Andres Landero (1931-2000), exemplified the continuity of the cultural trad… Read Full Bio ↴Andres Landero (1931-2000), exemplified the continuity of the cultural traditions of his pueblo, San Jacinto, both musically and thematically as the son of a gaitero. In a town whose cultural traditions revolved around the cumbia, bullerengue, fandango, etc., Landero crafted his conjunto in this vein. As a campesino within the context of a campesino culture, the themes in his music pride the essential values that the campesino necessarily attached to the land and his/her crops. In resistance to the commercialization of costeno music and “El Vallenato6” as well as national racial projects that upheld whiteness as superior in every way, Landero vigorously championed the cultural traditions of San Jacinto and its afro-indigenous roots through a variety of contexts.

Perdí Las Abarcas
Andrés Landero Lyrics

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Llegó una red de cumbia
Y he enamorado a una muchacha
Llegó una red de cumbia
Y he enamorado a una muchacha

Después que a mí se me acabó el dinero
Yo tuve que vender hasta las abarcas [1].
Después que a mí se me acabó el dinero

Yo tuve que vender hasta las abarcas.

Por andar de enamorado,
Por andar de enamorado se fueron mis compañeros.
Yo me quedé sin plata y sin un trago,
Entonces tuve que empeñar el sombrero.
Yo me quedé sin plata y sin un trago,
Entonces tuve que empeñar el sombrero.

Lo que le pasó a Landero,
Lo que le pasó a Landero
Eso a cualquiera le pasa
Lo que le pasó a Landero,
Lo que le pasó a Landero
Eso a cualquiera le pasa

Me quedé sin abarca y sin sombrero
No me podré conseguir la muchacha.
Me quedé sin abarca y sin sombrero
No me podré conseguir la muchacha.

Y en otra red de cumbia
Me encontré con la muchacha
¿Para qué me vas a sacar de duda?
Págame mi sombrero y las abarcas.

¿Para qué me vas a sacar de duda?
Págame mi sombrero y las abarcas.

Overall Meaning

Andrés Landero's song "Perdi las abarcas" tells the story of a man who has fallen in love and lost everything. In the beginning, he sings about a new "red de cumbia" or "cumbia network" that has come around, and how he has fallen in love with a girl because of it. However, after he runs out of money, he has to sell his shoes (abarcas) to make ends meet. This leads to his friends leaving him, and him having to pawn his hat to buy a drink. The lyrics suggest that this is a common occurrence that could happen to anyone.

Despite this hardship, the man still holds onto his desire for the girl he loves. He sings about meeting her again, but becomes doubtful that he will win her heart back as he no longer has his shoes or hat. In the end, she demands that he pay her back for the items he had pawned, leaving his hope for a future with her uncertain.

The song's lyrics express the struggles faced by many in Colombia at the time of its release, especially those in rural areas. It reflects on the harsh economic reality of having to sell belongings in order to survive, and the social impact of having to do so.

Line by Line Meaning

Llegó una red de cumbia
A new musical genre called cumbia has arrived

Y he enamorado a una muchacha
I have fallen in love with a girl

Después que a mí se me acabó el dinero
After I ran out of money

Yo tuve que vender hasta las abarcas.
I had to sell everything, even my sandals.

Por andar de enamorado,
Because I was in love

Por andar de enamorado se fueron mis compañeros.
My friends left me, probably due to my love interest

Yo me quedé sin plata y sin un trago,
I was left with no money and no drink

Entonces tuve que empeñar el sombrero.
So, I had to pawn my hat.

Lo que le pasó a Landero,
What happened to Landero

Eso a cualquiera le pasa
Can happen to anyone

Me quedé sin abarca y sin sombrero
I lost my sandals and hat