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
Camino y Vereda
Café Tacvba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que andamos se convierta en camino,
Amigos, pues justo dimos el paso,
Que nos aleja mas del principio,
Que de llegar a un sitio,
A donde nadie jamas alla ido,
Mas valiente, al irse, uno al alejarce,
Pues justo dimos el paso,
Que nos acerca mas al principio,
Al recorrido, que uno ya hizo,
Que algun sitio que nosotros ya recorrimos.
The lyrics to Café Tacvba's song Camino y Vereda speak to the idea of taking a path less traveled and the bravery that is required to do so. The first two lines suggest that it is better for the path that we walk to become a trail, indicating that it is not enough to simply follow a well-worn path but to forge our own way forward. The next two lines highlight the importance of taking a step forward, leaving behind the past and moving towards the unknown. The lyrics then suggest that reaching a destination is less important than the journey itself, and that it is better to explore places that have yet to be seen.
This song seems to be an exploration of the human spirit and the desire to chart our own paths, even if it means leaving the familiar territory behind. The lyrics encourage listeners to embrace the courage required to leave behind what is comfortable and venture out into the unknown. The song speaks to the importance of exploration and personal growth, even if it means we may not always know where we're headed.
Line by Line Meaning
Mas nos vale, que esta vereda,
It's better for us, this path that we're on,
Que andamos se convierta en camino,
that we walk becomes a solid path,
Amigos, pues justo dimos el paso,
Friends, because we just took the step,
Que nos aleja mas del principio,
That takes us further from the beginning,
Que de llegar a un sitio,
Than arriving at a place
A donde nadie jamas alla ido,
Where no one has ever been
Mas valiente, al irse, uno al alejarce,
Braver, to leave, one who moves away,
De este mundo tan conocido,
From this world so familiar,
Pues justo dimos el paso,
Because we just took the step,
Que nos acerca mas al principio,
That brings us closer to the beginning,
Al recorrido, que uno ya hizo,
To the journey that one has already taken,
Que algun sitio que nosotros ya recorrimos.
Than some place that we have already traveled.
Contributed by Vivian L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Matilda
on Desperte
What does it mean is he a recovering alcoholic? I want to know