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®
Irene
Joan Manuel Serrat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tiende sus trapos al sol,
Prestando
Misterios a la siesta
De bragas comprometedoras
Y sábanas alcahuetas...
Irene
Y el viento, indiscreto,
La explora,
Resucitando formas
Gorditas y habladoras...
Irene
Columpiándose en los alambres.
Irene
Convidándome a conocerla,
Emplazándome...
No comprendo cómo puede usted
Pasar y no verla...
Irene
Tiende sus trapos al sol
Y algo en mí
Se aroma y despereza,
Jugando a las adivinanzas
Y a los rompecabezas.
The lyrics to Joan Manuel Serrat's song "Irene" describe the character of Irene, who is depicted as a woman who openly displays her intimates for all to see. She hangs her clothes out in the sun, displaying her "compromising underwear" and "meddlesome sheets". The song goes on to describe how Irene also hangs her soul out on the balcony, and the wind "indiscreetly" explores and resurrects her chubby and talkative forms. Serrat captures her mystery and allure by describing her as playing games of riddles and puzzles.
The chorus of the song repeats the name Irene and describes her as swinging on the wires, inviting the singer to come and get to know her. The singer is perplexed as to how anyone could miss seeing Irene.
The song's lyrics can be interpreted in different ways. It could be seen as a criticism of Irene’s immodesty and how she flaunts her intimate undergarments. Alternatively, it could be a comment on the beauty of Irene's vulnerability and openness. Overall, Serrat's poetic descriptions of Irene create a mysterious and alluring character that can be interpreted in different ways.
Line by Line Meaning
Tiende sus trapos al sol,
She hangs her clothes out in the sun,
Prestando
Offering
Misterios a la siesta
Mystery to the nap-time
De bragas comprometedoras
With compromising underwear
Y sábanas alcahuetas...
And complicit sheets...
Irene
Irene
Tiende el alma en el balcón
She lays her soul out on the balcony
Y el viento, indiscreto,
And the indiscreet wind
La explora,
Explores it,
Resucitando formas
Reviving shapes
Gorditas y habladoras...
Chubby and talkative...
Irene
Irene
Columpiándose en los alambres.
Swinging on the wires.
Irene
Irene
Convidándome a conocerla,
Inviting me to get to know her,
Emplazándome...
Challenging me...
No comprendo cómo puede usted
I don't understand how you can
Pasar y no verla...
Pass by and not see her...
Irene
Irene
Tiende sus trapos al sol
She hangs her clothes out in the sun
Y algo en mí
And something in me
Se aroma y despereza,
Awakens and becomes fragrant
Jugando a las adivinanzas
Playing riddles
Y a los rompecabezas.
And puzzles.
Contributed by Mila G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@dinobibolotti8351
Gracias Maestro Joan Manuel por tan hermoso arte. Dios lo bendiga por haber dejado este legado tan valioso en nuestras vidas.
@filibertodelafuentemarquez1767
Tengo más de cuarenta años escuchando a Serrat y estoy convencido de la enorme importancia que tiene en la poesia y musica hispanoamericana. Es todo un maestro.
@ireneml7738
Mi madre decidió llamarme Irene por esta gran canción, todo un orgullo 💜
@blasheful
Es un nombre hermoso ❤️
@ireneml7738
@Blankita San hez gracias ❤️
@iagalindo
A mí también 😃❤️
@ireneml7738
@Irene Galindo 😍😍😍😍
@irenemojica7850
Mi padre me llamó así por esta canción también 🥰
@antoniocruzlopez6996
Dedicado a mi prima Mari Carmen Recio López, una admiradora donde las haya de ese gran maestro Serrat. Ha muerto este lunes 31 de agosto de 2020 del covid19 con 59 años. Dedicado a ella, una soñadora que me enseñó a amar a Serrat en los 70. De un algecireño de nacimiento. Antonio Cruz. Hasta pronto, princesa.
@Barettix
Un abrazo, Antonio.