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.
El Deforme
El Cuarteto De Nos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
nací deforme tengo el rostro deformado
con mala suerte me parieron de costado
perdí el cuello, tengo el hígado colgando
y el doctor dice que soy un resfriado
como no tengo ojos al médico no lo veo
como no tengo boca no pude insultarlo
cúreme doctor
tengo una pierna, la del primer paso
dejé mi brazo colgando de un pasamano
el intestino grueso es mi otra extremidad
y el doctor dice que todo es por la humedad
el dice muy sereno que siga su tratamiento
a base de pastillas, coca o áquel linimento
alguna vez así podre mostrar mi cara
cúreme doctor
mi nariz es un agujero en el costado
y la cabeza me pesa demasiado
me alimentan por un caño en la vejiga
y el doctor dice que tome dos aspirinas
con este aspecto no puedo conquistar chiquilinas
ni siquiera hacer favores a las abuelitas
soy un monstruo que asusta a las mujeres
máteme doctor
The song El Deforme by El Cuarteto De Nos is a satirical take on the societal pressures of conforming to physical standards of beauty. The lyrics describe the singer as being born deformed, with a twisted face, hanging liver, and no eyes, ears, or mouth. The doctors prescribed treatments to the singer of pills, cocaine, and liniment, but they fail to change the singer’s appearance. The singer laments that their looks prevent them from attracting women or doing favors for grandmothers. In the end, the singer pleads for the doctor to kill them.
The song highlights the absurdity of valuing physical appearance above all else. By making the singer so grotesque, the band urges the listener to question why society is so obsessed with beauty. The line “soy un monstruo que asusta a las mujeres” (I'm a monster who scares women) is especially biting, as it’s a common narrative in movies and other media that women must be scared of unattractive men while the opposite isn’t true.
Line by Line Meaning
nací deforme tengo el rostro deformado
I was born deformed with a disfigured face.
con mala suerte me parieron de costado
Unfortunately, I was born sideways.
perdí el cuello, tengo el hígado colgando
I lost my neck, and my liver hangs out.
y el doctor dice que soy un resfriado
The doctor says I have a cold.
como no tengo ojos al médico no lo veo
Since I have no eyes, I can't see the doctor.
como no tengo orejas a este tipo no lo siento
I can't hear the doctor either, as I lack ears.
como no tengo boca no pude insultarlo
And since I have no mouth, I couldn't even insult him if I wanted to.
cúreme doctor
So, cure me, doctor.
tengo una pierna, la del primer paso
I have one leg, my first step leg.
dejé mi brazo colgando de un pasamano
My arm hangs off of a grab bar.
el intestino grueso es mi otra extremidad
And my large intestine is another one of my extremities.
y el doctor dice que todo es por la humedad
The doctor says my problems are caused by moisture.
el dice muy sereno que siga su tratamiento
The doctor calmly tells me to continue treatment.
a base de pastillas, coca o áquel linimento
Through pills, coca, or some other liniment.
alguna vez así podre mostrar mi cara
Someday, I might be able to show my face.
cúreme doctor
So, cure me, doctor.
mi nariz es un agujero en el costado
My nose is a hole in my side.
y la cabeza me pesa demasiado
And my head feels very heavy.
me alimentan por un caño en la vejiga
I am fed through a tube in my bladder.
y el doctor dice que tome dos aspirinas
And the doctor tells me to take two aspirin.
con este aspecto no puedo conquistar chiquilinas
I can't even woo young ladies with my looks.
ni siquiera hacer favores a las abuelitas
Nor can I even do favors for old ladies.
soy un monstruo que asusta a las mujeres
I'm a monster who scares women.
máteme doctor
Just kill me, doctor.
Contributed by Alexandra O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.