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.
Yo me bajo en Atocha
Joaquín Sabina Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Su sirena varada, sus fiestas de guardar,
Se vuelva usted mañana, su sálvese quien pueda,
Su partidita de mus, su fulanita de tal
Con su todo es ahora, con su nada es eterno,
Con su rap y su chotis, con su okupa y su skin,
Aunque muera el verano y tenga prisa el invierno,
Con su otoño Velázquez, con su Torre Picasso,
Su santo y su torero, su Atleti, su Borbón,
Sus gordas de Botero, sus hoteles de paso,
Su taleguito de hash, sus abuelitos al sol
Con su hoguera de nieve, su verbena y su duelo,
Su dieciocho de julio, su catorce de abril
A mitad de camino entre el infierno y el cielo
Yo me bajo en Atocha, yo me quedo en Madrid
Aunque la noche delire como un pájaro en llamas
Aunque no dé la gloria la Puerta de Alcalá
Aunque la maja desnuda cobre quince en la cama
Aunque la maja vestida no se deje besar
Pasarela "Cibeles", cárcel de Yeserías,
Puente de los Franceses, tascas de Chamberí
Ya no sueña aquel niño que soñó que escribía,
Corazón de María, no me dejes así
Corte de los Milagros, Virgen de la Almudena,
Chabolas de uralita, Palacio de Cristal,
Con su no "pasaran", con su "vivan las caenas"
Su cementerio civil, su banda municipal
He llorado en Vencia,
Me he perdido en Manhattan,
He crecido en la Habana,
He sido un paria en París
México me atormenta, Buenos Aires me mata,
Pero siempre hay un tren
Que desemboca en Madrid
Pero siempre hay un niño que envejece en Madrid,
Pero siempre hay un coche que derrapa en Madrid,
Pero siempre hay un fuego
Que se enciende en Madrid,
Pero siempre hay un barco que naufraga en Madrid,
Pero siempre hay un sueño
Que se despierta en Madrid,
Pero siempre hay un vuelo de regreso a Madrid
The lyrics of "Yo me bajo en Atocha" are a tribute to the city of Madrid, that the singer calls "halfway between Heaven and Hell." The song speaks of the different elements that make up the cultural and social fabric of the city, portraying its diversity and contradictions. The first verse describes a character with a stereotypical image of the traditional Spanish male: wearing a beret, silk gloves, and having a stranded siren, a game of cards, and a female friend. The second verse portrays the modern Madrid, with its rap and its cha-cha-cha, its squatters and skinheads. The third verse describes various landmarks, from the paintings of Velazquez to the hotels and the hash dealers, and the fourth verse shows the different celebrations that take place in the city, and how they mix together.
However, throughout the song, the singer declares his love for Madrid, no matter how wild or unbearable it might get. In the chorus, the singer declares his intention to stay in Madrid, choosing it over any other city he has visited or lived in. The song ends by stating how important Madrid is to the singer, as it has been the setting of many dreams, experiences, and adventures throughout his life.
Line by Line Meaning
Con su boina calada, con sus guantes de seda,
With his/her beret worn and silk gloves.
Su sirena varada, sus fiestas de guardar,
His/her stranded siren and special holidays.
Se vuelva usted mañana, su sálvese quien pueda,
Turn around tomorrow, look out for yourself.
Su partidita de mus, su fulanita de tal
His/her game of mus and that certain girl.
Con su todo es ahora, con su nada es eterno,
With his/her everything is now, nothing is eternal.
Con su rap y su chotis, con su okupa y su skin,
With his/her rap and chotis, his/her squatter and skin.
Aunque muera el verano y tenga prisa el invierno,
Even if the summer dies and the winter is in a hurry.
La primavera sabe que la espero en Madrid
Spring knows that I wait for her in Madrid.
Con su otoño Velázquez, con su Torre Picasso,
With his/her autumn Velázquez, his/her Picasso Tower.
Su santo y su torero, su Atleti, su Borbón,
His/her saint and bullfighter, his/her Atleti, his/her Bourbon.
