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.
Soy Una Vieja
El Cuarteto De Nos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
me tengo que cuidar
me tienen que bañar
Mis hijos sólo quieren
adelantar mi entierro
por la casa y el dinero
para que estén conmigo
almorzando los domingos
Tengo que obedecer
porque sos una vieja
me tengo que joder
porque sos una vieja
ya ni puedo tejer
porque sos una vieja
Los guachos de la cuadra
si salgo maquillada
me escupen y me tiran piedras
Se ríen de mi aspecto
no me tienen respecto
y yo no les digo nada
Siempre me hago pichí
porque sos una vieja
mi esperanza es morir
porque sos una vieja
sólo resta sufrir
porque sos una vieja
Porque soy una vieja
una vieja
Porque soy una arveja
arveja, una vieja
Porque soy una arveja
Porque soy una vieja
(porque sos una vieja)
porque soy una arveja
(porque sos una arveja)
porque soy una vieja
(porque sos una vieja)
porque soy una arveja
(porque sos una vieja)
porque soy una vieja
(porque sos una vieja)
¡Ésto es un viva la pepa!
The song "Soy Una Vieja" by the Uruguayan band El Cuarteto De Nos addresses the struggles and prejudices faced by elderly people in society. The lyrics are sung from the perspective of an elderly woman who is feeling oppressed, misrepresented, and disregarded. She is no longer able to voice her opinions or live independently as her children want to inherit her home and money before she is even dead. To keep her children close, she remains silent and obedient despite the difficulties she faces. The woman is ashamed of her appearance and feels humiliated and disrespected by the younger people in her neighborhood who throw stones at her when she goes out with makeup on. She is incontinent and survives in a constant state of pain, grief, and misery. Her only hope is death, which would end her suffering.
The song is a poignant critique of ageism and the lack of dignity and respect that elderly people face. It challenges societal values that prioritize youth, beauty, and productivity, and suggests that the elderly are still human beings with needs, feelings, and worth. The repeated phrase "porque sos una vieja" (because you are old) highlights the prejudices and stereotypes attached to aging and the way they are normalized and reinforced through language and behavior. The song's title "Soy Una Vieja" (I am an old woman) counters the dehumanization of the elderly and reclaims their identity and voice.
Line by Line Meaning
No puedo opinar
I cannot express my opinion
me tengo que cuidar
I have to take care of myself
me tienen que bañar
They have to bathe me
Mis hijos sólo quieren
My children only want
adelantar mi entierro
To expedite my funeral
por la casa y el dinero
For the house and the money
Y yo no digo nada
And I don't say anything
para que estén conmigo
So that they can be with me
almorzando los domingos
Having lunch on Sundays
Tengo que obedecer
I have to obey
porque sos una vieja
Because you're an old woman
me tengo que joder
I have to deal with it
porque sos una vieja
Because you're an old woman
ya ni puedo tejer
I can't even knit anymore
porque sos una vieja
Because you're an old woman
Los guachos de la cuadra
The guys from the block
si salgo maquillada
If I go out with makeup on
me escupen y me tiran piedras
They spit on me and throw stones
Se ríen de mi aspecto
They laugh at my looks
no me tienen respecto
They have no respect for me
y yo no les digo nada
And I don't say anything to them
Siempre me hago pichí
I always pee myself
porque sos una vieja
Because you're an old woman
mi esperanza es morir
My hope is to die
porque sos una vieja
Because you're an old woman
sólo resta sufrir
All that's left is to suffer
porque sos una vieja
Because you're an old woman
Porque soy una vieja
Because I'm an old woman
una vieja
An old woman
Porque soy una arveja
Because I'm a pea
arveja, una vieja
Pea, an old woman
Porque soy una arveja
Because I'm a pea
Porque soy una vieja
Because I'm an old woman
¡Ésto es un viva la pepa!
This is a 'viva la pepa'!
Contributed by Camden P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.