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.
Rio manso
Andrés Calamaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
le dije casi en silencio
"vas a tener que andar mucho
para ganarle a mi sueño"
Y sobre la arena fresca
la cabeza dibujé
de una pasión imposible
que me escribía de Santa Fe.
de aquellas que no se igualan,
estaba la tosca arena
conversando con el agua.
Enero estaba fundiendo
sobre el río su calor
y junto al perfil querido
puse mis venas de verseador.
Mira que cabeza loca
poner sus ojos en mí
yo que siempre ando de paso
no podré hacerte feliz,
olvídame te lo ruego,
yo soy como el Paraná
que sin detener su marcha
besa la playa y se va.
Que sin detener su marcha
besa la playa y se va.
Una noche correntina,
de aquellas que no se igualan,
estaba la tosca arena
conversando con el agua.
Enero estaba fundiendo
sobre el río su calor
y junto al perfil querido
puse mi vena de verseador.
Mira que cabeza loca
poner sus ojos en mí
yo que siempre ando de paso
no podré hacerte feliz,
olvídame te lo ruego,
yo soy como el Paraná
que sin detener su marcha
besa la playa y se va.
Que sin detener su marcha
besa la playa y se va.
The lyrics of "Rio Manso" by Andrés Calamaro depict a scene by the river where the singer is reflecting on his unattainable desires and the transient nature of his relationships. The river serves as a metaphor for time and the passing of opportunities. The singer addresses the river, acknowledging its strength and persistence, but also asserting that he holds on to his dreams and aspirations. He describes drawing the image of an impossible passion in the sand, symbolizing his longing for something unattainable.
The song also highlights a specific night in Corrientes, Argentina, characterized as a unique and unforgettable experience. The rough sand and the water are personified, engaging in a conversation, perhaps representing the singer's internal dialogue with his own emotions. The heat of January merges with the river, creating a contrasting backdrop to the singer's vulnerability and longing.
The chorus emphasizes the singer's perception of himself as a transient person, always on the move and unable to provide lasting happiness. He pleas for the other person to forget about him, comparing himself to the Paraná River, which flows continuously without stopping and only briefly kissing the shore before moving on.
Overall, "Rio Manso" explores themes of longing, transience, and the realization of one's own limitations in relationships. The lyrics evoke a sense of melancholy and resignation, as the singer acknowledges his inability to fulfill the desires of someone who has placed their hopes on him.
Line by Line Meaning
Mirando correr el río
Observing the river flowing
le dije casi en silencio
I whispered almost in silence
"vas a tener que andar mucho
para ganarle a mi sueño"
"you will have to walk a lot
to defeat my dream"
Y sobre la arena fresca
And on the fresh sand
la cabeza dibujé
I drew the head
de una pasión imposible
of an impossible passion
que me escribía de Santa Fe.
that wrote to me from Santa Fe.
Y una noche correntina,
And one night from Corrientes,
de aquellas que no se igualan,
of those that cannot be matched,
estaba la tosca arena
the coarse sand was
conversando con el agua.
having a conversation with the water.
Enero estaba fundiendo
January was melting
sobre el río su calor
its heat over the river
y junto al perfil querido
and beside the beloved profile
puse mis venas de verseador.
I placed my veins of a versifier.
Mira que cabeza loca
Look at that crazy head
poner sus ojos en mí
placing its eyes on me
yo que siempre ando de paso
me, who always move along
no podré hacerte feliz,
I won't be able to make you happy,
olvídame te lo ruego,
forget me, I beg you,
yo soy como el Paraná
I am like the Paraná river
que sin detener su marcha
that without stopping its journey
besa la playa y se va.
kisses the shore and goes away.
Que sin detener su marcha
That without stopping its journey
besa la playa y se va.
kisses the shore and goes away.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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