In March 1987 they released Soy una arveja, an album which unlike their previous record featured dark, humorous and satirical lyrics based around characters from the city of Tajo, a fictional city (an inside-joke between the members). This would also be their first album to feature the drummer Álvaro Pintos.
They would later release Emilio Garcia in 1988 and Canciones del Corazon in 1991. However, in 1994 with the release of Otra navidad en las trincheras the band unexpectedly gained massive popularity in Uruguay and stopped being a cult band. This caused Otra navidad en las trincheras to become the #1 best selling album in the country for a long time.
After the success of their previous album they released Barranca Abajo, a concept album revolving around the life of a fictional character named José Barrancas created by the band. The next year El tren bala was released and generated controversy throughout the country due to the Ministry of Education and Culture's attempts to ban the album over the song "El dia que Artigas se emborracho" which made fun of uruguayan national hero José Gervasio Artigas. However, this only expanded the group's popularity. Afterwards Revista ¡¡Ésta!! was released in 1998.
Riki Musso temporarily left the band in 2000 before the release of Cortamambo due to differences with their label and bandmates about the album cover. However, his brother convinced him to stay. Their 2004 self-titled album was the first to feature Juan Campodonico who would later produce all of their post-Cortamambo discography including Raro, a power pop album which made the band well known in other countries, allowing them to tour through South America. Riki would leave the band a second time due to musical differences with Bipolar being his last contribution to El Cuarteto de Nos.
Gustavo Antuña replaced guitarist Riki Musso in 2010 and joined the band alongside keyboardist Santiago Marrero. The first album to feature them both was the more pop rock influenced Porfiado which won two latin grammy awards.
Canción de amor
El Cuarteto De Nos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
de pichí y de hacerse caca,
y aunque ahora esté cenando
y en la sopa vomintando,
a pesar del mal olor,
ésta es una canción de amor.
Aunque las chicas no deliren
aunque no me tiren flores
ni me den sus direcciones,
aunque yo no sea un señor,
ésta es una canción de amor.
Aunque no hable de una traición
ni que por nadie sufra mi corazón;
sigue siendo una canción de amor.
Aunque hable de mi muerte
y de un transexual sin suerte,
aunque hable de mi entierro,
mi velorio y mi destierro,
aunque acabe en el cajón
ésta es una canción de amor.
Aunque pronuncie yo en lugar de "io"
y nadie diga que soy un triunfador
sigue siendo una canción de amor.
Aunque te parezca relajada
y no la cante tu empleada
y aunque la toque el Cuarteto
que no cuente ni un secreto
aunque se ahogue en el alcohol
ésta es una canción de amor.
Aunque no haya ninguna ilusión
y que mañana sea igual que hoy
sigue siendo una canción de amor.
The lyrics of El Cuarteto de Nos's song "Canción de Amor" talks about the things that do not usually associate with a love song, such as talking about hangovers, peeing and pooping, vomiting, death, a transsexual person, and alcohol. However, the singer insists that despite these unconventional themes, the song remains a love song. The lyrics indicate that love songs don't always have to romanticize or idealize love, but can also be about the mundane, the flawed, and the imperfect aspects of love.
The lyrics also talk about the lack of recognition the singer receives from his audience. Though he doesn't get the usual signs of admiration such as swooning or flower-tossing from women or accolades from music industry people, the singer still believes that his song is a love song.
The song perhaps represents a rebellion against stereotypes and expectations of what a love song should be. It shows that love songs can be about various things, and can come from anyone regardless of their social status, appearance, or personality. The final lines, "although there's no hope, and tomorrow is the same as today, it's still a love song," depict the idea that love can exist even in seemingly hopeless situations.
Line by Line Meaning
Aunque hable de resaca
de pichí y de hacerse caca,
y aunque ahora esté cenando
y en la sopa vomintando,
a pesar del mal olor,
ésta es una canción de amor.
Though I speak of hangover,
piss and taking a dump,
and though I'm now dining
and throwing up in the soup,
despite the foul odor,
this is a love song.
Aunque las chicas no deliren
y cuando canto no suspiren,
aunque no me tiren flores
ni me den sus direcciones,
aunque yo no sea un señor,
ésta es una canción de amor.
Though girls don't go crazy,
or sigh when I sing,
though they don't throw me flowers
or give me their directions,
though I'm not a gentleman,
this is a love song.
Aunque no hable de una traición
ni que por nadie sufra mi corazón;
sigue siendo una canción de amor.
Though I don't speak of betrayal
or suffer for anyone in my heart;
It's still a love song.
Aunque hable de mi muerte
y de un transexual sin suerte,
aunque hable de mi entierro,
mi velorio y mi destierro,
aunque acabe en el cajón
ésta es una canción de amor.
Though I speak of my death
and an unlucky transsexual,
though I speak of my burial,
my wake and my exile,
though it ends up in the coffin,
this is a love song.
Aunque pronuncie yo en lugar de "io"
y nadie diga que soy un triunfador
sigue siendo una canción de amor.
Though I mispronounce 'io' instead of 'yo',
and no one says I'm a winner,
It's still a love song.
Aunque te parezca relajada
y no la cante tu empleada
y aunque la toque el Cuarteto
que no cuente ni un secreto
aunque se ahogue en el alcohol
ésta es una canción de amor.
Although it seems relaxed to you
and your employee doesn't sing it
and even if The Quartet plays it
and it doesn't reveal any secret
although it drowns in alcohol
this is a love song.
Aunque no haya ninguna ilusión
y que mañana sea igual que hoy
sigue siendo una canción de amor.
Although there is no hope
and tomorrow is the same as today,
It's still a love song.
Contributed by Colton K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.