In 2005, Estopa signed a global music publishing deal with BMG Music Publishing.
The name of the group, "Estopa" (tow, in english) refers to when both brothers worked together at a SEAT automobile factory and, in their own words, a boss kept on screaming at them, "¡Dale estopa!" which means something like "Work hard!".
Descatalogando
Estopa Lyrics
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Saben tocar la rumba mucho mejor
Saben que es bona aunque la bossa no sona
Pero que saben que existe un mundo mucho mejor
La luna y las estrellas son su bandera
Se pasan las mañanitas tomando el sol
Si sopla Tramuntana se desnivelan
Que yo me voy pa' Gracia en busca
De mi compare si yo me voy pa' la mina
Yo me voy con mi compare si yo no
Nací gitano no, no quiero ser payo yo
No tengo raza ni credo ni religión
Especie por determinar fuera de catalogación
En este mundo surreal falta imaginación
Dicen las cuatro esquinas que me conocen
Que le pongo a las cosas el corazón
Que se me ve vagando todas las tardes
Que se me ve perdido sin dirección
Si sopla Tramuntana me desnivelo
Vivo recluído bajo un techo de hormigón
Me cuesta tanto poder mirar al cielo
Preso preventivo dentro de una canción
Que yo me voy pa' Gracia en busca
De mi compare si yo me voy pa' la mina
Yo me voy con mi compare si yo no
Nací gitano no, no quiero ser payo yo
No tengo raza ni credo ni religión
Especie por determinar fuera de catalogación
En este mundo surreal falta imaginación
En busca de mi compare
Yo me voy con mi compa
Que yo me voy pa' Gracia en busca
De mi compare si yo me voy pa' la mina
Yo me voy con mi compare que no
Nací gitano no que no quiero ser payo yo
No tengo raza ni credo ni religión
Especie por determinar fuera de catalogación
En este mundo surreal falta imaginación
No nací gitano no
No quiero ser payo yo
Sé muy bien dónde nací
Nací en el Mediterráneo
The lyrics of Estopa's song, Descatalogando, speak about that the gypsies of Barcelona play rumba much better than anyone else. They know what is good even when there are no sounds around. But they also know that there is a better world out there. They have the moon and the stars as their flag and spend mornings sunbathing. However, they can be knocked out of balance if the Tramuntana wind blows; therefore, they must have a good footing and placement.
The song depicts that the singer is looking for someone in Gracia, and if he goes to the mines, he will go with his peers. He did not choose to be a gypsy, but that’s who he is. The singer doesn't have an identity in terms of race or religion, and he believes he is a species yet to be determined and uncatalogued. He feels that the world is lacking imagination and isn't surreal enough. Even though he is known in the neighbourhoods and known to put his heart into everything, he is lost and without a direction to go in, especially if the Tramuntana wind blows, pushing him further off course. He lives confined underneath a roof of cement, and it is difficult to look up at the sky. He is a prisoner, biding his time within himself, within his song.
In conclusion, the song discusses how being a gypsy in Barcelona can be destabilising but also highlights a sense of pride and belonging. The status quo of society is dull, lifeless and surreal according to the singer. He challenges societal norms, beliefs and constructs singlehandedly. He realises that he has no place in categories of race or religion and accepts his identity as a gypsy. Despite the Tramuntana winds that blow him off course, the singer remains steadfast in his belief that there is a better world out there.
Line by Line Meaning
Dicen que los gitanos de Barcelona
Rumor has it that the gypsies of Barcelona
Saben tocar la rumba mucho mejor
Know how to play the rumba much better
Saben que es bona aunque la bossa no sona
Know it's good even though the bagpipes don't sound
Pero que saben que existe un mundo mucho mejor
But know there's a much better world out there
La luna y las estrellas son su bandera
The moon and the stars are their flag
Se pasan las mañanitas tomando el sol
They spend the mornings basking in the sun
Si sopla Tramuntana se desnivelan
If the Tramuntana wind blows, they lose their balance
Hay que tener remate y colocación
You need to have skill and positioning
Que yo me voy pa' Gracia en busca
That I'm going to Gracia searching
De mi compare si yo me voy pa' la mina
For my friend if I go to the mine
Yo me voy con mi compare si yo no
I go with my friend if I don't
Nací gitano no, no quiero ser payo yo
I was born a gypsy, I don't want to be a gadjo
No tengo raza ni credo ni religión
I have no race, creed, or religion
Especie por determinar fuera de catalogación
An undetermined species outside of classification
En este mundo surreal falta imaginación
In this surreal world, there's a lack of imagination
Dicen las cuatro esquinas que me conocen
The four corners say they know me
Que le pongo a las cosas el corazón
That I put my heart into things
Que se me ve vagando todas las tardes
That I'm seen wandering every afternoon
Que se me ve perdido sin dirección
That I'm seen lost without direction
Si sopla Tramuntana me desnivelo
If the Tramuntana wind blows, I lose my balance
Vivo recluído bajo un techo de hormigón
I live confined under a concrete roof
Me cuesta tanto poder mirar al cielo
It's so hard for me to look at the sky
Preso preventivo dentro de una canción
Preventive prisoner inside a song
Que yo me voy pa' Gracia en busca
That I'm going to Gracia searching
De mi compare si yo me voy pa' la mina
For my friend if I go to the mine
Yo me voy con mi compare si yo no
I go with my friend if I don't
Nací gitano no, no quiero ser payo yo
I was born a gypsy, I don't want to be a gadjo
En busca de mi compare
In search of my friend
Yo me voy con mi compa
I go with my buddy
Que yo me voy pa' Gracia en busca
That I'm going to Gracia searching
De mi compare si yo me voy pa' la mina
For my friend if I go to the mine
Yo me voy con mi compare que no
I go with my friend if I don't
Nací gitano no que no quiero ser payo yo
I was born a gypsy, I don't want to be a gadjo
No tengo raza ni credo ni religión
I have no race, creed, or religion
Especie por determinar fuera de catalogación
An undetermined species outside of classification
En este mundo surreal falta imaginación
In this surreal world, there's a lack of imagination
No nací gitano no
I wasn't born a gypsy
No quiero ser payo yo
I don't want to be a gadjo
Sé muy bien dónde nací
I know very well where I was born
Nací en el Mediterráneo
I was born in the Mediterranean
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: David Munoz Calvo, Jose Manuel Munoz Calvo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind