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.
Valentina
Andrés Calamaro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Es la mina que cualquiera soñaría.
Pero si es la verdadera Valentina
Argentina entera se pone de pie.
Es difícil acabar las cosas
Es difícil también empezar
Pero con Valentina quisimos acabarlas todas
Eran las cinco de la mañana
Y mi espíritu guerrero temerario
No sabía de lugares ni de horarios
Y con el oso fuimos a buscar la miel.
Se hicieron las seis, y las siete, y las ocho,
Las nueve, las diez y las once de la mañana.
No sé que habrá hecho Sabina
Pero Valentina había una sola,
Es el mapa de Argentina hecho mujer.
Las horas de sueño perdido pasan factura
Pero la más dura es la dictadura de la belleza.
Tuve que pedirle a un amigo
Que venga conmigo a mirarla un poquito
Para que alguien me crea lo que era Valentina.
Qué pedazo de mina
Argentina entera se pone de pie.
Qué pedazo de mina
Argentina entera se pone de pie.
Qué pedazo de mina
Argentina entera se pone de pie.
Qué pedazo de mina
Argentina entera se pone de pie.
Valentina te llevo clavada como una espina...
The first verse of "Valentina" emphasizes the impact this character has on a scene. The night never ends with Valentina, and anyone would dream to be with her. However, if she is the real Valentina, the entire nation of Argentina would stand and take notice. The chorus repeats the sentiment of Argentina being in awe of Valentina, solidifying her status as a cultural symbol. The second verse nods to the difficulty of starting and ending things, but with Valentina, the singer aims to finish everything. The final verse describes a morning spent with Valentina and Sabinas, emphasizing the beauty and difficulty of maintaining a relationship with someone so gorgeous. The singer must bring a friend to vouch for Valentina's beauty, and the song ends with a line expressing how Valentina is unforgettable.
Line by Line Meaning
La noche nunca termina con Valentina,
Valentina represents a person who makes every moment count and adds more brightness to life, making the night never-ending.
Es la mina que cualquiera soñaría.
Valentina is someone who everyone would dream of having, due to her unique qualities.
Pero si es la verdadera Valentina
If one gets the chance to be with the real Valentina, they are in for a treat.
Argentina entera se pone de pie.
Valentina is a person who inspires others, and her presence makes the entire country stand up in respect and awe.
Es difícil acabar las cosas
It's not easy to finish things, especially when they mean a lot to us.
Es difícil también empezar
Starting new things is equally challenging, as it requires courage and effort.
Pero con Valentina quisimos acabarlas todas
However, with Valentina's presence, everything seemed possible and worth finishing.
De a una primero y todo después.
We took it step by step, finishing one thing at a time, and eventually, everything fell into place.
Eran las cinco de la mañana
It was five in the morning, a time when most people are asleep.
Y mi espíritu guerrero temerario
My brave and fearless spirit was on high alert, ready for whatever the night had in store.
No sabía de lugares ni de horarios
I didn't care about the place or time, just as long as I was with Valentina.
Y con el oso fuimos a buscar la miel.
Valentina and I went on an adventure together, just like a bear searching for honey.
Se hicieron las seis, y las siete, y las ocho,
Time flew by as we stayed up, enjoying every moment with Valentina.
Las nueve, las diez y las once de la mañana.
Hours passed by, and it was already late morning, yet we were still together, not wanting the night to end.
No sé que habrá hecho Sabina
I have no idea what Sabina was up to, but I was too busy enjoying my time with Valentina to care.
Pero Valentina había una sola,
For me, there was only one Valentina, and she was the most special person in my life.
Es el mapa de Argentina hecho mujer.
Valentina represented the entire country, and there was no one else like her.
Las horas de sueño perdido pasan factura
Lack of sleep takes its toll on the body and mind eventually.
Pero la más dura es la dictadura de la belleza.
The toughest challenge is living up to society's beauty standards and feeling judged for not meeting them.
Tuve que pedirle a un amigo
I had to ask a friend for help and reassurance.
Que venga conmigo a mirarla un poquito
To confirm that Valentina was as amazing as I thought she was, I asked my friend to take a look at her.
Para que alguien me crea lo que era Valentina.
To make sure that someone else saw the same things about Valentina that I did and confirm her brilliance.
Qué pedazo de mina,
Valentina is such an amazing person,
Argentina entera se pone de pie.
Her presence makes the entire country stand in respect and admiration.
Valentina te llevo clavada como una espina...
Valentina has left such an impression on me that I can't stop thinking about her, as if she's stuck like a thorn in my side.
Contributed by Maria F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.