Joaquín Sabina, is the second son of Adela Sabina del Campo and Jerónimo Martinez Gallego, which was a policeman. He attended a Carmelite primary school and he started writing his firsts poems and composing music at 14 years old. He was part of a band called Merry Youngs which imitated singers such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry or Little Richard.
In 1968 he enrolled in the University of Granada, but went into exile in London, using a fake passport, to avoid Francisco Franco's persecution. In London, he collaborated with other young artists in theater and cultural events.
In 1975, he started composing songs and singing at local bars. When the dictatorship ended in 1977 he returned to Spain and enrolled in the military.
In 1978 his first album, Inventario (Inventory), debuted with the number-one hit single Pongamos que hablo de Madrid (Let's say I'm talking about Madrid).
Afterwards, he released Malas compañías (The Wrong Crowd) and a live album called La mandrágora (The Mandragora), which caused much controversy due to the racy content of its lyrics. Spain was just coming out of the dictatorship, and Sabina's favorite topics have always been deemed "morally inappropriate" by some: the homeless, prostitutes, drunks, and Robin Hood-styled thieves. He is very much anti-stablishment.
In 1983 he released Ruleta Rusa (Russian Roulette) and two years later, Juez y parte (Judge and Jury). His political views led him to take part in the anti-NATO movement. He later published Joaquín Sabina y Viceversa.
In 1987 he released Hotel, dulce hotel (Hotel, Sweet Hotel), which sold a large number of records in Spain. That success followed with his next album El hombre del traje gris (The Man in The Gray Suit), and followed with a successful tour of South America.
In 1990 he released Mentiras piadosas (White Lies) and two years later Física y química (Physics and Chemistry), which led to another successful tour of the Americas.
His later albums Esta boca es mía (These Lips are Mine), Yo, mi, me contigo (I, Me, With You) and 19 días y 500 noches (19 Days and 500 Nights), won him recognition and multiple platinum albums.
After recovering from a stroke, he returned to the stage in 2002 with Dímelo en la calle (Let's Take It Outside). He later released a double album called Diario de un peatón (Diary of A Pedestrian), which included both his previous album and 12 new songs, along with a book illustrated by him.
In 2005 his new record Alivio de luto (Mourning Relief), put him in track to being one of the biggest names in Spanish musical stardom. The album comes with a DVD that includes interviews, music videos, acoustic versions of the songs and some home-made recordings.
Máter España
Joaquín Sabina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
De barba peregrina
Que falta a misa de doce
Que no conoce rutina
Masona, judía, cristiana
Pagana y moruna
Máter España
Más guapa que ninguna
Madrastra España
A la hora de la siesta
La puta que se enamora
La fruta que se indigesta
Que al filo de la cucaña
Mira pa otro lado
Bendita España
De Azañas y Machados
Cómplice España
Tormento redentor
Perejil, Ceuta y Melilla
Cotos de caza menor
Catalán, galego, euskera
Lacandón, Castilla
Tópica España
Fibra óptica y ladillas
Huérfana España
Raíces y cimientos
Epidemias, cicatrices
Blasfemias y sacramentos
¿por quién doblan las campanas?
San Fermín en vena
La de Triana
Contra la Macarena
Judas España
Del mus y del café
Al Andalus, Malasaña
Gitanito aserejé
La del mono azul cobalto
Y el caballo verde
Guardia de asalto
Que ladra pero muerde
Chusco y legaá
De todas o ninguno
Tricolor bandera blanca
Millán Astray, Unamuno
Cervantina cojitranca
De áspero pasado
¿Quién me ha robado
El siglo veintiuno?
