Catalan singer-songwriter Joan Manuel Serrat got involved in music at the age of 17, when he got his first guitar, to which he dedicates one of his earliest songs, "Una guitarra."
In early 60's the young artist participated in a pop band playing along with classmates at Barcelona's Agronomy School, doing mainly Beatles stuff and Italian 'pop-of-the-era' songs translated to Spanish.
In 1965, while singing in a radio show called Radioscope, host Salvador Escanilla helped him to get a record deal with local label Edigsa where he recorded his first EP, as well as became part of Els Setze Jutges, a group of Catalan artists aiming to promote a renaissance of Catalan culture after Spanish Franco's dictatorship and make it spread into popular classes.
Joan Manuel Serrat's first live stage performance in 1967 at the Catalan Music Palace, established definitely his name as one of the most important artists inside the 'Nova cançó' ('New Song') movement in Catalonia.
Next year, Spain originally entered Serrat in the Eurovision Song Contest 1968 to sing "La, la, la", but he asked to sing it in Catalan, to which the Spanish authorities would not agree. This would be the first time he came into conflict with the language politics of Francoist Spain, because of his decision to sing in his native Catalan language, repressed by Franco. After the incident, Serrat was hurriedly substituted by Massiel, who won the contest with her Spanish-language version. By that time Serrat's songs were banned and his records burned in the streets. He then traveled to South America and participated in the Rio de Janeiro's World Music Festival, where he took first place with the song "Penélope."
In 1969 Serrat released an album containing songs with texts of Antonio Machado, a well known Spanish poet of late 19th-early 20th century. This album gave him immediate fame in all Spain and Latin America though, in spite of this, his decission to sing in Spanish was still criticized in some nationalistic Catalan circles.
The release of 1971's Mediterráneo LP consolidated the artist worldwide. In 1976, Joan Manuel Serrat was acclaimed for the first time in the U.S.A. while performing in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York.
In late 1974, Serrat was exiled in Mexico due to his condemnation of arbitrary executions under Franco's regime. It wasn't until Franco's death (November 20, 1975) that Serrat was able to return to his homeland.
In January of 1995, the Spanish government gave him a medal for his contribution to the Hispanic culture. That same year, a tribute album called Serrat, Eres único was made to honor his career, featuring artists such as Diego Torres, Ketama, Rosario (Flores), Joaquín Sabina, and Antonio Flores. In the year 2000, the Spanish Association of Authors and Editors (SGAE) awarded him with one of ten Medals of the Century.
In October 2004 he revealed that he had been undergoing treatment for cancer of the bladder and in November that year he cancelled a tour of Latin America and the USA in order to undergo surgery in Barcelona, where he still lives. By that time, his wonderful song "Mediterráneo" was selected as the most important song of the 20th century in Spain.
His recovery was satisfactory, and in 2005 he went on a tour again ("Serrat 100×100") around Spain and Latin America with his lifelong producer and arranger, Ricard Miralles.
A second volume of Serrat, eres único was also released this year, featuring Alejandro Sanz, Estopa, and Pasión+Vega. Around the same time, Cuban artists such as Silvio Rodríguez, Pablo Milanés, Chucho Valdez, and Ibrahim Ferrer came together to make another tribute CD, Cuba le canta a Serrat.
Source: Wikipedia®
He Andado Muchos Caminos
Joan Manuel Serrat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
he abierto muchas veredas;
he navegado en cien mares
y atracado en cien riberas.
En todas partes he visto
caravanas de tristeza,
soberbios y melancólicos
borrachos de sombra negra.
Y pedantones al paño
que miran, callan y piensan
que saben, porque no beben
el vino de las tabernas.
Mala gente que camina
y va apestando la tierra...
Y en todas partes he visto
gentes que danzan o juegan,
cuando pueden, y laboran
sus cuatro palmos de tierra.
Nunca si llegan a un sitio
preguntan a donde llegan.
Cuando caminan, cabalgan
a lomos de mula vieja.
Y no conocen la prisa
ni aún en los días de fiesta
donde hay vino, beben vino;
donde no hay vino, agua fresca.