Sus gordas de Botero, sus hoteles de paso,
His/her Botero's fat people, his/her passing hotels.
Su taleguito de hash, sus abuelitos al sol
His/her little bag of hash, his/her grandparents in the sun.
Con su hoguera de nieve, su verbena y su duelo,
With his/her snow bonfire, his/her festivities and grief.
Su dieciocho de julio, su catorce de abril
His/her July 18, his/her April 14.
A mitad de camino entre el infierno y el cielo
Halfway between heaven and hell.
Yo me bajo en Atocha, yo me quedo en Madrid
I get off at Atocha, I stay in Madrid.
Aunque la noche delire como un pájaro en llamas
Even though the night deliriously burns like a bird.
Aunque no dé la gloria la Puerta de Alcalá
Even though the Puerta de Alcalá brings no glory.
Aunque la maja desnuda cobre quince en la cama
Even though the naked maja charges fifteen in bed.
Aunque la maja vestida no se deje besar
Even though the dressed maja won't let you kiss her.
Pasarela "Cibeles", cárcel de Yeserías,
Cibeles catwalk, Yserias prison.
Puente de los Franceses, tascas de Chamberí
French Bridge, taverns of Chamberí.
Ya no sueña aquel niño que soñó que escribía,
That child who dreamt of writing no longer dreams.
Corazón de María, no me dejes así
María's heart, don't leave me like this.
Corte de los Milagros, Virgen de la Almudena,
Court of Miracles, Virgen de la Almudena.
Chabolas de uralita, Palacio de Cristal,
Asbestos shantytowns, Crystal Palace.
Con su no "pasaran", con su "vivan las caenas"
With his/her "they shall not pass", with his/her "long live the chains".
Su cementerio civil, su banda municipal
His/her civil cemetery, his/her municipal band.
He llorado en Vencia,
I have cried in Venice.
Me he perdido en Manhattan,
I have been lost in Manhattan.
He crecido en la Habana,
I have grown up in Havana.
He sido un paria en París
I have been a pariah in Paris.
México me atormenta, Buenos Aires me mata,
Mexico tortures me, Buenos Aires kills me.
Pero siempre hay un tren
Que desemboca en Madrid
But there is always a train that leads to Madrid.
Pero siempre hay un niño que envejece en Madrid,
But there is always a child growing old in Madrid.
Pero siempre hay un coche que derrapa en Madrid,
But there is always a car skidding in Madrid.
Pero siempre hay un fuego
Que se enciende en Madrid,
But there is always a fire that ignites in Madrid.
Pero siempre hay un barco que naufraga en Madrid,
But there is always a ship that sinks in Madrid.
Pero siempre hay un sueño
Que se despierta en Madrid,
But there is always a dream that awakens in Madrid.
Pero siempre hay un vuelo de regreso a Madrid
But there is always a return flight to Madrid.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: FRANCISCO BASTANTE, FRANCISCO JOSE LOPEZ VARONA, JOAQUIN MARTINEZ SABINA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
María Teresa Cornejo
Esta canción es el más maravilloso compendio del sentimiento de "ser madrileño", todo lo que nos une y NADIE es capaz de destruir se venga de cualquier sitio del mundo.💝
Jorge Tomas Diaz
No soy madrileño. Pero muy buen homenaje a la capital.
SIEMPRE GENIO SABINA!!
El cantautor que refleja la vida de la calle mejor que nadie.
Impresionante..
Que decís?
Eloy Llobera
Aunque muera el verano y tenga prisa el invierno!!
Laureana Vázquez
Excelente trabajo linda canción y magnífica propuesta felicidades maestro siga adelante de aquí para allá es mejor ser Nómada eterno porque la vida es bella y efímera así de simple
Juan Dominguez
"Corazón de María no me dejes así" 🥲
Mathius
UNICO E IRREPETIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!
Justo Cuenca Peralta
Único!!!¡
Claudia Hernández Diaz
Yo también me quedo en Madrid❤
Bryan Torres
La primavera sabe que la espro en Madrid
Miguel Alvarez Gallego
Los secretos