The group's eponymous album was recorded in March 1996 and released in September 1997, quickly becoming an international success, which prompted the ensemble to perform with a full line-up in Amsterdam and New York in 1998. German director Wim Wenders captured the performance on film for a documentary—also called Buena Vista Social Club—that included interviews with the musicians conducted in Havana. Wenders' film was released in June 1999 to critical acclaim, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary feature and winning numerous accolades including Best Documentary at the European Film Awards.
The success of both the album and film sparked a revival of interest in traditional Cuban music and Latin American music in general. Some of the Cuban performers later released well-received solo albums and recorded collaborations with stars from different musical genres. The "Buena Vista Social Club" name became an umbrella term to describe these performances and releases, and has been likened to a brand label that encapsulates Cuba's "musical golden age" between the 1930s and 1950s. The new success was fleeting for the most recognizable artists in the ensemble: Compay Segundo, Rubén González, and Ibrahim Ferrer, who died at the ages of ninety-five, eighty-four, and seventy-eight respectively; Compay Segundo and González in 2003, then Ferrer in 2005.
Several surviving members of the Buena Vista Social Club, such as veteran singer Omara Portuondo, trumpeter Manuel "Guajiro" Mirabal, laúd player Barbarito Torres and trombonist and conductor Jesús "Aguaje" Ramos currently tour worldwide, to popular acclaim, with new members such as singer Carlos Calunga and pianist Rolando Luna, as part of a 13-member band called Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club.
Camino
Buena Vista Social Club Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Usted por enamorado
Tan viejo y con poco brillo
Usted por enamorado
Tan viejo y con poco brillo
El pollo que tiene al lado
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Ay, pero yo como soy tan sencillo
Pongo en claro esta trovada
Yo como soy tan sencillo
Pongo en claro esta trovada
Compay, yo no dejo el trillo
Para meterme en Canadá
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Ay, pero estabamo' comentando
Por que ha abandonado a Andrea
Estabamo' comentando
Por que ha abandonado a Andrea
Compadre uste' 'ta cambiando
De camino por vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Pero óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Pero mire compadrito, uste' ha 'dejao' a la
Pobre Geraldina para meterse con Dorotea
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
No hables de tu marido, mujer
Mujer de malos sentimientos
Todo se te ha vuelto un cuento
Porque no ha llegado la hora fatal
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Ay pero óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Ay ay ay ay, canta y no llore' Eliade'
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Porque cantando se alegran, cielito mio los corazones
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
No hables de tu marido, mujer
Mujer de malos sentimientos
Todo se te ha vuelto un cuento
Porque no ha llegado la hora fatal
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Ay, hoyanle, hoyanle, hoyanle al mayoral
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Pero ahora ese señor está en el paso y no me deja pasar
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Calamán, calamán, calamán con chevere
Camina como chevere ha matao su madre, mama
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
The lyrics of Buena Vista Social Club's song Camino talk about the importance of staying on the right path and avoiding temptation. The singer tells the listener not to leave the road to follow a path. They refer to a man who has lost his way due to love and the influence of the wrong people. The singer, who claims to be simple, says that they would never leave the road to go anywhere, even Canada. They then discuss a woman who has abandoned her husband for another man and urging her not to speak ill of her husband. They end the song with a call to dance, with the singer repeating the advice to stay on the right path.
The song's lyrics have been analyzed as a metaphor for the political and social conditions in Cuba, where people have to be careful about where they go and what they do to avoid falling into trouble. The song also highlights the importance of community and collective responsibility for making sure that people stay on the right path. At the same time, the song celebrates the joys of music, dance, and socializing, as a way of bringing people together and keeping them on the right track.
Some possible interpretations of the lyrics could include advice on how to navigate the complexities of love, the importance of resisting temptation, and the role of music and dance in keeping people on the right path. The song's lively rhythm and upbeat melody also create a sense of joy and celebration, emphasizing the positive aspects of life even in difficult political and social conditions.
