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.
Mi Autopista
Andrés Calamaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No saben de qué declararlo culpable.
Así era, igual se festejaba el día de la primavera
Y el veinticinco de mayo
Ir a ver a los ganaderos a caballo,
En la primera fila, en la primera fila.
Y voy a pedir 50.000 millones para una autopista
Dentro de veinte años va a estar medianamente lista
Que vida violenta, the fucking 70.
Mundial...la gesta deportiva sin igual.
Mundial...la gesta deportiva sin igual.
The lyrics of Andrés Calamaro's song "Mi Autopista" describe a world where people are looking for someone to blame for something without knowing what they did wrong. The scene is reminiscent of a time in Argentina when people were celebrating spring and Argentina's Independence Day by going on horseback rides to see ranchers. The singer notes that they were always in the first row and that they loved it. Later on, the singer states they plan to ask for 50,000 million pesos to build a highway that is a favorite of theirs. They admit that it will take twenty years to complete, but they don't care because it's something they want.
In the next verse, the singer reflects on the "fucking 70s," a time in Argentina when violence and unrest were rampant, and the singer notes the sense of pride people had during Argentina's World Cup win in 1978. They emphasize how sports can bring joy and unite people despite political and social turmoil. These lyrics suggest that even during difficult and unstable times, people can find happiness and a sense of community in various forms, be it through experiencing nature or celebrating sports.
Line by Line Meaning
Están buscando al responsable para que hable,
They're looking for someone to speak as the responsible one, but they don't know what they want to blame them for.
No saben de qué declararlo culpable.
They don't know what to accuse them of.
Así era, igual se festejaba el día de la primavera
That's how it was, and we still celebrated the spring day.
Y el veinticinco de mayo
And on May 25th.
Ir a ver a los ganaderos a caballo,
Going to see the cowboys on horseback.
En la primera fila, en la primera fila.
In the front row, in the front row.
Y voy a pedir 50.000 millones para una autopista
And I'm going to ask for 50,000 million for a highway.
Dentro de veinte años va a estar medianamente lista
In twenty years, it will be partially ready.
Mi autopista preferida.
My favorite highway.
Que vida violenta, the fucking 70.
What a violent life in the fucking 70s.
Mundial...la gesta deportiva sin igual.
World Cup...the unmatched sports achievement.
Mundial...la gesta deportiva sin igual.
World Cup...the unmatched sports achievement.
Contributed by Miles S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.