After participating in some teen programs as a singer/actor, he got the main role in the telenovela (soap opera) "Gallito Ramírez," which made him a famous actor. Later, another telenovela, "Escalona" made him return to his "costeño" roots (he was born in Santa Marta, the same town of the famous soccer player "El Pibe" Valderrama, located in the north coast of Colombia) and mainly to sing classic vallenato songs of one of the most prestigious vallenato composers, Rafael Escalona. The soundtrack of "Escalona" quickly became a major hit in radio and CD sales and allowed vallenato to conquest other colombian cities outside the "costa" (north coast) that hadn´t previously accepted it.
After forming a band called La Provincia, the singer and guitarist began performing a local style known as Vallenato, successfully touring his native country, Colombia, and South America. In 1994, Carlos Vives' "La Gota Fria," became his first smash, climbing on the most important music charts around Latin America. In 1996, under the slogan of Unete A Los Locales (Join the Local Ones), the talented musician created his own label, called Gaira, to promote and give an incentive to local artists like "Bloque de Búsqueda" and "Distrito".
Carlos Vives also hosted an important show of the Colombian TV, "La Tele". With irreverent and sometimes escatologic humour this program promoted the figures of Martin De Francisco and Germán Moure, in a country where criticism has always been divorced of popular jokes. This program was then reborn as an animated version which turned to be the first weekly 25 minute animated series of Colombia and Latinamerica, called "El Siguiente Programa" ("The Next Show")
His style, which mixes vallenato, rock and champeta (an African-influenced music) was then used by several Colombian artists, giving birth to the "Tropipop" movement.
La Cartera
Carlos Vives Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Un viaje a la luna
Que todo aquello que anhelas
Pudiera ser
Y ser tu rayo de luz
En la noche oscura
Que tengas lo que yo nunca pude tener
Que ser de tu vida la sustancia
Y ser la fina fragancia para tu piel
Si ya se han ido perdiendo mis esperanzas
Y hoy me pides que te compre un reloj Cartier
Te doy mi sol
Calor de un nuevo amanecer
Y una canción
Que es como el agua de beber
Te doy mi pan
Que está mojado en el café
Te doy la sal que el mar
Ha dejado en mi piel
Que más quisiera mi corazón
Que en un carro nuevo ir a buscarte
Y verte siempre a la moda
París, New York
Si por más que yo quiera
Es que no me alcanza
Y aún debo aquella cartera
De Christian Dior
Te doy mi Dios
Un beso en el atardecer
Y una canción
Que es como el agua de beber
Te doy mi paz
Un niño que está por nacer
Te doy la sal que el mar
Ha dejado en mi piel
Te doy mi sol
Te doy mi pan
Te doy mi paz
Te doy mi Dios
Te doy mi sal
Te doy mi sol, te doy mi pan, te doy mi paz
Te doy mi Dios, te doy mi sal, te doy mi Dios
The lyrics to Carlos Vives's song La Cartera are a touching reflection of a father's love for his child. The song opens with the father expressing his desire to give his child everything he wants, including a trip to the moon and all his heart's desires. He wishes to be his child's guiding light in the dark times and to provide him with what he could never have himself.
The father then goes on to express his deep love for his child and his desire to be a meaningful presence in the child's life. However, despite his love and willingness to give his child everything he can, he is unable to fulfill all of his desires, including the purchase of an expensive Cartier watch or a Christian Dior purse.
Throughout the song, the father expresses his love and devotion to his child, offering him everything from his God to his own salty skin. The lyrics are a beautiful testament to the unique bond between a parent and child, where love is measured not in tangible possessions but in the intangible connections we share.
Line by Line Meaning
Quisiera darte mi niño
I wish to give you, my child
Un viaje a la luna
A trip to the moon
Que todo aquello que anhelas Pudiera ser
That all your desires could come true
Y ser tu rayo de luz En la noche oscura
And be your ray of light in the dark night
Que tengas lo que yo nunca pude tener
So you can have what I could never have
Que más quisiera mi dulce bien
What more would I want, my sweet one
Que ser de tu vida la sustancia
Than to be the substance of your life
Y ser la fina fragancia para tu piel
And be the fine fragrance for your skin
Si ya se han ido perdiendo mis esperanzas
Even if my hopes have been fading away
Y hoy me pides que te compre un reloj Cartier
And now you ask me to buy you a Cartier watch
Te doy mi sol
I give you my sun
Calor de un nuevo amanecer
The warmth of a new dawn
Y una canción
And a song
Que es como el agua de beber
That's like water to drink
Te doy mi pan
I give you my bread
Que está mojado en el café
That's soaked in coffee
Te doy la sal que el mar
I give you the salt that the sea
Ha dejado en mi piel
Has left on my skin
Que más quisiera mi corazón
What more would my heart want
Que en un carro nuevo ir a buscarte
Than to go pick you up in a new car
Y verte siempre a la moda París, New York
And always see you in fashion in Paris, New York
Si por más que yo quiera Es que no me alcanza
But no matter how much I want, I can't afford it
Y aún debo aquella cartera De Christian Dior
And still owe you that Christian Dior purse
Te doy mi Dios
I give you my God
Un beso en el atardecer
A kiss at sunset
Y una canción
And a song
Que es como el agua de beber
That's like water to drink
Te doy mi paz
I give you my peace
Un niño que está por nacer
A child that's about to be born
Te doy la sal que el mar
I give you the salt that the sea
Ha dejado en mi piel
Has left on my skin
Te doy mi sol
I give you my sun
Te doy mi pan
I give you my bread
Te doy mi paz
I give you my peace
Te doy mi Dios
I give you my God
Te doy mi sal
I give you my salt
Te doy mi sol, te doy mi pan, te doy mi paz
I give you my sun, my bread, my peace
Te doy mi Dios, te doy mi sal, te doy mi Dios
I give you my God, my salt, my God
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Andres Castro, Carlos Vives, Carlos Alberto Vives
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@blancoynegromusical
ESTA CANCIÓN FUE LO ÚNICO QUE TUVE PARA REGALARLE A MI HIJA CUANDO CUMPLIÓ AÑOS EN MAYO Y FUÉ UN MOMENTO REALMENTE EMOCIONANTE.... GRACIAS A DIOS POR ESTAS MARAVILLAS QUE VERDADERAMENTE NO TIENEN PRECIO.....
@geraldinesanchez3183
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@geraldinesanchez3183
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@geraldinesanchez3183
😅
@geraldinesanchez3183
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@luisbuenahora1813
Ombe brother firme me alegra ......
@estebanricardogallegopena1315
Desde mi punto de vista, es la canción más bonita de Carlos Vives por su letra. Es realmente emocionante escuchar la música de este cantante. Todas sus letras están llenas de sentimiento, buenas letras y mensajes sanos y de buena fé. Gracias Carlos por tu aporte a nuestra cultura colombiana. Yo considero que vale la pena luchar por este hermoso país COLOMBIA, ¿y ustedes?
@yoyo-vs2xo
MARTIN MADERA,SE LLAMA EL COMPOSITOR DE ESA CANCION.
@MrHellscreams
Para mi hay dos / Que Diera y La golondrina
@mike89box
viva colombia soy mexicano pero tengo mucho respeto para cada uno de los paises de latino america estudio en canada y siempre que veo gente latinoamericana los veo como mis hermanos . esos colombianos que hablan el espanol a toda madre