Ochoa was invited by Cobas to become leader in 1978, and, before accepting, he got agreement to introduce new musical works into the repertoire. At that time Cobas continued with the group, and Hilario Cuadras and Amado Machado joined. Ochoa introduced the son as the staple diet of the group, and beefed up the percussion to balance the guajiro content with an African element. Even more important was his personal qualities. He is a truly outstanding acoustic guitarist, with a warm singing style. For all that, it took a long time for music lovers outside Cuba to hear about the group. Here the Buena Vista experience played a decisive part.[4] In the series of CD albums that followed the film, Ochoa played an increasingly prominent part, and this was reflected in increased sales for the Cuarteto Patría albums, and in many foreign tours for the man and his group.
The group now consists of Eliades Ochoa (leader, vocals, guitar); Humberto Ochoa (second guitar, coro); Eglis Ochoa (maracas, güiro, coro); William Calderón (double bass); Roberto Torres (bongos, conga, coro). Others who have played on some albums include: former leader Franciso Cobas de la O (second guiter, coro); Aristóteles Limonta (d. bass, coro); Enrique Ochoa: (second guitar, coro); María Ochoa (voice); Aníbal Avila Pacheco (trumpet, claves); José Ángel Martínez (d. bass); ex-member of Cuarteto Patria, and tresero Rey Cabrera. Famous old-timers have recorded with the group include: Faustino Oramas (El Guayabero); Compay Segundo and Rey Caney, who led the group for a while in his younger days. The group is now dominated by the Ochoa family, and is expanded for recordings and tours as required.
The group has toured Guadeloupe, Martinique, Granada, Curaçao, Nicaragua, Brazil, Dominican Republic, USA (Carnegie Hall NY), Canada, Spain, France (Olympia de Paris), Holland, Italy and Japan. In 2001 they were awarded the Premio de la música de la Sociedad General de Autores y Editores de España (SGAE) y la Asociación de Intérpretes y Ejecutantes de España (AIE) [Musical prize of the Spanish society of authors, editors and musical performers] for the best album of traditional music.
Chan Chan
Cuarteto Patria Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Llego a Cueto, voy para Mayarí
De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané
Llego a Cueto, voy para Mayarí
De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané
Llego a Cueto, voy para Mayarí
El cariño que te tengo
No te lo puedo negar
Se me sale la babita
Yo no lo puedo evitar
Cuando Juanica y Chan Chan
En el mar cernían arena
Como sacudía el jibe
A Chan Chan le daba pena
Limpia el camino de pajas
Que yo me quiero sentar
En aquél tronco que veo
Y así no puedo llegar
De alto Cedro voy para Marcané
Llegó a Cueto voy para Mayarí
De alto Cedro voy para Marcané
Llegó a Cueto voy para Mayarí
De alto Cedro voy para Marcané
Llegó a Cueto voy para Mayarí
The opening lines of Cuarteto Patria's "Chan Chan" transport us to Cuba, where the singer is making a journey from Alto Cedro to Marcané, passing through the towns of Cueto and Mayarí. We don't know why the singer is making this journey, but the repetition of these verses lends a rhythmic quality to the song that mimics the movement of walking or traveling. However, the focus of the song is not so much on the journey as it is on the singer's feelings for someone called Chan Chan.
In the second verse, the singer confesses their love for Chan Chan, saying "El cariño que te tengo / No te lo puedo negar / Se me sale la babita / Yo no lo puedo evitar" (The love I have for you / I can't deny it / My mouth waters / I can't help it). The third verse tells the story of Juanica and Chan Chan, who used to sift sand together on the beach. Chan Chan was embarrassed by the way Juanica shook the sail and caused sand to fly everywhere, but the singer implies that this was a small price to pay for the pleasure of being with Chan Chan.
The final verse returns to the singer's journey, but now they are encountering obstacles along the way: "Limpia el camino de pajas / Que yo me quiero sentar / En aquél tronco que veo / Y así no puedo llegar" (Clear the path of straw / Because I want to sit down / On that log I see / And I can't get there). These lines seem to suggest that the singer is so consumed with thoughts of Chan Chan that they are having trouble focusing on anything else, or perhaps that the journey itself is a metaphor for the ups and downs of a romance.
Overall, "Chan Chan" is a love song with a laid-back, easygoing feel that reflects its roots in the Cuban son music tradition. The repetition of certain lines, such as the opening verses, creates a sense of circularity and inevitability that reinforces the idea of love as a force that drives us forward. At the same time, the vivid descriptions of beach scenes and bucolic landscapes suggests a deep connection to nature and the rhythms of daily life. Through its music and lyrics, "Chan Chan" celebrates the joy and simplicity of being in love, even as it acknowledges the challenges that come with the territory.
Line by Line Meaning
De Alto Cedro voy para Marcané
I am traveling from Alto Cedro to Marcané
Llego a Cueto, voy para Mayarí
I arrive at Cueto and continue my travels to Mayarí
El cariño que te tengo
The love that I have for you
No te lo puedo negar
I cannot deny it
Se me sale la babita
My mouth waters
Yo no lo puedo evitar
I cannot help it
Cuando Juanica y Chan Chan
When Juanica and Chan Chan
En el mar cernían arena
Were sifting sand in the sea
Como sacudía el jibe
How the sail shook
A Chan Chan le daba pena
It made Chan Chan sad
Limpia el camino de pajas
Clear the path of straw
Que yo me quiero sentar
So I can sit down
En aquél tronco que veo
On that log I see
Y así no puedo llegar
And so I cannot reach it
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MAXIMO FRANCISCO REPILADO MUNOZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@arispalma5767
hace aproximadamente 25 años compre el long.playing del cuarteto patria de iliades ochoa, una de sus grabaciones fue precisamente chan chan composicion y musica que me cautivo por su ritmo, sabor y sentimiento. no me equivoque ya que hasta la fecha la he oido con muchos interpretes . dios tenga en la gloria a su autor compay segundo. aristides palma de veracruz-
@luckylouie522