Their musical style covers a wide variety of genres, though it is most commonly labeled as Rock en Español. Their music has been heavily influenced by Mexico's indigenous population and folk music traditions, most notable the Jarocho style of the state of Veracruz, but also by punk and electronic music and other bands in the Mexico City scene. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of their music is Albarrán's nasal voice, which, combined with his impressive lung capacity (as demonstrated on "La Ingrata", an homage to norteño music), makes for a very distinctive sound. They sing entirely in Spanish but have a significant Anglophone following regardless.
They have an especially eclectic sound, and it's commonly said that none of their discs is of exactly the same genre. For example, "Maria" is a bolero style ballad, "La Ingrata" is a mix of rock and "norteño" , while "Eres", a hit included in "Cuatro Caminos" album, is mostly pop-rock.
They were founded in 1989, and since then have had the same musical lineup:
* Rubén Isaac Albarrán Ortega aka "Pinche Juan" ("Fuckin Juan"), "Cosme", "Anónimo" (Anonymous), "Nrü" (pronounced "dshyoo", [dʃju] in IPA), "Amparo Tonto Medardo In Lak'ech" (or "At Medardo ILK"), "G3", "Gallo Gasss", "Élfego Buendía", "Sizu Yantra" (which is his solo moniker as well), "Rita Cantalagua", "Ixi Xoo" and many others. (vocals, guitar)
* Emmanuel "Meme" del Real Díaz: (keyboards, acoustic guitar, piano, programming, vocals, melodion)
* José Alfredo "Joselo" Rangel Arroyo: (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals)
* Enrique 'Quique' Rangel Arroyo: (bass guitar, electric upright bass, vocals)
Mexican folk music player Alejandro Flores is considered the 5th tacubo, as he has played the violin in almost every Café Tacuba concert since 1994. Since the Cuatro Caminos World Tour, Luis "El Children" Ledezma has played the drums in every concert but is not considered an official member of the band.
**Previously known as "Alicia Ya No Vive Aquí" (a tribute to Martin Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore), the band took its final name from a coffee shop (el Café de Tacuba) located in downtown Mexico City. The cafe, which opened in 1912 and had its heyday in the 1940s and 1950s, was representative of the Pachuco scene at the time, something the band would later acknowledge as an influence. The Café de Tacuba is still in operation as a coffee shop and restaurant on Tacuba Street, in Mexico City's Historic Center. The band changed its name to Café Tacvba (changing the u for a v) in order to avoid legal issues with the coffee shop.
1989
Mexico City, Mexico
Arrullo
Café Tacvba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tu sino me persigna
Entre el amor y el dolor
Llego la hora de la despedida
Arrullo que juga con brisa
La música es tu sonrisa
Mi alimento, tu pecho tu vida
Te vas y espero
Que cruces sin dolor
y en paz nos dejes atrás
Te quiero y deseo
Que tu alma vuelva allá
A ser una estrella
Ya llego la nave que te llevará
Cruzaste ya el valle
De lagrimas el mar
Cuantas veces tu me cruzaste?
Y el sueño me arropó
Hay que acompañarte
Hoy te arrollaré yo
The song Arrullo by Café Tacuba is a beautiful and emotional piece that speaks about the inevitability of death and the pain of saying goodbye to a loved one. The first stanza, Arrullo que dura la vida, translates to "Lullaby that lasts life long". The singer is acknowledging the power of this lullaby, which has been going on throughout their entire life. They are now at a crossroads between love and pain, and it is time to say goodbye. The next stanza, Arrullo que juga con brisa, translates to "Lullaby that plays with the breeze". The music of the lullaby brings a smile to their face, and the source of their nourishment and life is linked to the person they are saying goodbye to. However, even in this beautiful moment, there is a sense of sadness and finality that creeps in, as the person is about to leave forever.
In the third stanza, the singer speaks directly to the person they are saying goodbye to, telling them that they hope that they can cross over without pain and be at peace. They express their love and desire for their soul to return to the universe as a star. The final stanza speaks of the departure of the person and the singer's desire to be with them to the very end, as they cross over to the other side. The song is a celebration of life, love, and loss, and the preciousness of every moment we have with the people we love.
Line by Line Meaning
Arrullo que dura la vida
Life is a lullaby that continuously sings us to sleep
Tu sino me persigna
Your fate blesses me
Entre el amor y el dolor
Between love and pain
Llego la hora de la despedida
It's time to say goodbye
Arrullo que juega con brisa
The breeze plays with the lullaby
La música es tu sonrisa
Your smile is the music
Mi alimento, tu pecho, tu vida
Your breast, your life, are my nourishment
Un instante, una luz, la partida
A moment, a light, the departure
Te vas y espero
You're leaving, and I hope
Que cruces sin dolor
That you cross without pain
y en paz nos dejes atrás
And leave us behind in peace
Te quiero y deseo
I love you and wish
Que tu alma vuelva allá
That your soul goes back there
A ser una estrella
To become a star
Ya llegó la nave que te llevará
The ship that will take you has arrived
Cruzaste ya el valle
You've already crossed the valley
De lágrimas el mar
The sea of tears
¿Cuántas veces tú me cruzaste?
How many times did you cross paths with me?
Y el sueño me arropó
And sleep covered me
Hay que acompañarte
We must accompany you
Hoy te arroparé yo
Today I'll cover you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Isaac Ruben Albarran Ortega, Emmanuel Del Real Diaz, Enrique Rangel Arroyo, Jose Alfredo Rangel Arroyo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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