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
Dog:God
Café Tacvba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
en mi cuello en la llugular.
Mi sangre corre ya,
por todo el piso.
Veo a mi cuerpo fallecer,
en los colmillos de otro ser,
que se ve igual que yo,
Me elevo al cielo empiezo a ver,
mi vida lleno de placer.
Amores que sentí
y tambien odio.
Llegando al cielo al fin sabré,
si Dios es un perro también.
Si ladra como yo,
y si pelea muy bien,
con otros dioses que,
se ponen bravos sin saber por qué.
The lyrics to "Dog:God" by Café Tacvba are quite poignant and layered with meaning. The song starts off with a fatal bite on the neck, which immediately conjures up images of vampirism and death. The blood spilling onto the floor highlights the violent nature of the encounter, as well as the fact that life is fleeting and temporary. The singer then witnesses his body succumb to the jaws of another beast, which appears to be his clone, but is very much alive.
The second part of the song is where things get interesting, as the singer's spirit soars to the sky and he begins to reminisce about his life. He thinks about the loves and hates he has experienced, and the pleasures and pains that have marked his journey. This seems to suggest that life is full of contrasts and dichotomies, and that one cannot truly appreciate the good without experiencing the bad.
The final lines of the song are perhaps the most intriguing, as the singer wonders whether God is a dog as well. This could be interpreted in a number of ways – it could be a comment on the fickle nature of faith, or a suggestion that God is a protean figure that takes on different forms depending on who is looking at him. The idea of God getting into fights with other gods who don't know why they are fighting is particularly interesting, as it speaks to the idea of violence and conflict as being inherent in human nature, even when it is unnecessary.
Overall, "Dog:God" is a song that invites interpretation and contemplation. It is lyrically dense and musically arresting, and the ambiguity of its central metaphor makes for a thought-provoking listen.
Line by Line Meaning
Sentí una mordida fatal,
I felt a fatal bite on my neck in my jugular.
en mi cuello en la llugular.
It was a terrifying feeling as if something terrified attacked me.
Mi sangre corre ya,
My blood is already flowing out quickly.
por todo el piso.
And now it is staining the whole floor.
Veo a mi cuerpo fallecer,
I see my body succumbing to the attack.
en los colmillos de otro ser,
I see myself being preyed upon by another being with sharp fangs.
que se ve igual que yo,
This attacker looks exactly like me.
pero está vivo.
Yet, they are alive and taking my life away.
Me elevo al cielo empiezo a ver,
As I rise up to the sky, I begin to see my life flash before my eyes.
mi vida lleno de placer.
I see all the moments of pure joy I have experienced throughout my lifetime.
Amores que sentí
Memories of the love I have felt throughout my life.
y tambien odio.
As well as the moments of hatred or resentment I have harbored.
Llegando al cielo al fin sabré,
As I arrive in heaven, I will finally know.
si Dios es un perro también.
If God is a dog, just like my attacker.
Si ladra como yo,
Whether God barks like me.
y si pelea muy bien,
And whether God is a skilled fighter in combat.
con otros dioses que,
And how God interacts with other gods.
se ponen bravos sin saber por qué.
Do they become aggressive without any reason, just like my attacker did?
Contributed by Tristan K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Cigana3
Amazing song by Cafe Tacvba in tribute to Amores Perros. One of the best Mexican movies in cinema history.
@eddiemarr9387
This songs lingered with me all my life and I love it
@chaoskof
muy bueno la rola! gracias por subirlo!
@JetsselVillegasMendoza
Esta canción es muy sublime.
@Xhimba87
jejeje, cierta coincidencia surreaalista con mi realidad, hay q parar de jugar para evitar esto.... wuena rola !!!! :]
@ominorg
JOJOJOJO, me mataron sus referencias a cierto video. jejejejeje Muy buena canción, me recuerda cuando iba en la secundaria. Me gusta la alución que hicieron en todo ese disco a los perros. Cafe Tacvba rules!
@TheYuyis0128
ME GUSTA MUCHO LA ROLA!!! SIMPLEMENTE LOS MEJORES! TACVBOS LOS AMO, NO CONCIBO MI VIDA SIN USTEDES...
@enriqueabvndio
Chingonsísima rola!!! ¡¡¡Café Tacvba el mejor grupo que existe!!!
@nLkalse
chididsima rola vivan los cafeta!!!!!
@franciscojavierpanchillo
good!