Grupo Niche is one of the world's best known salsa and cumbia groups from C… Read Full Bio ↴Grupo Niche is one of the world's best known salsa and cumbia groups from Colombia and it enjoys great popularity throughout Latin America. It was formed in 1980 by Jairo Varela, who became producer, director, songwriter, vocalist and guiro player. It also included Nicolas Cristanelo, on the piano; Alexis Lozano, on the trombone; Francisco Garcia, on the bass; Luis Pacheco, on the congas; as well as vocalists Jorge Bassam and Hector Viveros.

Grupo Niche's first album: "Al Pasito" was released that same year, 1980, and placed their native Colombia in a modest position in the salsa world. "Querer Es Poder" was Grupo Niche's second album, released in 1981, one year immediately after the first. The group's success was growing larger.

"Trateno" became the group's third album, which featured "Atrato Viajero", one of Varela's compositions of his teen years. And, in 1984, Grupo Niche released "No Hay Quinto Malo", which featured their signature song, "Cali Pachanguero". But, perhaps Grupo Niche's best recording was their next release, "Se Paso!", produced in 1985 under the New York Latin Records label.

In 1986, the band incorporated Puerto Rican vocalist Tito Gomez, who had previously worked with the famous Puerto Rican salsa group, la Sonora Poncena, and Ray Barretto, the Godfather of Latin Jazz. Later that year, 1986, Grupo Niche released "Me Huele A Matrimonio". Afterward, yet another Puerto Rican joined, the pianist Israel Tanenbaum, who would eventually separate from the group and join a Niche spin-off band: Orquesta Guayacan.

Grupo Niche is known for both its vigorous, uptempo dance music as well as slower-paced romantic numbers. Among its best known hits are "Cali Pachanguero", "Del Puente Pa'llá", "Sin Sentimientos", "Una Aventura", "Etnia", "Gotas de Lluvia", "Han Cogido la Cosa", "Mi Pueblo", Hagamos Lo Que Diga Corazon, "Duele Mas", "Nuestro Sueño", and the famous cumbia "Canoa Rancha".

Some of the most famous singers from Niche throughout its changing history include Tito Gomez, Moncho Santana, Charlie Cardona as well as Willy Garcia and Javier Vasquez, now members of the group 'Son de Cali'. They have been very successful, and some of their songs are considered Classics of Salsa Music. The group still enjoys some of its past successes, and, as of 2006, is on tour, making worldwide presentations, and singing their most memorable songs.

Bar Y Copas
Grupo Niche Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

¿Para qué la miras, mujer?
Sólo ve el dinero, ¿No ves?
Si tu amante ya olvidó
El amor que prometió
El cariño con su gesto
En cenizas convirtió
Sucede cada vez
Que un hombre peca por placer

Matando un hogar con su débil proceder
Bolsillo lleno mostró
Chequera de banco insinuó
Te resientes con tu amiga
Porque lista resultó

O de pronto aquel señor
Tus arrugas descubrió
"¡Alerta!", dice el dueño
Que allá al fondo se calló
Uno pasado de copas
Puede ser tu salvación
Muchos bares y cantinas
Te toca recorrer
Muchos años en la esquina
Hoy tienes que comprender
Que cuando cosas pesan salen canas y la piel
Ya no es mágica alfombra
Pues el tiempo vió correr

Y quisieras volver a ser niña
Y quisieras volver a nacer
Ay, quisieras detenerte
Y empezar de nuevo, mujer
Y no se puede, ya no se puede

Ya no se puede, no, no se puede
No, no se puede, no

Overall Meaning

The song "Bar Y Copas" by Grupo Niche tells the story of a woman who is being deceived by her lover, who is only interested in her money. The lyrics start with a rhetorical question directed at the woman, asking why she is still looking at her lover, who has already forgotten the love he promised her and turned their affection into ashes. The song describes how men often betray their partners and destroy their homes in pursuit of pleasure.

The lyrics then go on to talk about how the woman's friend became resentful towards her, realizing too late that the lover was only after her money. The song addresses the woman's age, saying how she wishes she could turn back time to start over again, but it is too late. The owner of the bar warns her that some men, when they drink too much, may become her salvation, freeing her from the deceptions of her lover.

Line by Line Meaning

¿Para qué la miras, mujer?
Why do you look at her, woman?

Sólo ve el dinero, ¿No ves?
He only sees money, don't you see?

Si tu amante ya olvidó
If your lover has forgotten

El amor que prometió
The love he promised

El cariño con su gesto
The affection with his gesture

En cenizas convirtió
He turned it into ashes

Sucede cada vez
It happens every time

Que un hombre peca por placer
That a man sins for pleasure

Matando un hogar con su débil proceder
Killing a home with his weak behavior

Bolsillo lleno mostró
He showed a full pocket

Chequera de banco insinuó
He hinted at his bank checkbook