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
Encantamiento Inútil
Café Tacvba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Encantamiento inutil, 12:60,
Encantamiento inutil, no es el tiempo,
Encantamiento inutil.
La torre ya cayo,
Revelaciones por television,
Sampleos, loops, edicion, 12:60.
Me escurrire
Como agua de entre la reticula,
Mi corazon,
Una minuscula porcion
De la infinita vastedad
De este mar de amor.
Me escurrire
Como agua de entre la reticula,
Mi corazon,
Una minuscula porcion
De la infinita vastedad
De este mar de amor.
Encantamiento inutil,
No es el tiempo,
Encantamiento inutil, 12:60
Encantamiento inutil,
No es el tiempo,
Encantamiento inutil.
La torre ya cayo,
Revelaciones por television,
Sampleos, loops, edicion, 12:60.
Me escurrire, Me escurrire...
Me escurrire
Como agua de entre la reticula,
Mi corazon,
Una minuscula porcion
De la infinita vastedad
De este mar de amor
The song "Encantamiento Inútil" by Café Tacvba is a commentary on the state of society in the modern world. The chorus of the song, "Encantamiento inutil, no es el tiempo" (Useless enchantment, it's not time), suggests the idea that the enchantments or distractions that people use to avoid facing reality are ultimately futile. The use of the numbers "12:60" in the chorus further reinforces this idea, as it symbolizes the modern standardized measurement of time which is not natural but man-made.
The rest of the song describes a sense of alienation from society and the desire to escape from it. The line "La torre ya cayo" (The tower has already fallen) implies that society has already collapsed and there is no going back to a simpler time. The use of technology, such as "sampleos, loops, edicion" (sampling, loops, editing), further emphasizes the idea that society is becoming increasingly detached from reality.
The verses of the song describe the desire to escape from this bleak reality and to find a sense of connection to something greater. The line "Mi corazon, una minuscula porcion de la infinita vastedad de este mar de amor" (My heart, a tiny portion of the infinite vastness of this sea of love) suggests the idea that although individuals may feel small and insignificant, they are still connected to something greater and more meaningful.
Overall, the song can be interpreted as a criticism of modern society's obsession with technology and distractions, and a call to reconnect with the natural world and find meaning in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Encantamiento inutil,
This spell or enchantment is useless,
Encantamiento inutil, 12:60,
This spell or enchantment is useless in this reality of time and space,
Encantamiento inutil, no es el tiempo,
This spell or enchantment is not affected or influenced by time,
Encantamiento inutil.
This spell or enchantment is ultimately ineffective.
La torre ya cayo,
The tower has already fallen,
Revelaciones por television,
Revelations are being broadcasted on television,
Sampleos, loops, edicion, 12:60.
Sampling, looping, editing, within the constraints of this reality of time and space.
Me escurrire
I will slip away,
Como agua de entre la reticula,
Like water slipping through a net,
Mi corazon,
My heart,
Una minuscula porcion
A tiny portion
De la infinita vastedad
Of the infinite vastness
De este mar de amor.
Of this sea of love.
Encantamiento inutil,
This spell or enchantment is useless,
No es el tiempo,
It is not affected or influenced by time,
Encantamiento inutil, 12:60
This spell or enchantment is useless within the constraints of this reality of time and space.
Encantamiento inutil,
This spell or enchantment is useless,
No es el tiempo,
It is not affected or influenced by time,
Encantamiento inutil.
This spell or enchantment is ultimately ineffective.
La torre ya cayo,
The tower has already fallen,
Revelaciones por television,
Revelations are being broadcasted on television,
Sampleos, loops, edicion, 12:60.
Sampling, looping, editing, within the constraints of this reality of time and space.
Me escurrire...
I will slip away...
Me escurrire
I will slip away,
Como agua de entre la reticula,
Like water slipping through a net,
Mi corazon,
My heart,
Una minuscula porcion
A tiny portion
De la infinita vastedad
Of the infinite vastness
De este mar de amor.
Of this sea of love.
Contributed by Christopher C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Matilda
on Desperte
What does it mean is he a recovering alcoholic? I want to know