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.
Nuestra Piel
Andrés Calamaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Todos los días iguales
Va a ser cuestión de seguir adelante
Sin mirar atrás,
Y además para qué.
El tiempo nos quita, el tiempo nos da,
El tiempo nos enseña y nos enseña mal.
Vamos a caminar por la sombra,
Por calles llenas de hojas de otoño sin barrer,
Por una plaza donde nadie juega más.
¿Para qué disimular?
No vamos a ninguna parte
No va a ser fácil, ya lo sé,
Pero nunca lo es.
Es como arrancarse algo,
Es como ahogarse,
Es como quemarse la mano,
Es como quebrarse un hueso.
Hay que darle la razón la los que tienen razón
A los que aún no sabemos quienes somos
Pero estamos adentro
De nuestra ropa, de nuestra camisa, de nuestra piel.
De nuestra ropa, de nuestra camisa, de nuestra piel.
De nuestra ropa, de nuestra piel
The lyrics of Andrés Calamaro's song Nuestra Piel reflect on the passing of time and the inevitability of change. It acknowledges the difficulty of moving forward, but also emphasizes the importance of doing so. The opening lines suggest a sense of monotony and repetition, and the need to continue on without looking back, as the past cannot be changed. The lyrics suggest that time can both give and take away from us, and that some of the lessons it teaches may not be desirable.
The song then shifts to a more hopeful tone, as Calamaro urges the listener to walk in the shade and hold hands, and to appreciate the beauty of autumn leaves on the street and a deserted playground. The lyrics suggest that there is no need to pretend or hide, and that there is no specific destination or goal that must be reached - the simple act of walking and being together is enough. The lyrics acknowledge that the journey will not be easy, as there are difficulties associated with change, but ultimately affirm that it is worth pursuing.
Overall, Nuestra Piel is a reflective and introspective song that acknowledges both the challenge and the importance of moving forward, and the power of human connections in doing so.
Line by Line Meaning
Y si los días dejan de caminar
If the days stop moving forward
Todos los días iguales
Every day seems the same
Va a ser cuestión de seguir adelante
We must keep moving forward
Sin mirar atrás
Without looking back
Y además para qué
And for what reason?
El tiempo nos quita, el tiempo nos da
Time takes away, time gives us
El tiempo nos enseña y nos enseña mal
Time teaches us, but sometimes poorly
Vamos a caminar por la sombra
Let's walk in the shade
Vamos a caminar de la mano
Let's walk hand in hand
Por calles llenas de hojas de otoño sin barrer
Through streets filled with un-swept autumn leaves
Por una plaza donde nadie juega más
Through a square where no one plays anymore
¿Para qué disimular?
Why pretend?
No vamos a ninguna parte
We're not going anywhere
No va a ser fácil, ya lo sé
It's not going to be easy, I already know
Pero nunca lo es
But it never is
Es como arrancarse algo
It's like pulling something out
Es como ahogarse
It's like drowning
Es como quemarse la mano
It's like burning your hand
Es como quebrarse un hueso
It's like breaking a bone
Hay que darle la razón la los que tienen razón
We must agree with those who are right
A los que aún no sabemos quienes somos
To those who still don't know who they are
Pero estamos adentro
But we are on the inside
De nuestra ropa, de nuestra camisa, de nuestra piel
In our clothes, in our shirts, in our skin
De nuestra ropa, de nuestra camisa, de nuestra piel
In our clothes, in our skin
De nuestra ropa, de nuestra piel
In our clothes, in our skin
Contributed by Max R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.