She does not have any predecessors in her family involved in flamenco music; only her father, Antonio Pacheco, who used to play guitar as a hobby. Nonetheless, Carmen Linares used to sing in intimate gatherings since she was a child, and when she arrived in Madrid she introduced herself into the world of professionals. She started her artistic trajectory in the dance companies of Paco Romero and Carmen Mora. She made her first record with Juan Habichuela, as a protegé of Fosforito, and she cut her teeth in the capital's best tablaos. In Torres Bermejas, she shared the stage with Camarón, Perla de Cádiz, El Güito, José Mercé and Paco Cepero. At that time, the TVE (the Spanish public broadcasting company) television series Rito y geografía del flamenco presented her as one of the genre's quality young artists. She toured Japan with Merche Esmeralda, El Chaquetón, Luis Habichuela and Paco Antequera, and when she returned to Madrid, she joined the Café de Chinitas, with Enrique Morente, Carmen Mora, Manzanita and Tomás de Madrid.
Little by little, she began to develop her own style, until she became an indispensable cantaora who has never stopped maturing, artistically speaking. Carmen Linares has taken part in several festivals, she has a lengthy recording history and her artistic maturity has been acknowledged on several occasions. Among her most important awards, she received the first prize in the Festival Nacional de Cante de las Minas de La Unión (1978) and the Premio Nacional de Música (2001). She also was in Carlos Saura's film Flamenco, and she has been the protagonist of various special television programmes.
Vareando aceitunas
Carmen Linares Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Como veleta
Ay
De un campanario
Tan pronto
Miras al norte
Ay
Como al solano
Si la pasión te ciega
Mira primero
Mira primero
Donde pones los ojos no ′llo...'
′Res' luego, no 'llo...′
′Res' luego
Si la pasión te ciega
Mira primero
Mira primero
Donde pones los ojos
No llores luego
No llores luego
Y qué sé cuando la miro llora
No sé qué tiene tu madre
Que cuando
La miro llora
Yo no sé con qué cosita
Y contemplar yo a esta señora
Yo no sé con qué cosita
Ay, contemplar yo
A esta señora
Si me camelas
Ay, si me camelas
Llévame a calles anchas, ay
No a callejuelas
Ay, ablanda un duro peñón
Una gotera continua
Ay, ablanda un duro peñón
Ay, estas lagrimitas mías
No ablandan tu corazón
Ay, estas lagrimitas mías no ′ablan...'
Ablandan su corazón
Y ′avareando' aceitunas
Se hacen las bodas
Y el que no va a aceitunas
No se enamora
No se enamora, niña
No se enamora
Y ′avareando' aceitunas
Se hacen las bodas
These lyrics, from Carmen Linares's song "Vareando aceitunas," convey a series of poetic and metaphorical reflections on love, passion, and the importance of being mindful of one's actions and emotions.
The first stanza compares the person being addressed to a weather vane on a church tower, constantly changing direction. This suggests that they are unpredictable and easily swayed, shifting their attention and affections from one thing to another. They are described as looking both north (symbolizing stability and tradition) and towards the sun (symbolizing passion and intensity).
The following lines advise this person that if their passion blinds them, they should first consider where they are placing their focus. Instead of crying later, they should "res" (a wordplay that can mean both stop and laugh) and reflect on their actions beforehand. This emphasizes the importance of being conscious and deliberate in their choices and emotions.
The next stanza expresses the singer's confusion and inability to understand why this person's mother always cries when they look at her. The reference to "contemplating" this woman suggests that their actions trigger an emotional response in her, but the singer is perplexed as to why. The use of the phrase "con qué cosita" emphasizes the mysterious and inexplicable nature of this situation.
In the following lines, the singer addresses someone who is trying to seduce them, asking them to take them to broader streets rather than narrow alleys. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for seeking a more open and honest relationship rather than getting caught up in superficial or deceptive encounters.
The subsequent lines describe how a persistent drip of water can soften even the hardest rock, but these tears shed by the singer do not soften the heart of the person they are addressing. This highlights the singer's vulnerability and the other person's lack of emotional responsiveness.
The final stanza refers to the act of harvesting olives ("vareando aceitunas") and how this process is associated with weddings. This implies that love and commitment are earned through effort and dedication. The lyrics conclude by suggesting that those who do not participate in this process, or who do not actively engage with love and its challenges, will not fall in love. This can be seen as a call to action, encouraging the listener to actively participate in love and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Eres como
You are like
Como veleta
Like a weathervane
Ay
Oh
De un campanario
On a bell tower
Tan pronto
So quickly
Miras al norte
You look to the north
Ay
Oh
Como al solano
Like to the south
Si la pasión te ciega
If passion blinds you
Mira primero
Look first
Donde pones los ojos no ′llo...'
Where you set your eyes, don't cry...
′Res' luego, no 'llo...′
Wait a moment, don't cry...
Si la pasión te ciega
If passion blinds you
Mira primero
Look first
Donde pones los ojos
Where you set your eyes
No llores luego
Don't cry later
No llores luego
Don't cry later
Y qué sé cuando la miro llora
And what do I know when she cries
No sé qué tiene tu madre
I don't know what your mother has
Que cuando
That when
La miro llora
I look at her, she cries
Yo no sé con qué cosita
I don't know with what little thing
Y contemplar yo a esta señora
And to contemplate this lady
Yo no sé con qué cosita
I don't know with what little thing
Ay, contemplar yo
Oh, to contemplate
A esta señora
This lady
Si me camelas
If you woo me
Ay, si me camelas
Oh, if you woo me
Llévame a calles anchas, ay
Take me to wide streets, oh
No a callejuelas
Not to alleys
Ay, ablanda un duro peñón
Oh, soften a hard rock
Una gotera continua
A continuous drip
Ay, ablanda un duro peñón
Oh, soften a hard rock
Ay, estas lagrimitas mías
Oh, these little tears of mine
No ablandan tu corazón
Don't soften your heart
Ay, estas lagrimitas mías no ′ablan...'
Oh, these little tears of mine don't soften...
Ablandan su corazón
Soften your heart
Y ′avareando' aceitunas
And working the olives
Se hacen las bodas
The weddings take place
Y el que no va a aceitunas
And the one who doesn't go to the olives
No se enamora
Does not fall in love
No se enamora, niña
Does not fall in love, girl
No se enamora
Does not fall in love
Y ′avareando' aceitunas
And working the olives
Se hacen las bodas
The weddings take place
Writer(s): Carmen Pacheco Rodriguez
Contributed by Thomas O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.