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).
Río Babel
Gustavo Cerati Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Solo escucha tu alma
El lenguaje universal
Toneladas pesan nada
Cuando solo flotas
Sin más que pensar
Por tu cauce, Río Babel
Río Babel
Uno toma otro barco
Aunque no quiero hacerlo
Río Babel
Fluir sin un fin más que fluir
The lyrics in Gustavo Cerati's song Río Babel are filled with vivid imagery and metaphors that can be interpreted in various ways. The song speaks to the idea of communication in a world where language can be both a bridge and a barrier. The opening lines, "Hervidero de palabras, Solo escucha tu alma, El lenguaje universal" can be interpreted as a call to listen to your inner voice and intuition, as it is the universal language that transcends all differences in speech and culture. This can also be interpreted as a reference to the mythological Tower of Babel, where language was said to be divided as punishment for human hubris in building a tower to reach the heavens.
The lyrics also reference the idea of letting go and allowing oneself to float down the river, without any weight or burden, just letting the river take over. "Toneladas pesan nada, Cuando solo flotas, Sin más que pensar" can be interpreted as an invitation to surrender, and let life flow easily, without holding on to anything that doesn't serve you. The river is a metaphor for the journey of life, with its twists and turns, and the song's message is to embrace the journey, even if it takes you to unexpected places.
Overall, the song seems to celebrate the idea of diversity, while acknowledging that differences can sometimes create division. The chorus, "Río Babel, Uno toma otro barco, Aunque no quiero hacerlo, Río Babel, Fluir sin un fin más que fluir" can be interpreted as an invitation to embrace the journey, even if it takes you in a different direction than you intended. The message seems to be that, ultimately, the journey is the destination.
Line by Line Meaning
Hervidero de palabras
A chaotic mess of words and ideas.
Solo escucha tu alma
Listen to the voice within you.
El lenguaje universal
The language that transcends barriers and connects everyone.
Toneladas pesan nada
Heavy burdens lose their weight when you let go.
Cuando solo flotas
When you just go with the flow.
Sin más que pensar
Without thinking too much.
Por tu cauce, Río Babel
Through your course, River Babel.
Aguas claras corren profundas
Clear waters can run deep.
Río Babel
River Babel.
Uno toma otro barco
One takes another boat.
Aunque no quiero hacerlo
Even though I do not want to.
Río Babel
River Babel.
Fluir sin un fin más que fluir
To flow without an end other than to flow.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: GUSTAVO ADRIAN CERATI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Isa Martínez
Todo lo que hace Gustavo es maldita mente impecable.
Andrés Vimos
*DIVINAMENTE impecable
Niño Galáctico
@Andrés Vimos 👏👏
Glenn E.
Amen amen hermano
Amen
Jason Mayers 🥀🤍
uwu
L. Kare RV
Para mí,la obra más perfecta de Gustavo Cerati.
Y eso que son muchísimas las que son extremadamente buenas,pero esta...es de otro mundo.
Vic moto
Este tema es un mantra-oración-plegaría-meditación!! Flotar en el universo gracias eternas y infinitas! Cerati
Mara Florencia
Imponente en su sonido, en su impronta e imponente él... Recuerdo con mi metro 55 de altura haberlo cruzado en creamfields 2005 en medio de la gente, como si nada. Me doy vuelta, lo miro x encima del hombro y me quedo estupefacta. Era él, tan imposiblemennte él parado entre la multitud y escuchando música como todos.
LO único que llegué a decir fue 'ay, me muero' y muy 'reservadamente' me hace un gesto de 'vení' con su mano. Me acerco y me dice 'no te mueras, escuchá esto que esta buenisimo' (no recuerdo que banda era) pude darle un beso, un abrazo y lo dejé tranquilo. Si de algo no me olvido más, es de la profundidad de su mirada. Que tipo fantástico, la PUTA que me parió 😭
Edgar Watson
-La persona más afortunada del mundo no existe.
La persona más afortunada del mundo:
Ivan Reyes donlucas
Vaya que te envidio me hubiera gustado haber hecho lo mismo en ese momento, grande Cerati 🖤🤟