Máter España
The lyrics to Joaquin Sabina's song Máter España are a reflection on the multifaceted nature of Spain, both in terms of its history and its present. The title, Máter España, refers to Spain as a mother figure, with all of the complexity and contradiction that this implies. The first verse introduces Spain as a pilgrim with a beard, one who misses mass but does not know routine. She is a mix of cultures and religions, with a beauty that is unparalleled. However, this introductory verse is quickly followed by the idea of Spain as a stepmother, or madrastra, who falls in love with prostitutes and indigestible fruits. She turns a blind eye to corruption and is full of contradictions, represented by the image of a tightrope walker (cucaña) who looks the other way.
In subsequent verses, Spain is portrayed as both a collaborator and a tormentor, a victim and a perpetrator. She is complicit in colonialism and slavery, as represented by Ceuta and Melilla, but also provides refuge for the oppressed. She is a mix of languages and cultures, including Catalan, Galician, Basque, Lacandon, and Castilian. The verse about Spain being an orphan speaks to the idea of Spain as a nation with a troubled past, plagued by disease, scars, and blasphemy, but also one that is deeply rooted in tradition and celebration. Overall, the lyrics to Máter España provide a complex and nuanced portrayal of Spain, highlighting both its strengths and its weaknesses.
Line by Line Meaning
Máter España
Mother Spain, the one who gave birth to us all
De barba peregrina
With a foreign beard, symbolizing the mingling of cultures in Spain
Que falta a misa de doce
Who doesn't follow routine, even when it comes to religious practices like attending noon mass
Que no conoce rutina
Spain is unpredictable and unconventional
Masona, judía, cristiana
Representing the different religions that have influenced Spain's history and culture
Pagana y moruna
Representing the different spiritual beliefs that have influenced Spain's history and culture
Máter España
A beautiful mother, who has no equal
Madrastra España
Stepmother Spain, who is not always kind or reliable
A la hora de la siesta
Spain takes a break in the afternoon for a nap, as if nothing else matters
La puta que se enamora
The country that falls in love easily, regardless of the consequences
La fruta que se indigesta
Spain is conflicted, sometimes over its own identity and its place in the world
Que al filo de la cucaña
Spain turns a blind eye to problems and challenges
Mira pa otro lado
Looking the other way, ignoring problems
Bendita España
Blessed Spain, with a long and rich history of great thinkers and leaders
De Azañas y Machados
Names of two prominent Spanish politicians, representing Spain's long history of public service and intellectualism
Cómplice España
Complicit Spain, which has been involved in both great heroic achievements as well as shameful episodes in human history
Tormento redentor
Savior in suffering, Spain bore much pain and sacrificed its future for the sake of others
Perejil, Ceuta y Melilla
The three cities that have long been a source of conflict between Spain and Morocco
Cotos de caza menor
Small hunting grounds, referring to Spain's colonial past and the exploitation of other cultures and resources
Catalán, galego, euskera
Three of the many dialects and languages spoken in Spain, representing the country's diversity
Lacandón, Castilla
Lacandon is a native people of Chiapas, Mexico; Castilla refers to the dominant culture in Spain
Tópica España
Stereotypical Spain: passionate, temperamental and full of life
Fibra óptica y ladillas
Spain's technological advancements and socioeconomic issues, both of which exist simultaneously
Huérfana España
Orphan Spain, which has gone through many changes and losses in its history
Raíces y cimientos
Roots and foundations, describing the centuries of history and culture that make up Spain today
Epidemias, cicatrices
Diseases and scars, which have caused much suffering and loss throughout Spain's history
Blasfemias y sacramentos
Sacrileges and sacraments, describing the mix of piety and profanity that is characteristic of Spain
¿por quién doblan las campanas?
