Cerati was in a coma for over four years, after suffering a stroke on May 15, 2010, right at the end of a show in Caracas - Venezuela, on the final leg of his Fuerza Natural tour. The situation -which ocurred backstage at the dressing room- was quickly reported by news agencies and via tweets. After a period of intensive care hospitalization in Caracas, he was flown on a private ambulance-jet to Buenos Aires where he spent the next 4 years in an induced coma. He passed away in a local hospital due to respiratory failure. The news on September 4th, 2014 shook the rock community worldwide.
Cerati was widely acknowledged for his lead and rhythm guitar talents -and for his ability to play solos while singing at the same time in perfect key, as well as for the lyrical content of his songwriting, all of which helped to consolidate him as one of the most prolific and important rock musicians in the continent.
Cerati founded Soda Stereo in 1982 with bassist Zeta Bosio. Drummer Charly Alberti joined them shortly after. The band released its first album in August 1984 and dissolved in late 1997.
Cerati's first main venture away from Soda Stereo (apart from creating the band Fricción in 1985) with Richard Coleman and drummer Fernando Samalea, was the album Colores Santos in 1992: an experimental project in collaboration with musician Daniel Melero, that anticipated the sonic experimentation of Soda Stereo's late 1992 album, Dynamo.
He released his first full solo effort Amor Amarillo in 1993, while still a member of Soda. Zeta Bosio and then-wife Cecilia Amenábar collaborated on the project. The album featured more introspective lyrics, a fair amount of electronic experimentation and was well received by both the critics and the public. He then returned to Soda Stereo releasing Zona de Promesas, (a compilation album of remixes which contained the eponymous track as an opener). Zona de Promesas is an intimate and delicate song that focuses on the relationship he had with his mother (Lilian Clark). The albums Sueño Stereo and Comfort y Música Para Volar (MTV Unplugged) followed. Shortly after the band decided to split and launched a farewell tour in late 1997. After the farewell tour, Cerati embarked in a couple of projects that dealt exclusively with electronic music. He formed the group Plan V together with Chilean musicians Andrés Bucci, Guillermo Ugarte and Christian Powditch, and shortly after the duo Ocio with Flavio Etcheto also known as Flavius.
His second solo album Bocanada was released in 1999. The record embraced both the style that made Soda Stereo famous, and a newer style reminiscent of his electronic projects.
In 2001, Cerati wrote the soundtrack for the movie + Bien directed by Eduardo Capilla, in which he also stars and marked his acting debut. Another soundtrack he produced was for the movie "Solo Por Hoy". That same year he recorded 11 Episodios Sinfónicos, -a live recording of him singing accompanied by The Buenos Aires Symphonic Orchestra, directed by Alejandro Terán, a veteran from La Portuaria, who also is proficient in Classical music direction and conduction.
Siempre Es Hoy was released in 2002, and showcased a new perspective on his music and sound. A mixture of electronica, and electric rock sounds, Siempre Es Hoy is the longest running LP (timewise) in his solo career. Containing seventeen tracks and over one hour and ten minutes of running play time, the album was widely acclaimed. Reversiones was released a year later in 2003, and complied remixes from the Siempre Es Hoy album by various artists from Mexico, Argentina, Germany, etc.
Ahí Vamos (2006) was considered a return to his more classic rock style as it contains heavier sounds and a much wider guitar/drums presence. Many consider this album -along with Amor Amarillo, his finest solo efforts.
Despite stating previously that the Grammy Awards were of little importance to him, he attended the Latin Grammy Awards ceremony on November 2, 2006 where he was awarded in the Best Rock Album and Best Rock Song, categories.
In 2007, Cerati toured for one last time with Soda Stereo for a massive reunion tour, that took them all across Latin America and the United States.
