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
Cometer Suicidio
Café Tacvba Lyrics
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que ya tengo miedo de hacerme daño,
intenté la combustión con colonia Sanborn's
y traté de ahogarme en el excusado.
Me he tirado ya tres o cuatro veces
de un acantilado y de un edificio,
que no ves que quiero que me salves
Y me compré un escuter para tirarme al mar,
pero es que el mar está muy lejos,
y me he metido cuarenta nembutales ya
y sólo tengo este pinche viaje.
La nostalgia me ha invadido
que no ves que quiero que me salves
antes de que logre cometer suicidio.
The above lyrics are from the song "Cometer Suicidio" by Café Tacvba. The lyrics describe the singer's struggle with nostalgia and the desire to end their life. The first verse describes the singer's past attempts to harm themselves, by trying to ignite themselves with Sanborn's cologne and attempting to drown themselves in the toilet. The second verse details the singer's failed attempts to jump off a cliff and a building and their plea for someone to save them before they are able to carry out suicide.
Throughout the song, the repetition of the phrase "que no ves que quiero que me salves" (don't you see that I want you to save me) emphasizes the singer's desperation for help. The third verse introduces the idea of the singer purchasing a scooter to ride into the ocean, but even this is unsuccessful as the ocean is too far away. The song ends with a final plea for someone to save the singer before they commit suicide.
Overall, the song explores the heavy topic of suicidal thoughts and the need for support and help from others.
Line by Line Meaning
La nostalgia me ha invadido tantas veces que ya tengo miedo de hacerme daño
I have been invaded by nostalgia so many times that I fear I may hurt myself
Intenté la combustión con colonia Sanborn's y traté de ahogarme en el excusado
I tried to burn myself with Sanborn's cologne and drown myself in the toilet
Me he tirado ya tres o cuatro veces de un acantilado y de un edificio
I have already thrown myself three or four times off a cliff and a building
Que no ves que quiero que me salves antes de que logre cometer suicidio
Can't you see that I want you to save me before I commit suicide
Y me compré un escuter para tirarme al mar, pero es que el mar está muy lejos
I bought a scooter to throw myself into the sea, but the sea is too far away
y me he metido cuarenta nembutales ya y sólo tengo este pinche viaje.
And I've already taken forty Nembutals and I only have this f*cking trip.
La nostalgia me ha invadido que no ves que quiero que me salves antes de que logre cometer suicidio.
Nostalgia has invaded me, don't you see that I want you to save me before I commit suicide.
Contributed by Kayla E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Matilda
on Desperte
What does it mean is he a recovering alcoholic? I want to know