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
Que Pasara
Café Tacvba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gastando vidas como si fuera un felino
Hasta el camino donde llevara
Mas andar el lado oscuro
Parece inevitable
No muy saludable pero si aleccionador
Qué pasará si así me sigo hoy
Me mantendrá atento en la ocasión
Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Qué pasará si asi me sigo hoy
Gastando vidas como si fuera un felino
Este camino donde llegará
Voy de frente solo preguntando al destino
Sabiendo el vacío de aquello que vendrá
Qué pasará...
The lyrics of Café Tacvba's song Que Pasara address the theme of living life on the edge, taking risks, and wondering about the consequences of our actions. The chorus, "Que pasará si así me sigo hoy" ("What will happen if I keep going like this today"), highlights the singer's concern for the future and his awareness of the risks he's taking. The phrase "gastando vidas como si fuera un felino" ("spending lives as if I were a feline") suggests a carefree and reckless attitude towards life, perhaps akin to the nine lives of a cat. The image of a cat also implies agility, speed, and grace, desirable qualities that the singer may value.
The second stanza introduces the metaphor of "tirarse a un precipicio" ("throwing oneself off a cliff") as a way to stay alert, to feel alive. This action can be interpreted as a metaphor for taking risks, for pushing oneself to the limit, or for experiencing the thrill of danger. The singer admits that this exercise is not very healthy ("no muy saludable"), but it's instructive ("aleccionador"), as it teaches him something about himself and about life.
The final stanza repeats the same questions as the first one, but adds a sense of resignation and acceptance ("voy de frente solo preguntando al destino"). The singer seems to be aware of the uncertainty of the future ("sabiendo el vacío de aquello que vendrá") and the inevitability of his fate ("que pasará"). The repetition of the phrase "Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" creates a sense of unease and tension, as if the singer were on the verge of a realization or a breakdown.
Overall, the lyrics of Que Pasara explore the theme of existential angst, of questioning one's purpose and path in life, and of embracing the unknown with a mix of fear and curiosity.
Line by Line Meaning
Que pasará si así me sigo hoy
What will happen if I continue on this way?
Gastando vidas como si fuera un felino
Spending lives like a feline
Hasta el camino donde llevara
Until the path leads
Mas andar el lado oscuro
But walking on the dark side
Parece inevitable
It seems inevitable
No muy saludable pero si aleccionador
Not very healthy, but instructive
El ejercicio de tirarse a un precipicio
The exercise of throwing oneself off a cliff
Me mantendrá atento en la ocasión
Will keep me alert in the moment
Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
A primal scream expressing the artist's uncertainty about the future
Este camino donde llegará
Where will this path lead?
Voy de frente solo preguntando al destino
I'm going straight ahead, asking fate
Sabiendo el vacío de aquello que vendrá
Knowing the emptiness of what is to come
Qué pasará...
What will happen... (repeating the opening line, implying continued uncertainty)
Contributed by Caden G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Matilda
on Desperte
What does it mean is he a recovering alcoholic? I want to know