Son buenas gentes que viven,
laboran, pasan y sueñan,
y un día como tantos,
descansan bajo la tierra.
The lyrics of Joan Manuel Serrat's song He Andado Muchos Caminos reflect the journey of a traveler who has been on many paths, sailed through numerous seas, and docked at various riverbanks. Throughout his travels, he has witnessed an array of emotions from people all over the world. He has seen caravans of sadness, prideful and melancholic individuals who appear to be drunk on black shadows, and self-important individuals who believe they know everything although they don't indulge in real-life experiences.
He has also come across malicious individuals who infest the earth. Nevertheless, on his journey, he has also seen many people dancing, playing, and working their land with diligence. These diligent folks do not worry about where they are headed; instead, they live within the moment and ride on the back of an old mule when they walk. These individuals are unconcerned about getting to their destination in a hurry, and even on days of festivities, they take their time, enjoying a glass of wine when it is available or fresh water when there's none.
These are good people who labor, dream, and live, but eventually, like many others, they rest under the earth. In summary, the song is a thoughtful and insightful reflection of life and how different individuals experience it.
Line by Line Meaning
He andado muchos caminos
I have traveled many paths
he abierto muchas veredas
I have opened many trails
he navegado en cien mares
I have sailed in a hundred seas
y atracado en cien riberas.
And docked at a hundred riverbanks
En todas partes he visto
Everywhere I have seen
caravanas de tristeza,
Caravans of sadness
soberbios y melancólicos
Proud and melancholic
borrachos de sombra negra.
Drunk on black shadows
Y pedantones al paño
And pedants who know nothing
que miran, callan y piensan
Who look, stay silent and think
que saben, porque no beben
Who think they know because they don't drink
el vino de las tabernas.
The wine from taverns
Mala gente que camina
Bad people who walk
y va apestando la tierra...
And leave a stench on the earth
Y en todas partes he visto
And everywhere I have seen
gentes que danzan o juegan,
People dancing or playing
cuando pueden, y laboran
Working when they can
sus cuatro palmos de tierra.
Their four palms of land
Nunca si llegan a un sitio
When they arrive at a place
preguntan a donde llegan.
They never ask where they are
Cuando caminan, cabalgan
When they walk, they ride
a lomos de mula vieja.
On an old mule's back
Y no conocen la prisa
And they don't know haste
ni aún en los días de fiesta
Not even on festive days
donde hay vino, beben vino;
Where there is wine, they drink wine
donde no hay vino, agua fresca.
Where there is no wine, fresh water
Son buenas gentes que viven,
They are good people who live
laboran, pasan y sueñan,
Work, go by, and dream
y un día como tantos,
And on one day like any other
descansan bajo la tierra.
They rest beneath the earth.
Contributed by Chloe V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@AntonioSanchez-yx1do
Antonio Machado, poeta del pueblo. Una gran persona, sensible, humilde, honrado, solidario, bueno... Si hubiera muchas personas así, el mundo sería mucho mejor.
@felicidaddelosencillo
Pues no he llorado yo ni nada escuchando esto hace muuuchos años. Y lo escucho hoy y me emociono otra vez. Precioso, una verdadera joya.
@iaida5008
Joan Manuel espectacular, lo mejor de España. Recuerdo mi adolescencia. Esto es un clásico, saludos desde Puerto Rico ☀️🌴🌊
@Puchi1959
Y Serrat llegó a los 80!
Larga vida al Nano!
@damarission7605
Mala gente que camina y va apestando la tierra! Siempre relaciono esas palabras con las personas que maltratan y mutilan animalitos también las que contaminan y destruyen la naturaleza. Saludos!!!
@joaquinlopez6473
Emocionante, genial, preciosa canción.
@charofelix6840
Qué Grande SERRAT... No Habrá Nadie que le Supere..😇😘🥰😇
@yisus4735
❤
@rossanadediego8704
Una fotografía del mundo antes, hoy y siempre. Genial!
@marisamompocoll1395
Magistral Antonio Machado, pena de época que le tocó vivir, su visión lúcida de este país trágico y cainita. Un hombre ligero de equipaje y marcado por la soledad. Un beso donde estés mm