Line by Line Meaning
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Listen to me, friend! Don't leave the path to take the trail
Usted por enamorado Tan viejo y con poco brillo Usted por enamorado Tan viejo y con poco brillo El pollo que tiene al lado Le ha hecho perder el trillo
You, for being in love, old and dull, the chicken next to you has made you lose your way
Ay, pero yo como soy tan sencillo Pongo en claro esta trovada Yo como soy tan sencillo Pongo en claro esta trovada Compay, yo no dejo el trillo Para meterme en Canadá
But as I am so simple, I clarify this song. Friend, I do not leave the path to go to Canada.
Ay, pero estabamo' comentando Por que ha abandonado a Andrea Estabamo' comentando Por que ha abandonado a Andrea Compadre uste' 'ta cambiando De camino por vereda
But we were discussing why you left Andrea. Friend, you're changing from the path to the trail.
Pero mire compadrito, uste' ha 'dejao' a la Pobre Geraldina para meterse con Dorotea
But look, buddy, you left poor Geraldina to be with Dorotea.
No hables de tu marido, mujer Mujer de malos sentimientos Todo se te ha vuelto un cuento Porque no ha llegado la hora fatal
Don't talk about your husband, woman with bad feelings. It's all just a story because the fatal hour hasn't come yet.
Ay ay ay ay, canta y no llore' Eliade'!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda Porque cantando se alegran, cielito mio los corazones
Sing and don't cry, Eliade! Listen to me, friend! Don't leave the path to take the trail, because singing makes our hearts happy, my dear.
Ay, hoyanle, hoyanle, hoyanle al mayoral!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda Pero ahora ese señor está en el paso y no me deja pasar
Listen to the overseer! Listen to me, friend! Don't leave the path to take the trail. But now that gentleman is blocking the way and won't let me pass.
Calamán, calamán, calamán con chevere Camina como chevere ha matao su madre, mama
Calamán, calamán, calamán with chevere. Walks like a chevere who killed his mother, mama.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: IBRAHIM FERRER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@da_kpln
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Usted por enamorado
Tan viejo y con poco brillo
Usted por enamorado
Tan viejo y con poco brillo
El pollo que tiene al lado
Le ha hecho perder el trillo
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Ay, pero yo como soy tan sencillo
Pongo en claro esta trovada
Yo como soy tan sencillo
Pongo en claro esta trovada
Compay, yo no dejo el trillo
Para meterme en Canadá
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Ay, pero estabamo' comentando
Por que ha abandonado a Andrea
Estabamo' comentando
Por que ha abandonado a Andrea
Compadre uste' 'ta cambiando
De camino por vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Pero óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Pero mire compadrito, uste' ha 'dejao' a la
Pobre Geraldina para meterse con Dorotea
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
No hables de tu marido, mujer
Mujer de malos sentimientos
Todo se te ha vuelto un cuento
Porque no ha llegado la hora fatal
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Ay pero óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Ay ay ay ay, canta y no llore' Eliade'
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Porque cantando se alegran, cielito mio los corazones
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
No hables de tu marido, mujer
Mujer de malos sentimientos
Todo se te ha vuelto un cuento
Porque no ha llegado la hora fatal
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Ay, hoyanle, hoyanle, hoyanle al mayoral
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Pero ahora ese señor está en el paso y no me deja pasar
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
Calamán, calamán, calamán con chevere
Camina como chevere ha matao su madre, mama
!Óigame compay! No deje camino por coger la vereda
@Cl4rendon
Being from the Caribbean, I must say next to the heavy Spanish influences, you can also hear a lot of west African structures in this song too. Such an amazing, beautiful blend in Cuban music ❤
@katty2249
Hombre claro!, toda América y sud América tenemos una gran riqueza y herencia musical por los esclavos traídos de África hacía estos lares
@katty2249
Y creo que es mucho más fuerte la herencia Africana, ya que lo español solo sería el idioma
@wickedblessed2547
@@katty2249 instrumentos como la guitara tambien
@DrsJacksonn
Central/South America and West Africa are two amazing places for music. No wonder this song has so much soul and atmosphere.
@PearlPaisley
Calypso! Love it! 🌴
@uptheirons3027
I was listening to this song while driving with my aunt in her old green Cabrio on a sunny day and it was such a perfect fit.Pure joy
@marinbilic2893
I want an aunt wih Cabrio too 😂
@MaylinBatista
@@marinbilic2893 😜
@mitchdevi6432
Awesome ! Can you tell me her reaction?