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.
Metálico Cha Cha
Andrés Calamaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
también lo puedo alquilar
no deja de chorrear y está anticuado
pero tiene incluida sanata tropical
que idea mas absurda el metálico cha cha
que idea mas absurda el metálico cha cha
habría que deportar al responsable al mas allá
el cha cha metal merece una oportunidad,
guitarra superheavy con ritmo caliente
tampoco es nada original realmente
AAAH!!! ¡un grito heavy!
barrigas morenas al ritmo pesado del caribe Spinal Tap
que mas da sentirse tarado con el metálico cha cha
el frrrr del metal y las olas del mal
con el metálico cha cha!
The lyrics to Andrés Calamaro's song "Metálico cha cha" describe the singer's attempt to sell or rent out a "metallic cha cha," a dance style that seems to be a fusion of heavy metal and tropical rhythms. The singer acknowledges that the metallic cha cha is outdated and likely absurd to some, but suggests that it still deserves a chance to be appreciated. The song then goes on to describe the sound and feeling of the dance, using vivid imagery of heavy guitar riffs and Caribbean rhythms.
The lyrics seem to be a commentary on the idea that some musical styles or genres are considered more legitimate or valuable than others. The singer is almost defiant in his insistence that the metallic cha cha, despite its oddness, is just as valid as any other style of music ("Todos los estilos merecen una igual"). The song also seems to be poking fun at the idea of musical fusion - the idea that two seemingly disparate styles can be combined to create something new and unique.
Overall, "Metálico cha cha" is a playful and irreverent song that celebrates the joy of music and dancing, no matter how strange or unconventional the style may be.
Line by Line Meaning
Tengo en venta un metálico cha cha,
I have a metallic cha cha for sale,
también lo puedo alquilar
I can also rent it out
no deja de chorrear y está anticuado
It leaks and is outdated
pero tiene incluida sanata tropical
But it includes a tropical gimmick
que idea mas absurda el metálico cha cha
What a ridiculous idea, the metallic cha cha
que idea mas absurda el metálico cha cha
What a ridiculous idea, the metallic cha cha
habría que deportar al responsable al mas allá
We should deport the person responsible to the afterlife
el cha cha metal merece una oportunidad,
The metal cha cha deserves a chance
(Todos los estilos merecen una igual)
(All styles deserve an equal chance)
guitarra superheavy con ritmo caliente
Superheavy guitar with hot rhythm
tampoco es nada original realmente
It's not really original
AAAH!!! ¡un grito heavy!
Aaaah!! A heavy scream!
barrigas morenas al ritmo pesado del caribe Spinal Tap
Brown bellies to the heavy rhythm of Caribbean Spinal Tap
que mas da sentirse tarado con el metálico cha cha
What does it matter if you feel like a fool with the metallic cha cha
el frrrr del metal y las olas del mal
The metallic 'frrrr' and waves of evil
con el metálico cha cha!
With the metallic cha cha!
Contributed by Jack F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.