcelero de tu lado más grosero
Soy el soldado de tu lado más malvado
El arquitecto de tus lados incorrectos
Soy propietario de tu lado más caliente
Soy dirigente de tu parte más urgente
Soy artesano de tu lado más humano
Y el comandante de tu parte de adelante
Soy inocente de tu lado más culpable
Pero el culpable de tu lado más caliente
Soy el custodio de tus ráfagas de odio
El comandante de tu parte de adelante
Cargando imagen, a tu lado estoy mi vida
Mañana será un nuevo punto de partida
Soy vagabundo de tu lado mas profundo
Por un segundo de tu cuerpo doy el mundo
Que más quisiera que pasar la vida entera
Como estudiante el día de la primavera
Siempre viajando en un asiento de primera
El comandante de tu balsa de madera
Que más quisiera que pasar la vida entera
Como estudiante el día de la primavera
Siempre viajando en un asiento de primera
El carpintero de tu balsa de madera
Soy el soldado de tu lado malvado
El comandante de tu parte de adelante
Cargando imagen, a tu lado estoy mi vida
Mañana será un nuevo punto de partida
Soy vagabundo de tu lado mas profundo
Por un segundo de tu cuerpo doy el mundo
Que más quisiera que pasar la vida entera
Como estudiante el día de la primavera
Siempre viajando en un asiento de primera
El comandante de tu balsa de madera
Que más quisiera que pasar la vida entera
Como estudiante el día de la primavera
Siempre viajando en un asiento de primera
El mejor carpintero de tu balsa de madera
Soy el soldado de tu lado malvado
El comandante de tu parte de adelante
Soy el soldado de tu lado malvado
Y el comandante
Solo, estoy solo y estoy buscando
Esa alguien que me esta esperando
Que me entienda y si no me entiende
Alguien que me comprende
Alguien a quien recordar de memoria cuando estoy de viaje
Cuando estoy muy lejos, sí
Soy un vagabundo y camino bastante al rededor del mundo
Pero quiero volver a mi casa, a alguna casa
Para encontrar a esa princesa vampira que respira
Que respira y me mira
The lyrics of “La parte de adelante” express the complexity of a relationship where the singer is full of contradictions because he is willing to be whatever his partner needs him to be at different times. He is vulnerable, but he can also be the prison guard of her rough side. He is a soldier who fights for her most wicked part and the architect of her wrongdoings. He has ownership of her most passionate side but also serves as a guide for her urgent part. He is an artisan of her most humane side, and a commander of her front side.
The singer also acknowledges his faults and is guilty of falling for her most alluring side. He is her caretaker of her hatred bursts, yet, he is the commander of her front side. The love and admiration that he feels for her are expressed in romantic terms as he states that he could spend his whole life traveling in a first-class seat, always being a student during spring days. He wants to be the commander of her raft made of wood and become the best carpenter that there is.
The overall message of the song is about the duality of relationships and the willingness to be whoever your partner needs you to be in order to maintain the love and connection between two people.
Line by Line Meaning
Soy vulnerable a tu lado más amable
I am weak when it comes to your kinder side
Soy carcelero de tu lado más grosero
I am the jailer of your rudest side
Soy el soldado de tu lado más malvado
I am the soldier of your darkest side
El arquitecto de tus lados incorrectos
I am the architect of your flawed sides
Soy propietario de tu lado más caliente
I own your hottest side
Soy dirigente de tu parte más urgente
I am in charge of your most urgent side
Soy artesano de tu lado más humano
I am the craftsman of your most human side
Y el comandante de tu parte de adelante
And I am the commander of your front side
Soy inocente de tu lado más culpable
I am innocent of your most guilty side
Pero el culpable de tu lado más caliente
But I am guilty of your hottest side
Soy el custodio de tus ráfagas de odio
I am the guardian of your bursts of hatred
Cargando imagen, a tu lado estoy mi vida
Loading image, I am by your side, my life
Mañana será un nuevo punto de partida
Tomorrow will be a new starting point
Soy vagabundo de tu lado mas profundo
I am a vagabond of your deepest side
Por un segundo de tu cuerpo doy el mundo
For a second of your body, I give the world
Que más quisiera que pasar la vida entera
What else would I like than to spend my whole life
Como estudiante el día de la primavera
As a student on the day of Spring
Siempre viajando en un asiento de primera
Always traveling in a first-class seat
El comandante de tu balsa de madera
The commander of your wooden raft
El carpintero de tu balsa de madera
The carpenter of your wooden raft
Soy el soldado de tu lado malvado
I am the soldier of your evil side
Solo, estoy solo y estoy buscando
Alone, I am alone and I am searching
Esa alguien que me esta esperando
That someone who is waiting for me
Que me entienda y si no me entiende
Who understands me and if they don't understand me
Alguien que me comprende
Someone who comprehends me
Alguien a quien recordar de memoria cuando estoy de viaje
Someone to remember by heart when I am traveling
Cuando estoy muy lejos, sí
When I am very far away, yes
Soy un vagabundo y camino bastante al rededor del mundo
I am a vagabond and I walk around the world quite a bit
Pero quiero volver a mi casa, a alguna casa
But I want to return to my home, any home
Para encontrar a esa princesa vampira que respira
To find that breathing vampire princess
Que respira y me mira
Who breathes and looks at me
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Andres Calamaro Masel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind