After its start in 1997 with Astrud EP, three albums (Mi fracaso personal, Gran fuerza and Performance), one b-sides album (Algo cambió: Caras B y rarezas 1996–2005) and many collaborations with other artists, Astrud has been continuously evolving in its sound, whether they want to sound techno-pop, orchestral, rock or whatsoever. Daily living scenes and intelligence are always present in their lyrics.
On top of that, their attitude and image have turn them into some kind of pop icons in the spanish alternative scene.
Their last album, Tú no existes was released in April 2007.
Paliza
Astrud Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
así que más que hacerme daño me dejó perplejo.
Luego una patada en medio del pecho
hizo que tuviera que afrontar los hechos.
Me estaban dando una paliza,
me estaban dando una paliza,
me estaban dando una paliza,
Una luxación de hombro y yo como si nada,
me quejaba tan sólo cuando se acercaban a la cara.
Si me incorporaba y salía corriendo, no me perseguían.
¿Para qué?, ¿para qué perder el tiempo?
Sólo seguían con la paliza,
me estaban dando una paliza,
me estaban dando una paliza,
¡ay!, ¡ay!, ¡ay!, ¡ay!, ¡ay!
Dilo ya,
lo que estás pensando.
Dilo ya,
dilo ya.
No me tomes por tonto,
dilo ya,
dilo ya,
ata ya los cabos.
Dilo ya,
dilo ya.
Todo se acelera, como si en un sueño,
y me pegan y me pegan y yo no me defiendo.
Y de pronto paran y me levanto,
me sacudo el traje y me voy andando, andando.
Así ha pasado, ¿por qué me miras?
así ha pasado, ¿por qué me miras así?
Me estaban dando una paliza,
¡ay!, ¡ay!, ¡ay!, ¡ay!, ¡ay!
Me estaban dando una paliza,
me estaban dando una paliza,
me estaban dando una paliza,
¡ay!, ¡ay!, ¡ay!, ¡ay!, ¡ay!
The song "Paliza" by Astrud tells the story of a person who is being physically attacked in a violent situation. The first verse describes how the attacker catches the singer off guard with a punch while they are sleeping, leaving them perplexed more than in pain. The second verse talks about how the singer tries to handle the situation by either complaining or trying to run away but gets physically abused more severely. The chorus, with its repetition of the phrase "me estan dando una paliza" (they are beating me up), drives home the sheer violence and brutality of the situation.
The third verse seems to be addressed to someone who might be witnessing the violence and not taking any action to help the singer. The repeated phrase "dilo ya" (say it now) could be an appeal to them to speak up about what they see and perhaps intervene. The fourth verse continues with the violence, with the singer getting punched and beaten repeatedly but eventually being left alone. The final lines of the song leave the singer with the question of why they are being stared at, considering the trauma they have just endured.
"Paliza" is a powerful song that sheds light on the horrific experience of being violently attacked. The use of repetition in the chorus creates a sense of urgency and intensity that makes the listener feel the same way the singer feels. The song is also a critique of the bystander effect, with the third verse pointing out how people sometimes just stand by and watch violence happen without doing anything to stop it.
Line by Line Meaning
El primer puñetazo me cogió durmiendo,
I was caught off guard by the first punch while I was sleeping,
así que más que hacerme daño me dejó perplejo.
It left me more confused than in pain.
Luego una patada en medio del pecho
Then came a kick in the middle of my chest,
hizo que tuviera que afrontar los hechos.
Which made me confront the reality of what was happening.
Me estaban dando una paliza,
I was being beaten up,
¡ay!, ¡ay!, ¡ay!, ¡ay!, ¡ay!
Repeated cries of agony and pain.
Una luxación de hombro y yo como si nada,
Despite dislocating my shoulder, I acted as if nothing had happened,
me quejaba tan sólo cuando se acercaban a la cara.
I only complained when they got too close to my face.
Si me incorporaba y salía corriendo, no me perseguían.
If I got up and ran away, they wouldn't chase me down.
¿Para qué?, ¿para qué perder el tiempo?
What's the point? Why waste the time and energy?
Dilo ya,
Say it now,
lo que estás pensando.
Say what you're thinking.
No me tomes por tonto,
Don't take me for a fool,
ata ya los cabos.
Just tie up all the loose ends.
Todo se acelera, como si en un sueño,
Everything speeds up, like in a dream,
y me pegan y me pegan y yo no me defiendo.
And they keep hitting me and hitting me, and I don't defend myself.
Y de pronto paran y me levanto,
Suddenly, they stop and I get up,
me sacudo el traje y me voy andando, andando.
I dust off my clothes and walk away.
Así ha pasado, ¿por qué me miras?
That's how it happened, why are you staring at me?
así ha pasado, ¿por qué me miras así?
That's how it happened, why are you looking at me like that?
Contributed by Brody C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.