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.
Cruz Del Sur
Atahualpa Yupanqui Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Forastero en todas partes, destino de trovador
Un dia le pidio al viento que lo hiciera payador
Y el viejo viento surero los secretos le enseño
Y le lleno la guitarrra de cantos en "Mi" menor
Bajo el ombu solitario como un gaucho medito
Probo su voz en la Cifra, el Rasguido se encendio'
Y alzando poncho y viguela de su rancho se alejo'
Y anduvo de pago en pago, y en ninguno se quedo'
Le fue creciendo la fama de Dorrego a Realico'
De Bahia a Santa Rosa; del Bragado al Pehuajo'
Paso por el Pergamino, alla por el veintidos
Cruzo la tierra entrerriana con rumbo al
Huayquillaro',
Tal vez pa' pitarse un chala bajo los ceibos en flor
Y anduvo de pago en pago, y en ninguno se quedo'
Tanto torearlo al destino, el destino lo "pialo'"
Volvia buscando pampa, como vuelve un trovador
Contemplando las gramillas, por esos campos de Dios
Volvia buscando pampa, como vuelve un trovador
Rico de lindas riquezas: guitarra, amigos, cancion
En la mitad del camino se le canso' el corazon
Y entro de golpe al silencio, y el silencio lo tapo'
Lo mentaron algun tiempo el Peon, el Estibador
El Hombre de Siete Oficios, los paisanos del Fronton
Y como la vida tiene su ley y su sinrazon
Le fue llegando el olvido, y el olvido lo tapo'
Don Luis Acosta Garcia se llamaba el payador
Hombre nacido en Dorrego y que mucho trajino'
Hombre de lindas riquezas: guitarra, amigos, cancion
Don Luis Acosta Garcia: lindo nombre pa' un cantor
Que anduvo de pago en pago y en ninguno se quedo'
Atahualpa Yupanqui's song Cantor Del Sur tells the story of a wandering singer named Don Luis Acosta Garcia. The opening line, "Anduvo de pago en pago, y en ninguno se quedo" (He went from place to place, and stayed in none), establishes Don Luis as a vagabond troubadour, traveling from town to town and earning his living by singing for people. The lyrics go on to describe his encounters with different places and people, as well as the ups and downs of his life as a musician.
The song employs several poetic devices, including metaphor and repetition. Throughout the song, Don Luis is compared to a wandering spirit who cannot be tied down or contained. The line "Le fue llegando el olvido, y el olvido lo tapo" (He was forgotten, and forgetting covered him) is repeated several times, emphasizing the tragic end to Don Luis's life.
In many ways, Cantor Del Sur is a tribute to the power of music and the life of a troubadour. Don Luis may have been forgotten by many, but his legacy lives on in his songs and in the memories of the people he touched with his music.
Line by Line Meaning
Anduvo de pago en pago, y en ninguno se quedo
He wandered from place to place, never staying in one spot. A stranger everywhere, destined to be a troubadour.
Forastero en todas partes, destino de trovador
A foreigner in every place, he was destined to be a troubadour.
Un dia le pidio al viento que lo hiciera payador
One day he asked the wind to teach him to sing like a payador (folk singer).
Y el viejo viento surero los secretos le enseño
The old southern wind taught him its secret songs.
Y le lleno la guitarrra de cantos en 'Mi' menor
It filled his guitar with songs in the key of E minor.
Bajo el ombu solitario como un gaucho medito
He meditated like a gaucho under the lonely ombu tree.
Probo su voz en la Cifra, el Rasguido se encendio'
He tried his voice in the Cifra, and the Rasguido rhythm was ignited.
En la Milonga Surera serios asuntos trato'
He discussed serious matters in the Milonga Surera (folk dance and song).
Y alzando poncho y viguela de su rancho se alejo'
He lifted his poncho and guitar, left his house.
Le fue creciendo la fama de Dorrego a Realico'
His fame grew from Dorrego to Realico.
De Bahia a Santa Rosa; del Bragado al Pehuajo'
From Bahia to Santa Rosa; from Bragado to Pehuajo.
Paso por el Pergamino, alla por el veintidos
He passed by Pergamino, around '22.
Cruzo la tierra entrerriana con rumbo al Huayquillaro',
He crossed the Entrerrian land towards Huayquillaro.
