Yupanqui was born Héctor Roberto Chavero Haram in Pergamino (Buenos Aires Province), in the Argentine pampas, about 200 kilometers away from Buenos Aires. His family moved to Tucumán when he was ten. In a bow to two legendary Incan kings, he adopted the stage name Atahualpa Yupanqui, which became famous the world over.
In his early years, Yupanqui travelled extensively through the northwest of Argentina and the Altiplano studying the indigenous culture. He also became radicalized and joined the Communist Party of Argentina. In 1931, he took part in the failed uprising of the Kennedy brothers and was forced to seek refuge in Uruguay. He returned to Argentina in 1934.
In 1935, Yupanqui paid his first visit to Buenos Aires; his compositions were growing in popularity, and he was invited to perform on the radio. Shortly thereafter, he made the acquaintance of pianist Antonieta Paula Pepin Fitzpatrick, nicknamed "Nenette", who became his lifelong companion and musical collaborator under the pseudonym "Pablo Del Cerro".
Because of his Communist Party affiliation (which lasted until 1952), his work suffered from censorship during Juan Perón's presidency; he was detained and incarcerated several times. He left for Europe in 1949. Édith Piaf invited him to perform in Paris in June of that year. He subsequently toured extensively throughout Europe.
In 1952, Yupanqui returned to Buenos Aires. He broke with the Communist Party, which made it easier for him to book radio performances.
Recognition of Yupanqui's ethnographic work became widespread during the 1960s, and nueva canción artists such as Mercedes Sosa recorded his compositions and made him popular among the younger musicians, who referred to him as Don Ata.
Yupanqui alternated between houses in Buenos Aires and Cerro Colorado, Córdoba province. During 1963-1964, he toured Colombia, Japan, Morocco, Egypt, Israel, and Italy. In 1967, he toured Spain, and settled in Paris. He returned regularly to Argentina, but these visits became less frequent when the military dictatorship of Jorge Videla came to power in 1976.
Yupanqui died in Nimes, France in 1992 at the age of 84; he was buried in the Cerro Colorado Cementery.
Chacarera de las Piedras
Atahualpa Yupanqui Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que muy mucho ha caminado
Y ahora vive tranquilo
En el Cerro Colorado
Largo mis coplas al viento
Por donde quiera que voy
Soy árbol lleno de frutos
Cuando ensillo mi caballo
Me largo por las arenas
Y en la mitar del camino
Ya me he olvidao' de las penas
Caminiaga, santa elena
El churqui, rayo cortado
No hay pago como mi pago
¡viva el Cerro Colorado
A la sombra de unos talas
Yo "i" sentido, de un repente
A una moza que decía
"sosiegue que viene gente"
Te voy a dar un remedio
Que es muy bueno pa' las penas
Grasita de iguana macho
Mezcla'ita con hierbabuena
Chacarera de las piedras
Criollita como ninguna
No te metas en los montes
Si no ha salido la luna
Caminiaga, Santa Elena
El Churqui, Rayo Cortado
No hay pago como mi pago
¡viva el Cerro Colorado!
The lyrics to Atahualpa Yupanqui's song "Chacarera de las Piedras" describe the experiences and feelings of a traveling singer who has traversed many miles and now finds peace living in the Cerro Colorado. The singer describes himself as a tree full of fruit and compares himself to a small mistol plant. He speaks of how he forgets his worries when he saddles his horse and wanders on the sand, feeling free and liberated. The verses also touch on the beauty of nature and describe the scenery of places like Caminiaga, Santa Elena, El Churqui, and Rayo Cortado. The song also includes a story of a chance encounter with a young woman who offered the singer a remedy made of iguana and mint to ease his pains.
Line by Line Meaning
Aquí canta un caminante
A wandering man sings here
Que muy mucho ha caminado
Who has walked a lot
Y ahora vive tranquilo
And now lives peacefully
En el Cerro Colorado
In the Colorado Hill
Largo mis coplas al viento
I release my verses to the wind
Por donde quiera que voy
Wherever I go
Soy árbol lleno de frutos
I am a tree full of fruits
Como plantita 'e mistol
Like a mistol seedling
Cuando ensillo mi caballo
When I saddle my horse
Me largo por las arenas
I set out through the sands
Y en la mitad del camino
And in the middle of the road
Ya me he olvidao' de las penas
I have already forgotten my sorrows
Caminiaga, Santa Elena
Caminiaga, Santa Elena
El Churqui, Rayo Cortado
El Churqui, Rayo Cortado
No hay pago como mi pago
There is no place like my place
¡Viva el Cerro Colorado!
Long live the Colorado Hill!
A la sombra de unos talas
In the shade of some tala trees
Yo 'i' sentido, de un repente
I felt a sudden presence
A una moza que decía
To a girl who said
¡Sosiegue que viene gente!
Calm down, people are coming!
Te voy a dar un remedio
I'm going to give you a remedy
Que es muy bueno pa' las penas
Which is very good for sorrows
Grasita de iguana macho
Fat from a male iguana
Mezcla'ita con hierbabuena
Mixed with mint
Chacarera de las piedras
Chacarera of the stones
Criollita como ninguna
Country girl like no other
No te metas en los montes
Don't go into the hills
Si no ha salido la luna
If the moon hasn't risen
Caminiaga, Santa Elena
Caminiaga, Santa Elena
El Churqui, Rayo Cortado
El Churqui, Rayo Cortado
No hay pago como mi pago
There is no place like my place
¡Viva el Cerro Colorado!
Long live the Colorado Hill!
Lyrics © SADAIC LATIN COPYRIGHTS, INC.
Written by: HECTOR ROBERTO CHAVERO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@gabrielcabello2027
Aquí canta un caminante
Que muy mucho ha caminado
Y ahora vive tranquilo
En el Cerro Colorado
Largo mis coplas al viento
Por donde quiera que voy
Soy árbol lleno de frutos
Como plantita 'e mistol
Cuando ensillo mi caballo
Me largo por las arenas
Y en la mitar del camino
Ya me he olvidao' de las penas
Caminiaga, santa elena
El churqui, rayo cortado
No hay pago como mi pago
¡viva el Cerro Colorado
A la sombra de unos talas
Yo "i" sentido, de un repente
A una moza que decía
"sosiegue que viene gente"
Te voy a dar un remedio
Que es muy bueno pa' las penas
Grasita de iguana macho
Mezcla'ita con hierbabuena
Chacarera de las piedras
Criollita como ninguna
No te metas en los montes
Si no ha salido la luna
Caminiaga, Santa Elena
El Churqui, Rayo Cortado
No hay pago como mi pago
¡viva el Cerro Colorado!
@rafaelalejandrotrujillo6447
Soy muy duro para emocionarme, pero hoy en la casita del Cerro Colorado se me hizo un nudo en la garganta.... puedo dejar contento este mundo. Valió la pena.
@federicopelosi621
Estuve semana pasada, increíble todo
@Espadue
Preciosa chacarera y muy grande Atahualpa Yupanki 🌹🌹🎶🎶🍂🍂
@pipi9572
mi profe de música nos contó sobre esta música la escuché y me enamoré y se volvió mí música favorita
@carolinabritezgomez2707
Ami tambien
@andresbarreiro2623
"No te metas en los montes si no ha salido la luna... "
@abraaodasilva9634
essa música salvou minha noite.
@ritagonzalez5004
me encantan sus canciones
@yungsunra
,Don Ata, nuestro maestro, nuestro guía, nuestra sangre.
@AgustinGonzalez-zs3oo
Muito linda a música e'?