Cerati produced albums for several artists, most notably "Sueños en Transito" for Nicole and "Mar" for Leo Garcia. He was major sponsor and collaborator in the development and acknowledgement of Babasónicos. He also contributed on several albums for other relevant Argentinean and Latin American artists such as Fricción -which he co-founded, Caifanes from Mexico, and Shakira from Colombia. On July 7, 2007 he performed with her at Live Earth, in Germany. He also joined forces with other prominent musicians as The Police's guitarist Andy Summers for a Spanish version of "Bring On The Night" / "Tráeme La Noche", and with Roger Waters from Pink Floyd on a yet unreleased song they recorded in 2008. He performed live alongside other prominent Argentinean musicians including Luis Alberto Spinetta, Charly García, Andrés Calamaro, Mercedes Sosa and many others.
Gustavo Cerati's last studio album Fuerza Natural won the Best Rock Album award and Best Rock Song award for Déjà Vu during the 2010 Latin Grammy Awards. It also received the award for best packaging and design at the same event. The album's lyrics and rock sound which at times is reminiscent of the Beatles' psychedelic period, showcased a very hopeful Cerati, with mystical and illuminated lyrics that spoke of his hopes for both the present and the future. Paradoxically, it was during the last leg of the tour that supported the album that Cerati suffered the stroke that put him in a coma.
Cerati leaves behind his mother Lilian Clarke, his daughter Lisa Cerati and younger son Benito Cerati who is also a musician and has a project called Zero Kill. Cecilia Amenábar, Cerati's ex-wife is their mother.
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Discography:
* Amor Amarillo (1993)
* Bocanada (1999)
* + Bien (2001)
* 11 Episodios Sinfónicos (2001)
* Siempre Es Hoy (2002)
* Reversiones (2003)
* Ahí Vamos (2006)
* Fuerza Natural (2009)
As Cerati / Melero (with keyboardist Daniel Melero)
* Colores Santos (1992)
Other Projects:
* Sólo Por Hoy (Soundtrack) (2000)
* Canciones Elegidas 93-04 (DVD compilation) (2004)
Plan V
* Plan V (1996)
* Plan V/Black Dog (1998)
Ocio
* Medida Universal (1999)
* Insular (2000)
Roken
* DJ / Electronica touring project with Leandro Fresco and Flavio Etcheto (1999-2001).
Karaoke
Gustavo Cerati Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Eras alguien a quien yo solía conocer
Fue muy simple despegar
Solo un corto tiempo
Y te buscaste un nuevo corazón
Ahora tienes tu propio show
Como un rey vengador, vengador
No te alcanza con improvisar
El descaro baby es parte de la diversión
Ahora vamos a ver tu show
En el cuarto de un hotel
Frente al mar
Lee mis labios karaoke
Como un rey convénceme
Convénceme
Convénceme
Convénceme
Como un rey convénceme, convénceme
The lyrics of Gustavo Cerati's song Karaoke seem to tell the story of a former lover who has moved on from their relationship and has now become a performer in their own right. The singer acknowledges that the breakup was for the best and that the person he used to know has changed so much that he no longer recognizes them. The line "Fue muy simple despegar" or "It was very easy to take off" suggests that this person has moved on from their past relationship with ease.
The chorus of the song seems to be directed at the new performer, who is now putting on their own show. The line "No te alcanza con improvisar" or "It's not enough for you to improvise" suggests that this person is driven to succeed and thrive in their new role as a performer. The singer taunts them by saying that their boldness and lack of shame is all part of the fun.
Towards the end of the song, the singer seems to invite this new performer to "convince" him, as if daring them to perform for him and show him what they've got. The repetition of the phrase "convénceme," or "convince me," sounds like a challenge being issued, suggesting that the singer is perhaps not entirely over their feelings for this person.
Overall, Karaoke seems to be a complex meditation on the nature of relationships and how people can change over time. The song also seems to be a commentary on the performative nature of modern life, and how people are constantly putting on shows for each other in various ways.
