Café Tacvba (often spelled Café Tacuba*) is a band from the Lomas de Sotel… Read Full Bio ↴Café Tacvba (often spelled Café Tacuba*) is a band from the Lomas de Sotelo neighborhood in Mexico City, Mexico.

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

Tomar El Fresco
Café Tacvba Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Permitanme, quiero tomar el fresco,
ya llevo mucho tambaleando,
permitanme, quiero salir tantito,
ya llevo mucho aqui encerrado.

Que te preocupa si voy a regresar ?

Permiteme quiero tomar el fresco,

ya llevo tres años casado,
permitanos que paremos un rato,
llevamos trece años tocando

Que te preocupa si voy a regresar ?
Que te preocupa si ya no valgo mas ?

Si no regreso, no pasa nada,
tarde o temprano alguien me viene a suplantar,
que no ?

Si no regreso (no pasa nada)
tarde o temprano alguien me viene a suplantar,
Si no regreso (no pasa nada)
tarde o temprano alguien me viene a replantear,
me viene a suplantar,
que no ?

que no ?
que no ?

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Café Tacvba's song "Tomar El Fresco" translate to "Allow me, I want to take a breath of fresh air, I've been staggering for too long, allow me, I want to step out for a bit, I've been cooped up in here for too long". The singer of the song is asking for permission to take a break from his current situation, whether it is from a relationship or a musical career. He is seeking to find some fresh air, to escape from the monotony or constraints of his life. He questions why his departure would cause worry or concern, as he feels that he is easily replaceable or not valuable anymore. He believes that if he doesn't return or decides to leave, someone else will come along to take his place.

The song suggests a feeling of suffocation, where the singer has been trapped for too long and needs to break free. The lyrics speak to the universal human need for freedom and the desire to escape from the routine of our daily lives. There is a sense of rebellion in the song, where the singer wants to take risks and challenge the status quo. The song provides a message to the listener to take a step back, breathe, and think about what they truly need in their lives.

Line by Line Meaning

Permitanme, quiero tomar el fresco,
Allow me, I want to take a break and relax,

ya llevo mucho tambaleando,
I've been struggling for a while,

permitanme, quiero salir tantito,
Allow me, I want to step out for a bit,

ya llevo mucho aqui encerrado.
I've been stuck here for too long.

Que te preocupa si voy a regresar ?
Why worry if I will come back?

Permiteme quiero tomar el fresco,
Allow me, I want to take a break and relax,

ya llevo tres años casado,
I've been married for three years,

permitanos que paremos un rato,
Allow us to stop for a while,

llevamos trece años tocando
We've been playing music for thirteen years.

Que te preocupa si ya no valgo mas ?
Why worry if I'm not worth it anymore?

Si no regreso, no pasa nada,
If I don't come back, it's okay,