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
Insomnio
Café Tacvba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
En contemplación de un camino olvidado
Esperando que el tiempo lo llevara junto a ella
O igual que tú se retiro esa maleta
Sin protestar, sin decidir, sin prejuiciar, solo sentir
Sin decretar, sin reprimir, sin objetar, solo sentir
Que se da cuenta de ir vestido de recuerdos
No importa el esfuerzo por ir mas y mas ligeros
El destino ya los visito como guerreros
Aquí suenan las cuerdas
Deja, tira, corre, suelta
¿y al despertar porque finges amnesia?
Uhhuhuhuhuhuhuhu, ahahahahahahaha
Si tu memoria falla sientes que no has vivido
Pero hay recuerdos que siempre estan vivos
Sin protestar, sin decidir, sin prejuiciar,solo sentir
Sin decretar, sin reprimir, sin objetar, solo sentir
Reza, llora, ríe, suelta
¿y al despertar porque finges amnesia?
The lyrics of Café Tacuba's song Insomnio unfold the story of someone who is suffering from insomnia, perpetually awake and tortured by thoughts of a past lover. The lyrics are riddled with contemplation, questioning, and reflection, as the singer considers the myriad of possibilities for the future and the seemingly infinite memories of the past. The first verse opens with a rhetorical query that sets the tone for the rest of the song: "How do I know if in the future, I'll spend my time sitting, in contemplation of a forgotten path?"
The singer seems to be searching for answers, but majorly from within, going beyond rationality and logic, giving in more to emotions and feelings. The second verse paints the picture of a man who is still holding on to the memories of his past lover, wondering what she might be doing and questioning what his own path will be. He feels something missing in his life but is unsure how to get it back. The lyrics also mention the struggle to forget and move on from painful memories, "¿y al despertar porque finges amnesia?" (And upon waking, why do you pretend to have amnesia?)
Moreover, the song's chorus emphasizes the need to embrace emotions fully and freely, without preconceived notions or restrictions. The lines, "sin protestar, sin decidir, sin prejuiciar, solo sentir. Sin decretar, sin reprimir, sin objetar, solo sentir" (Without protesting, without deciding, without prejudging, just feeling. Without proclaiming, without suppressing, without objecting, just feeling) emphasize the importance of feeling and allowing one's self to feel emotions without societal or personal barriers.
Overall, Insomnio is a soulful and contemplative song that touches on themes of love, loss, and the importance of acknowledging and feeling one's emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
¿Cómo saber si en un futuro la paso sentado?
How can I know if in the future I'll just sit and watch?
En contemplación de un camino olvidado
Contemplating a forgotten path
Esperando que el tiempo lo llevara junto a ella
Waiting for time to bring us together
O igual que tú se retiro esa maleta
Or maybe, like you, that suitcase just left
Sin protestar, sin decidir, sin prejuiciar, solo sentir
Without protesting, deciding, or judging, just feeling
Sin decretar, sin reprimir, sin objetar, solo sentir
Without decreeing, repressing, or objecting, just feeling
Y el se preguntara qué estaras haciendo en el momento
And he wonders what you'll be doing at that time
Que se da cuenta de ir vestido de recuerdos
When he realizes he's dressed in memories
No importa el esfuerzo por ir mas y mas ligeros
It doesn't matter how hard we try to be lighter and lighter
El destino ya los visito como guerreros
Destiny has already visited us like warriors
Aquí suenan las cuerdas
Here the chords sound
Deja, tira, corre, suelta
Let go, throw, run, release
¿y al despertar porque finges amnesia?
And when you wake up, why do you pretend to forget?
Uhhuhuhuhuhuhuhu, ahahahahahahaha
Si tu memoria falla sientes que no has vivido
If your memory fails, you feel like you haven't lived
Pero hay recuerdos que siempre estan vivos
But there are memories that always stay alive
Reza, llora, ríe, suelta
Pray, cry, laugh, release
¿y al despertar porque finges amnesia?
And when you wake up, why do you pretend to forget?
Contributed by Layla W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Angel Ramírez
Sería chido que los tacvbos publicarán un álbum con todos los temas inéditos que no fueron publicados en su discografía oficial en lo que trabajan en nueva música.
Dominguez Arellano Jesus Santiago
Así es, en YouTube rondan demasiadas, me imagino que ellos han de tener más
Augusto Hernández
"si tu memoria falla, sientes que no has vivido...pero hay recuerdos que siempre están vivos"
Ivan Hernandez
Que chingona canción!!!! Llena de nostalgia para mí!!! Me recuerda mi juventud cuando la oia en unos Discman. Un amigo me presto ese disco y todas las tardes la repetía!!! Veía como se iba ocultando el sol y yo cantando en mi mente!!!
jose palavicini
Escuchandola aún en el 2019 que nostalgia me traen muchos recuerdos amores que pensé jamás olvidar y aquí estoy más feliz que nunca
Botas De Oro.™
Sin duda en esos tiempos hubo muchas bandas sonoras..con canciones que ni conociamos de los grupos favoritos...sin duda esta banda sonora es muy buena ....esperemos que regrese esa buena idea de hacer cine y musica en conjunto...™
Edgar Rodriguez
Gracias a este disco, comenze a escuchar a Cafe Tacuba
Rubén Villena Lozano
no importa lo que digan para mi esta es la mejor cancion de cafe tacvba
Rob Berridi
Una de esas canciones que marcan el soundtrack de mi vida, es raro por que no evoca recuerdos más bien sensaciones
David Ricardo Rodriguez Castro
Que buenas canciones hace cafeta...