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
Guerra
Café Tacvba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Puedes usar mi piel como un cuero para tu tambor,
Hey, con mis huesos percutir todo tu odio hacia mí.
Y en el ritmo entenderás,
y en el ritmo tú me escucharás.
In Café Tacvba's song Guerra, there are some very powerful lyrics that suggest the singer is willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of others. The first two lines, "Puedes usar mi piel como un cuero para tu tambor, Hey, con mis huesos percutir todo tu odio hacia mí," translate to "You can use my skin like a drumhead, hey, with my bones you can play out all your hatred towards me." The image of using someone's skin as a drumhead is quite graphic, and it conveys the singer's willingness to be a vessel through which other people can express their anger or frustration. It's almost as though the singer is saying that he can absorb the negativity of others and use it to fuel positive change.
The last two lines of the verse are even more poignant: "Y en el ritmo entenderás, y en el ritmo tú me escucharás." This translates to "And in the rhythm, you will understand, and in the rhythm, you will hear me." These lines suggest that the singer believes that rhythm and music have the power to bring people together and create empathy. The overall message of the song seems to be that even in a time of war and conflict, it's possible to find connection and understanding with others through music.
Line by Line Meaning
Puedes usar mi piel como un cuero para tu tambor,
You can use my skin like leather for your drum,
Hey, con mis huesos percutir todo tu odio hacia mí.
Hey, with my bones I can pound all your hatred towards me.
Y en el ritmo entenderás,
And in the rhythm you'll understand,
y en el ritmo tú me escucharás.
and in the rhythm you'll hear me.
Contributed by Ellie O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@parangutirimicuara
Esta canción es como que de las más desconocidas, gracias por subirla :D
@MsGuky
que beshos recuerdos! n____n
@VictorAlvarezSuarezCompositor
B locrio!!!! =)
@gurichun
quiero adelgazar
@erikguzman4314
puedes usar mi piel como un cuero para tu tambor!!
@migol1984
Y en el ritmo tu me escucharas
@gurichun
ami me gusta subirme alos brincolines inflables y ver rosticeros rancheros prendidos y escuchar su motor
@gurichun
ami me da pena que me vean feo delante del rosticero de sams de mariano otero y del rosticero del sams del palomar
@KJKJJJJable
no hay necesidad de ser satanico o hablar ingles para hacer un buen tema de rock como este
@juansoundchez
Locrio