Line by Line Meaning
Ya no me necesitas es lo mejor
It's better that you don't need me anymore
Eras alguien a quien yo solía conocer
You were someone I used to know
Fue muy simple despegar
It was very easy to take off
Solo un corto tiempo
Only a short time
Y te buscaste un nuevo corazón
And you searched for a new heart
Ahora tienes tu propio show
Now you have your own show
Como un rey vengador, vengador
Like a vengeful king, vengeful
No te alcanza con improvisar
It's not enough for you to improvise
El descaro baby es parte de la diversión
Baby, the boldness is part of the fun
Ahora vamos a ver tu show
Now we're going to see your show
En el cuarto de un hotel
In a hotel room
Frente al mar
Facing the sea
Lee mis labios karaoke
Read my lips, karaoke
Como un rey convénceme
Like a king, convince me
Convénceme
Convince me
Convénceme
Convince me
Como un rey convénceme, convénceme
Like a king, convince me, convince me
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Gustavo Adrian Cerati
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Julian Romero
LETRA
Ya no me necesitas es lo mejor
Eras alguien a quien yo solía conocer
Fue muy simple despegar
Solo un corto tiempo
Y te buscaste un nuevo corazón
Ahora tienes tu propio show
Como un rey vengador, vengador
No te alcanza con improvisar
El descaro baby es parte de la diversión
Ahora vamos a ver tu show
En el cuarto de un hotel
Frente al mar
Lee mis labios karaoke
Como un rey convénceme
Convénceme
Convénceme
Convénceme
Como un rey convénceme, convénceme
Ing. Omar Cruz
Letra de "Karaoke":
Ya no me necesitas es lo mejor
Eras alguien a quien yo solía conocer
Fue muy simple despegar
Solo un corto tiempo
Y te buscaste un nuevo corazón.
Ahora tienes tu propio show
Como un rey vengador, vengador.
No te alcanza con improvisar
El descaro baby es parte de la diversión.
Ahora vamos a ver tu show
En el cuarto de un hotel
Frente al mar.
Lee mis labios karaoke
Como un rey convenceme.
Convenceme
Convenceme.
Convenceme
Como un rey convenceme.
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''Siempre es hoy'' está compuesto por:
Cosas imposibles / No te creo / Artefacto / Nací para esto / Amo dejarte así / Tu cicatriz en mí / Señales luminosas / Karaoke / Sulky / Casa / Camuflaje / Altar / Torre de Marfil / Fantasma / Vivo / Sudestada / Especie
Gabriel Alejandro Cocco
cerati parece una caja de ideas musicales, cada disco es una etapa particular de su gestualidad estética. Es un compositor fino y prolijo. No dejó nada al azar y siempre mutó a otros sonidos, escuchando las nuevas tendencias y tecnologías pero sin perder su perfume. Un aroma que durará por siempre en nosotros...
Luis Fernando Colmenares
Me encanto este comentario.
pia vianessi
Hermoso tu comentario!
Juan Pablo Cardona gonzalez
Así es, cada álbum es único Nada Personal, tiene mucho de la guerra fría, satélites observándonos, ni la CIA ni la KGB ni el FBI... luego Signos, obra maestra completa de 8 piezas, Doble vida, cada canción es distinta desde la ciudad de la furia hasta corazón delator, Dinamo obra maestra, siempre es hoy electrónico, todo es increíble muchos olores de un mismo perfume. Muchos colores de un mismo prisma.
Agustín Mesías
incluso en soda, cada disco era un estilo diferente, desde el primero hasta el último
Aria BR
Un comentario demasiado bueno.
Pablo Benítez
Cerati para mi es de esas personas tan fugaces que vienen a la tierra cada mil años... llega... te planta algo en el alma, ese algo tan profundo que te da en sus canciones... y se va.... pero vive en ti para siempre....
Hector Peralta
A mi me encantaría que hicieran una serie sobre el, tuvo una vida muy interesante. Ya que esta de moda hacer series de famosos, jajajja!!
lynn
@Hector Peralta que serie?
Eduardo Saravia
Cerati una deidad de la musica