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.
Nada Mas
Atahualpa Yupanqui Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
es mas liviano la pena.
De todo aquello que tuve
solo el recuerdo me queda.
Nada más.
No tengo cuentas con Dios.
Mis cuentas son con los hombres.
y me hago león en el monte.
Nada más.
Me gusta mirarlo al hombre
Plantado sobre la tierra
Como una piedra en la cumbre
Como un faro en la ribera
Nada más.
Alguna gente se muere
Para volver a nacer.
Y el que tenga alguna duda
Que se lo pregunte al Che.
Nada más.
The song "Nada Mas" by Atahualpa Yupanqui speaks deeply about the burden of life and the importance of memories. The first stanza highlights that despite having property and material possessions, memories are the only thing that matter. The second stanza touches on the idea of accountability and how one's actions affect others. Yupanqui emphasizes that he has no debt to God but rather on a personal level with other human beings. He juxtaposes this with the imagery of praying in the open countryside but also being a ferocious and courageous lion. The final stanza deals with the concept of rebirth- that some must pass on to return to life once again, and the reference to Che Guevara serves to emphasize this idea of rebirth and resilience.
Overall, the song has a distinct air of earnestness as Yupanqui seems to be singing from the depths of his soul about his personal values, the importance of human connection, and the cyclical nature of life. The lyrics are simple but poignant, and his passionate delivery only adds to the sincerity of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Teniendo rancho y caballo es mas liviano la pena.
Having a home and a horse makes it easier to bear hardships.
De todo aquello que tuve solo el recuerdo me queda. Nada más.
I only have memories left from my past possessions. Nothing more.
No tengo cuentas con Dios. Mis cuentas son con los hombres.
I don't have debts with God. My debts are with fellow humans.
Yo rezo en el llano abierto y me hago león en el monte. Nada más.
I pray in the open plain and become a lion in the mountains. Nothing more.
Me gusta mirarlo al hombre Plantado sobre la tierra Como una piedra en la cumbre Como un faro en la ribera Nada más.
I like to see a man standing firm on the earth, like a rock at the summit, like a lighthouse on the shore. Nothing more.
Alguna gente se muere Para volver a nacer. Y el que tenga alguna duda Que se lo pregunte al Che. Nada más.
Some people die to be reborn. And if anyone has any doubts about it, they should ask Che Guevara. Nothing more.
Contributed by Aaliyah E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@NeuxBas
Nada más
Teniendo rancho y caballo
es más liviana la pena.
De todo aquello que tuve
sólo el recuerdo me quema.
Nada más, nada más.
No tengo cuentas con Dios,
mis cuentas son con los hombres.
Yo rezo en el llano abierto
y me hago león en el monte.
Nada más, nada más.
Me gusta mirarlo al hombre
plantado sobre la tierra *
como una piedra en la cumbre
como un palo en la ribera.
Nada más, nada más.
Alguna gente se muere
para volver a nacer.
El que tenga alguna duda
Que se lo pregunte al Che.
Nada más, nada más.
https://lyricstranslate.com
@caballeroxxxxx
Para los momentos de tristeza escuchar buena musica como las del señor Yupanqui.
@rubenmartinez3001
Adoro esa música 🎵 simplemente hermosa y de palabras hermosas no hay ninguna otra
@sophiakhalafi5466
So beautiful..... the lyrics and the music both.... thank you so much for sharing
I can not stop listening to it
@vibrankosetu
😌 Que sutil y potente 💮🎶🌱
@jorgesequeira7441
Sr.....no hay otra definicion ...es un SEÑOR...y al morirme quiero que me canten...PIEDRA Y CAMINO..
@user-pq7lv4bb9m
Хорошая песня!
@mariadoloresvillalba6508
De todo aquello que tuve... Solo el recuerdo me queda...
@fireoffenix100
qué hermosa canción.
@josemarialicata2152
Que sabio chabon y si tiene alguna duda preguntenle al Che !!! Astro totalll !!!
@catalinaarias5659
mi papá lo escuchaba :)