Tal vez pa' pitarse un chala bajo los ceibos en flor
Perhaps to enjoy some roasted corn under the flowering ceibo trees.
Tanto torearlo al destino, el destino lo 'pialo'
As much as he fought against fate, it ultimately caught up with him.
Volvia buscando pampa, como vuelve un trovador
He returned looking for the pampa (plains), like a troubadour returning to his home.
Contemplando las gramillas, por esos campos de Dios
He gazed at the grasses in those fields of God.
Rico de lindas riquezas: guitarra, amigos, cancion
Rich in lovely riches: guitar, friends, music.
En la mitad del camino se le canso' el corazon
Halfway through his journey, his heart grew tired.
Y entro de golpe al silencio, y el silencio lo tapo'
He suddenly fell into silence, and that silence covered him.
Lo mentaron algun tiempo el Peon, el Estibador
They called him for a while the Peon or the Dockworker.
El Hombre de Siete Oficios, los paisanos del Fronton
The man of many trades, the countrymen of the Fronton.
Y como la vida tiene su ley y su sinrazon
And as life has its law and its senselessness.
Le fue llegando el olvido, y el olvido lo tapo'
The forgetting came upon him, and that forgetting covered him.
Don Luis Acosta Garcia se llamaba el payador
The troubadour's name was Don Luis Acosta Garcia.
Hombre nacido en Dorrego y que mucho trajino'
Man born in Dorrego and who traveled a lot.
Don Luis Acosta Garcia: lindo nombre pa' un cantor
Don Luis Acosta Garcia: a beautiful name for a singer.
Que anduvo de pago en pago y en ninguno se quedo'
Who wandered from place to place, never staying in one spot.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HECTOR ROBERTO CHAVERO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lazarus0357
Tuve la suerte inmensa de conocer personalmente a Don Ata. Era admirable, como hombre y como guitarrero. Pasamos una tarde hablando macanas, y ha quedado como uno de los momentos magicos de mi vida. Saludos
Fran Torres
2020 y seguimos junto a su arriero. Grande Viejo te queremos desde Chile
josue ezpinosa
El sonido de la guitarra nos habla, de su inmensa humanidad ,Don ata que grande es Ud.
Enzo Vizzolini
una sola vez pude verlo actuando y yo sentado adelante a cuatro filas de atahualpa y de frente,no perdi de vista la guitarra y la emision de su voz...ojo,en ese tiempo todos sabian que don ata era el crack de los crack,solo se trata de disfrutarlo difundirlo para saber compartir con quienes nos rodean a menos que nos rodee repre!
rufino sanchez
Es una tremenda creación en ritmo de "malambo". Un gran legado.
julio cesar
Maravilhoso !
eric olivo martinez
los hombres no sabemos para qué servimos mientras no tratamos de servir de algo que lejos llegó atahualpa yupanqui
Alfonso Vite Hernández
Pienson que Atahualpa, puso ese nombre, "Cruz del Sur, a esta hermosa pieza porque la procesión armónica es un cruce entre los distintos ritmos latinoamericanos, este ritmo lo encontramo en la mayoría de los países, de Norte a Sur, por ejemplo en: Galerón orienta (Venezuela), Guabina (Colombia), Torbellino (Colombia), Décimas Panameñas (Torrente Mesano), Punto Cubano, Malambo (Argentina), la Bamba (México), el Jarabe Loco (México), el Caimán (México). Ahora me explico porqué esa progresión armónica es representativa de latinoamérica y la han tomado para representarla en piezas actuales, por ejemplo Atahualpa en su "Cruz del Sur" lo tomó del Malambo, Richi Valens lo tomó de son Jarocho La Bamba, en versiones más contemporáneas, los Tigres del Norte (México) sabían de este punto de confluencia, pienso que por eso usaron este ritmo más estilizado para su pieza "América", y de igual forma con arreglos lo retomaron grupos de culto como los Pixies en su canción " Here Comes Your Men" (Por cierto el vocalista estuvo un tiempo tarbajando en Colombia); hasta The Doors en "Push Push", cuando lo latino despertaba el interés entre los grupos de EU.
Juan Pablo Paz
Muuuy interesante!
Muchas gracias por la información
Abrazo
Juan Mendoza
"Twist And shout" tambien