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
Mediodía
Café Tacvba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
mira las plantas como reaniman la vista alrededor.
Jala una silla, siéntate a un lado aquí donde pegue el sol
mira las plantas como reaniman la vista al rededor.
Parece mentira, los pájaros vuelan hasta mi balcón
mira a los niños juegan con globos de cualquier color
parece mentira, que haya tanta vida en ese lugar de felicidad
parece mentira, que entre tanta gente esta ciudad no tenga a nadie con quien compartir
la vista desde mi casa este sábado, al mediodía.
The lyrics to Café Tacvba's song "Mediodía" (Noon) create a vivid image of a lazy afternoon spent observing the world around oneself. The song invites the listener to pull up a chair and sit beside the singer, taking in the reinvigorating sight of plants and flowers. Using the phrase "mira las plantas como reaniman la vista alrededor" (look at the plants as they revive the view around) creates a sense of rejuvenation and renewal.
As the song progresses, the scene becomes more vibrant, bringing the listener closer to the bustling city sounds. The singer observes children playing with colorful balloons, people buying ice cream, and the general hustle and bustle of the happy place around him. However, despite all this life and energy, the singer feels a sense of loneliness, pondering the fact that there may be nobody with whom to share this beautiful view. The song seems to be a celebration of simple pleasures and the beauty in the world around us, but also acknowledges the melancholy that can sometimes accompany a solitary experience.
Overall, "Mediodía" inspires the listener to step back from the chaos of life and appreciate the smaller moments of joy and wonder around us.
Line by Line Meaning
Jala una silla, siéntate aun lado aquí,
Pull up a chair, sit by my side here,
mira las plantas como reaniman la vista alrededor.
Look at the plants and how they revive the scenery around us.
Parece mentira, los pájaros vuelan hasta mi balcón
It seems unbelievable, but the birds fly all the way to my balcony.
mira a los niños juegan con globos de cualquier color
Observe the children playing with balloons of every color.
mira a la gente, compra helados de cualquier sabor
Watch as people buy ice creams of every flavor.
parece mentira, que haya tanta vida en ese lugar de felicidad
It seems unbelievable that there could be so much life in such a happy place.
parece mentira, que entre tanta gente esta ciudad no tenga a nadie con quien compartir
It seems unbelievable that in a city so crowded, there is no one to share it with.
la vista desde mi casa este sábado, al mediodía.
The view from my house this Saturday, at noon.
Contributed by Elena R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jade Vyento
Una canción que expresaba lo que sentí cuando falleció mi esposo y amigo de toda la vida
Nayeli Avila
Te abrazo con el corazón ❤️
barbara ramirez
que triste ☹️un abrazo muy fuerte para usted
Carlos Daniel Alvarez
No se cuales son tus circunstancias pero te mando un abrazo
Paulina Pérez
Te abrazo... Por Dios que me has conmovido.
Zico Columpo
Animo!! Dios sabe por que pasas las cosas
Ricardo Ro
Como cuando amas estar vivo pero necesitas compartir compartir esa alegría con alguien...
Ana Alcala
Yo por fin encontré a ese alguien con quien compartir
Agapito Leon
Yo estoy solo lejos de mi patria querida y esta canción me recuerda a toda mi familia amigos y en especial a mi hermanita que se me acaba de ir al cielo échele ganas
Agapito Leon
Aquí estestoy