A reference to Hemingway's novel about the Spanish Civil War, asking who will suffer and who will fight for Spain's future
San Fermín en vena
Religious festivals, such as San Fermín in Pamplona, are an important and beloved part of Spain's cultural identity
La de Triana
Triana is a neighborhood in Seville known for flamenco music and culture
Contra la Macarena
Macarena is a district in Seville known for its holy week processions, but also symbolizes conformity and conservatism
Judas España
Betraying Spain, which has often betrayed its own ideals and values
Del mus y del café
Spain has contributed much to the world of art, music, and literature, as well as coffee culture
Al Andalus, Malasaña
Andalusia is a region in southern Spain known for its Muslim heritage; Malasaña is a neighborhood in Madrid known for artistic and social movements
Gitanito aserejé
Aserejé means nothing, but gitanito refers to gypsy music and culture
La del mono azul cobalto
The cobalt blue monkey, a symbol of Spain's artistic and cultural influences
Y el caballo verde
The green horse, possibly referencing the medieval tale of Tirant lo Blanc, an example of Spain's rich literary heritage
Guardia de asalto
Civil Guard, a military organization in charge of maintaining order and enforcing the law in Spain
Que ladra pero muerde
Represents Spain's complex relationship with power: sometimes barking loudly, but sometimes using its might to retaliate forcefully as well
Chusco y legaá
Different types of bread, symbolizing the wide range of regional and local cuisines in Spain
De todas o ninguno
Spain's motto, meaning 'Everything or Nothing,' describing the passionate and all-or-nothing approach of the Spanish people
Tricolor bandera blanca
The colors of the flag of Spain, representing the country's history and legacy
Millán Astray, Unamuno
Two important figures in Spain's intellectual history, representing the country's long tradition of great thinkers and scholars
Cervantina cojitranca
A reference to Cervantes' famous work, Don Quixote, which has shaped Spain's cultural identity for centuries
De áspero pasado
Spain's difficult history, shaped by war, famine, and political upheaval
¿Quién me ha robado
Spain's uncertainty about its future and past, wondering who or what has taken away its glory
El siglo veintiuno?
Looking to the future, wondering what lies ahead for Spain in the 21st century
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FRANCESCO DE GREGORI, JOAQUIN SABINA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mariainesbell6589
Grande España, te Amo!!!
@raclosmith
España fue muchas cosas, desde un imperio a cloaca, pasando por democracia, pero sin duda es mi patria..
Aquel que quiera quedarse, que luche por esta patria, y el que no quiera remar, que abandone ya esta barca, y nos permita avanzar..
@sito3184
raclo smith dicho queda!Mi querida España!!
@JosetxuElgranAusente
La únicas cloacas que he visto de España, es por donde mean y cargan los peces; y no los de ciudad.
España, ha sido y será muchas cosas, menos una cloaca. Con dios , hermano.
@user-ye5jc7cl8x
ni Sabina ni España es basura facha como tu
@araceligrosso9202
Maravilloso
@aitorgarcia5006
Buenas Javi!
@luisalfonsocorbachorodrigu9655
Fibra óptica y ladillas
@kijote100
Ésta es la explicación del por qué Sabina compuso la canción a partir de Viva L' Italia- ..."En este disco, por ejemplo, hay una canción que se llama “Mater España” y que parte de una conversación que teníamos en casa con Víctor Manuel acerca de un cantante italiano, De Gregorio. “Fíjate –decía Víctor–, este cabrón canta unacanción que se llama ‘Viva Italia’ y no pasa nada… ¡Si aquí hiciéramos una que diga ‘Viva España’, ¡la que se armaría!”. Y entonces me empeñé y le dije: ¡cómo que no! Así que hice “Mater España”. Pero, claro, cada vez que le echo un piropo luego me siento obligado a insultarla. "
–Pero es un canto de amor a España, en toda su extensión…
–A una España republicana, ilustrada… Y hay unos versos que relacionan a España con “fibra óptica y ladillas”; ahí andamos, más en las ladillas que en la fibra…
–“Madrastra España / a la hora de la siesta, / la puta que se enamora, / la fruta que se indigesta…”.
–Pero ahí puta no es peyorativo. Recuerdo una cosa que me decía mi maestro Georges Brassens: que cada vez que cantaba mierda asomaba una flor por detrás.
@barreritaardila
infinitas gracias !!