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
Tirate
Café Tacvba Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
para soportar
el calor del hambre
cuando me voy a acostar
Y si me dices que te vas
que no lo quieres intentar
entonces abre la ventana y
tirate
para soportar
el calor del hambre
cuando me voy a acostar
Y si me dices que te vas
que no lo quieres intentar
entonces abre la ventana y
tirate
Se que no lo haras
cae el cielo sobre el mar
se que no diras
palabras de verdad
Y si me dices que te vas
que no lo quieres intentar
entonces abre la ventana y
tirate
Se que no lo haras
cae el cielo sobre el mar
Se que no diras
palabras de verdad
Y si me dices que te vas
que no lo quieres intentar
entonces abre la ventana y
tirate... tirate... tirate... tirate
The lyrics to Café Tacvba's song Tírate explore themes of desperation and abandonment in a relationship. The singer has found ways to endure the hunger and torment of his feelings when he goes to bed at night, suggesting that he may be suffering from a lack of emotional fulfillment. When he learns that his partner is leaving and doesn't want to try to make things work, he urges them to jump out the window - a symbolic act of desperation and hopelessness.
The repetition of the phrase "he encontrado cosas buenas para soportar el calor del hambre" (I have found good things to endure the hunger) highlights the singer's resilience and his ability to find comfort in difficult situations. However, this coping mechanism is not enough to replace the love and connection he desires from his partner. The repeated refrain of "se que no lo haras" (I know you won't do it) suggests a resigned acceptance of his partner's departure, while the repetition of "tirate" (throw yourself) is an almost manic exhortation to find some way out of the pain.
Line by Line Meaning
He encontrado cosas buenas
para soportar
el calor del hambre
cuando me voy a acostar
I have found good things to endure the heat of hunger when I go to bed
Y si me dices que te vas
que no lo quieres intentar
entonces abre la ventana y
tirate
And if you tell me that you're leaving, that you don't want to try, then open the window and jump
Se que no lo haras
cae el cielo sobre el mar
se que no diras
palabras de verdad
I know you won't do it, the sky falls over the sea, I know you won't say words of truth
Y si me dices que te vas
que no lo quieres intentar
entonces abre la ventana y
tirate... tirate... tirate... tirate
And if you tell me that you're leaving, that you don't want to try, then open the window and jump... jump... jump... jump
Contributed by Natalie E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Matilda
on Desperte
What does it mean is he a recovering alcoholic? I want to know