He founded, in 1971, the recognized independent record label Ayuí/Tacuabé in order to promote and support valuable Uruguayan musical expressions, along with other musicians like José "Pepe" Guerra, Braulio López, Coriún Aharonián, Myriam Dibarboure, María Teresa Sande and Edgardo Bello,
He has performed the works of Cuban Nueva Trova stars Silvio Rodríguez and Pablo Milanés and Brazil's Chico Buarque and Edu Lobo and has worked with Cuban composer and arranger Leo Brouwer. His recordings are widely available, especially "Trópicos" (1972).
Viglietti was imprisoned in 1972 by his own government. He was supported by the likes of Jean-Paul Sartre as an international man of conscience, a voice for peace, and an opponent of the fascism and tyranny that plagued South America in the 1970s. Rumors about possible mistreatment against him forced the authorities to bring him out in front of television cameras to show that, in particular, his hands were fine. However, Viglietti spoke out that his treatment in police custody was much better than what other political prisoners received. He was a peer of the late Chilean poet and folk singer Victor Jara and composer and activist Violeta Parra.
Canción de Trilce
Daniel Viglietti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Se habla de un viejo, de un niño o de sí
Pero mi historia es difícil
No voy a hablarles de un hombre comun
Haré la historia de un ser de otro mundo
De un animal de galaxia
Es una historia que tiene que ver
Con el curso de la Vía Láctea
Es sobre un ser de la nada
Nació de una tormenta
En el sol de una noche del penultimo mes
Fue dе planeta en planeta
Buscando agua potablе
Quizás buscando la vida o buscando la muerte
Eso nunca se sabe
Quizás buscando siluetas o algo semejante
Que fuera adorable o por lo menos querible
Besable, bueno, amable
Él descubrió que las minas del rey Salomón
Se hallaban en el cielo
Y no en el África ardiente
Como pensaba la gente
Pero las piedras son frías y le interesaba
Calor y alegrías
Las joyas no tenían alma, sólo eran espejos
Colores brillantes
Y al fin bajo hacia la guerra
¡Perdón! quise decir a la tierra
(Supo la historia de un golpe)
(Sintió en su cabeza cristales molidos)
(Y comprendió que la guerra era
La paz del futuro)
Supo la historia de un golpe
Sintió en su cabeza cristales molidos
Y comprendió que la guerra
Era la paz del futuro
Lo más terrible se aprende enseguida
Y lo hermoso nos cuesta la vida
La ultima vez lo vi irse
Entre el humo y metralla contento y desnudo
Iba matando canallas (Iba matando canallas)
Con su cañón de futuro
(Con su cañón de futuro)
The lyrics of Daniel Viglietti's song "Canción de Trilce" tell the story of a being from another world, an animal from a galaxy, whose history is difficult to understand. Unlike most stories that focus on a common man, a child, or oneself, this story delves into the realms of the unknown. It is about a creature that emerged from a storm, born in the sun of a night in the second-to-last month.
From planet to planet, this being searched for drinkable water, perhaps seeking life or even death. The purpose of its journey remains unclear, but it may have been in search of familiar shapes or something that was at the very least adorable or lovable. It discovered that the legendary mines of King Solomon were not in the scorching Africa as people believed, but rather in the sky. However, the stones it found were cold and lacked the warmth and joy that it desired. The jewels had no soul, they were nothing but shiny mirrors. Eventually, this being descended towards a different kind of war, a war on Earth.
In a sudden realization, it learned the history of a single blow and felt shattered glass in its head. It suddenly understood that war was the peace of the future. This revelation suggests that the most terrible things are grasped quickly, while the beautiful ones often come at a great cost. The last time the being was seen, it departed happily and naked amidst the smoke and gunfire, killing scoundrels with its cannon of the future.
Overall, this song invites listeners to reflect on the nature of stories, the search for meaning and connection, the disappointment of unfulfilled expectations, and the tragic understanding that war seems to be an inevitable part of human progress.
Line by Line Meaning
Siempre que se hace una historia
Every time a story is made
Se habla de un viejo, de un niño o de sí
They talk about an old man, a child, or themselves
Pero mi historia es difícil
But my story is difficult
No voy a hablarles de un hombre comun
I won't speak to you about a common man
Haré la historia de un ser de otro mundo
I will tell the story of a being from another world
De un animal de galaxia
Of a galactic animal
Es una historia que tiene que ver
It's a story that has to do
Con el curso de la Vía Láctea
With the course of the Milky Way
Es una historia enterrada
It's a buried story
Es sobre un ser de la nada
It's about a being of nothingness
Nació de una tormenta
He was born from a storm
En el sol de una noche del penultimo mes
In the sun of a night from the penultimate month
Fue de planeta en planeta
He traveled from planet to planet
Buscando agua potable
Searching for drinkable water
Quizás buscando la vida o buscando la muerte
Maybe seeking life or seeking death
Eso nunca se sabe
That is never known
Quizás buscando siluetas o algo semejante
Maybe searching for silhouettes or something similar
Que fuera adorable o por lo menos querible
That was adorable or at least lovable
Besable, bueno, amable
Kissable, good, kind
Él descubrió que las minas del rey Salomón
He discovered that King Solomon's mines
Se hallaban en el cielo
Were located in the sky
Y no en el África ardiente
And not in burning Africa
Como pensaba la gente
As people believed
Pero las piedras son frías y le interesaba
But the stones are cold and he was interested in
Calor y alegrías
Warmth and joys
Las joyas no tenían alma, sólo eran espejos
The jewels had no soul, they were only mirrors
Colores brillantes
Bright colors
Y al fin bajo hacia la guerra
And finally he descended towards the war
¡Perdón! quise decir a la tierra
Sorry! I meant to say towards the Earth
(Supo la historia de un golpe)
(He knew the story all of a sudden)
(Sintió en su cabeza cristales molidos)
(He felt crushed crystals in his head)
(Y comprendió que la guerra era
(And he understood that war was
La paz del futuro)
The peace of the future)
Supo la historia de un golpe
He knew the story all of a sudden
Sintió en su cabeza cristales molidos
He felt crushed crystals in his head
Y comprendió que la guerra
And he understood that war
Era la paz del futuro
Was the peace of the future
Lo más terrible se aprende enseguida
The most terrible thing is learned immediately
Y lo hermoso nos cuesta la vida
And the beautiful costs us our lives
La última vez lo vi irse
The last time I saw him leave
Entre el humo y metralla contento y desnudo
Amidst smoke and shrapnel, happy and naked
Iba matando canallas (Iba matando canallas)
He was killing scoundrels (He was killing scoundrels)
Con su cañón de futuro
With his cannon of the future
(Con su cañón de futuro)
(With his cannon of the future)
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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