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®
Para La libertad
Joan Manuel Serrat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Para la libertad, mis ojos y mis manos
Como un árbol carnal, generoso y cautivo
Doy a los cirujanos
Para la libertad siento más corazones
Que arenas en mi pecho, dan espumas mis venas
Y entro en los hospitales, y entro en los algodones
Como en las azucenas
Porque donde unas cuencas vacías amanezcan
Ella pondrá dos piedras de futura mirada
Y hará que nuevos brazos y nuevas piernas crezcan
En la carne talada
Retoñarán aladas de savia sin otoño
Reliquias de mi cuerpo que pierdo en cada herida
Porque soy como el árbol talado que retoño
Aún tengo la vida
Para la libertad, sangro, lucho, pervivo
Para la libertad, mis ojos y mis manos
Como un árbol carnal, generoso y cautivo
Doy a los cirujanos
Porque donde unas cuencas vacías amanezcan
Ella pondrá dos piedras de futura mirada
Y hará que nuevos brazos y nuevas piernas crezcan
En la carne talada
Retoñarán aladas de savia sin otoño
Reliquias de mi cuerpo que pierdo en cada herida
Porque soy como el árbol talado que retoño
Aún tengo la vida, aún tengo la vida
The song "Para La libertad" by Joan Manuel Serrat is a tribute to the ideal of freedom. The lyrics speak of the singer's dedication to the cause of freedom, which he fights for with his blood, his hands, and his heart. Like a generous and imprisoned tree, he offers himself to the surgeons who seek to heal the wounded.
The theme of freedom is present throughout the song, as the singer speaks of the many ways in which he feels it. He compares himself to an evergreen tree that grows again after being cut down, and uses powerful imagery to express the endurance of his spirit.
The refrain, "Para la libertad, sangro, lucho, pervivo" ("For freedom, I bleed, fight, and survive") is a powerful statement of commitment to the cause. The singer recognizes the importance of freedom as a fundamental value, and is willing to sacrifice himself for it.
The song ends with an affirmation of life, as the singer declares that he is like the tree that grows again, even after it has been cut down. This message is a reminder that the struggle for freedom is ongoing, and that it requires a steadfast commitment to the ideals that it embodies.
Line by Line Meaning
Para la libertad, sangro, lucho, pervivo
I bleed, fight, and live for freedom
Para la libertad, mis ojos y mis manos
I use my eyes and hands for freedom
Como un árbol carnal, generoso y cautivo
Like a fleshly, generous, and captive tree
Doy a los cirujanos
I give myself to the surgeons
Para la libertad siento más corazones
I feel more hearts for freedom
Que arenas en mi pecho, dan espumas mis venas
Than sand in my chest, my veins give foam
Y entro en los hospitales, y entro en los algodones
I enter hospitals and cotton fields
Como en las azucenas
Like in the lilies
Porque donde unas cuencas vacías amanezcan
Because where empty sockets dawn
Ella pondrá dos piedras de futura mirada
She will lay two stones for future sight
Y hará que nuevos brazos y nuevas piernas crezcan
And will make new arms and legs grow
En la carne talada
In the slashed flesh
Retoñarán aladas de savia sin otoño
Winged buds of sap without autumn will sprout
Reliquias de mi cuerpo que pierdo en cada herida
Remnants of my body that I lose in every wound
Porque soy como el árbol talado que retoño
Because I am like the chopped down tree that sprouts
Aún tengo la vida
I still have life
Para la libertad, sangro, lucho, pervivo
I bleed, fight, and live for freedom
Para la libertad, mis ojos y mis manos
I use my eyes and hands for freedom
Como un árbol carnal, generoso y cautivo
Like a fleshly, generous, and captive tree
Doy a los cirujanos
I give myself to the surgeons
Porque donde unas cuencas vacías amanezcan
Because where empty sockets dawn
Ella pondrá dos piedras de futura mirada
She will lay two stones for future sight
Y hará que nuevos brazos y nuevas piernas crezcan
And will make new arms and legs grow
En la carne talada
In the slashed flesh
Retoñarán aladas de savia sin otoño
Winged buds of sap without autumn will sprout
Reliquias de mi cuerpo que pierdo en cada herida
Remnants of my body that I lose in every wound
Porque soy como el árbol talado que retoño
Because I am like the chopped down tree that sprouts
Aún tengo la vida
I still have life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Juan Manuel Serrat Teresa, Miguel Hernandez Gilabert
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Magdalena Ortega Ros
Este poema nos recuerda la dictadura qué se vivió en España, gracias el poeta Miguel Hernández cancionado por Serrat mí cantautor favorito gracias Maestro ❤❤
Meni Rodriguez
Retoñarán aladas de savia sin otoño
Reliquias de mi cuerpo que pierdo en cada herida
Porque soy como el árbol talado que retoño
Aún tengo la vida, aún tengo la vida
Carlos García D
¿Qué sería del mundo sin la sal de tus canciones y poesía? ¡Gracias, Serrat!
Francisco Montero Méndez
Esta canción transmite mucha humanidad. Sus versos pertenecen al escritor Miguel Hernández.
Cande Ly
Esta canción es una de la piezas de la banda sonora de la vida de toda una generación, ay! qué feo que Joan se retire.
URIGRAF URIGRAF
Cumplo 60 años y desde los 18 años escucho a serrato y nunca he escuchado cantante poeta músico que lo iguale serrato por siempre estarás en mi corazón gracias por existir
Rubén García Barbero
Qué grande eres, Serrat!! Qué hermosas canciones!!!
Annie Turner
Maestro Serrat, gracias por existir. Tu música ha sido el soundtrack desde mi niñez hasta lo que soy. Y gracias a tú música durante mi embarazo te escuché por los 9 meses y mi hijo ahora es un joven de 16 años con un gran talento musical increíble y fue porque yo le enseñé amar tú música. Gracias Joan Manuel Serrat ❤️
Altoke Restaurante
Gracias por toda tu música Elena
María Jesús Vilela Fernández
Gracias a tú madre por darte la vida
Eres irrepetible
Único
Autentico
Está canción la elevas a lo más alto
Te admiró
Y te sigo
Cuando has venido a mi ciudad a dar un concierto he ido
A todos