The group was founded in Granada in 1983 by Manuel España (voice), Enrique Moreno "Conejo" (bass guitar) and Carlos Gilabert (keyboard), with the initial name of "La guardia del Cardenal Richelieu" ("Cardinal Richelieu's Guard"). They were only teenagers and they adopted this name because they used to rehearse in the afternoons after they watched Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds on TV[2].
Under this name they released a first single with techno and mod sounds. After this, Gilabert left the band, and Joaquín Almendros (guitar) and Emilio Muñoz (drums) joined it, giving birth to the band's most famous line-up. They moved to Madrid, where the Movida was still ebullient, looking for broader success, and in 1985, they recorded an EP, now as La Guardia, after winning the Villablanca pop-rock festival in the town of Fuengirola.
In 1986 they traveled to London to record their first full album Noches como esta; but it's in 1988, with the album Vámonos, when they achieved major success, thanks mostly to the hugely successful single "Mil calles llevan hacia ti", which reached #1 in the Spanish 40 Principales chart in 1989[3] and which became the band's signature song. Manuel España said he had written the song while walking through the streets of the Albayzín in Granada to his grandmother's house. Vámonos went on to become a multi-platinum album, selling over 250.000 copies, and the band performed on a tour with more than 100 dates.
In 1990 came their second album, Cuando Brille El Sol, with its same-titled and, again, very successful single, which kept them at the top of the Spanish pop-rock scene.
Al Otro Lado (1991), Contra reloj (1993) and Acento del sur (1994) were their next works, all three produced by Dusty Wakeman. The latter was recorded in Los Angeles at Mad Dog Studios. Shortly after this experience, Enrique Moreno died from a coronary disease, and this tragic event ultimately caused the group to disband in 1997.
Later, after he had been working for a few years on another band called Chamaco, España tried to revive La Guardia without the involvement of Almendros, which caused the latter to present two lawsuits [4]. Finally, España won the rights to use the name for his new project and in 2003 he released Ahora!, an acoustic record produced by Carlos Goñi, from the band Revólver.
In 2007, with a new record company (Vale Music), La Guardia recorded Sobre ruedas, an album of country-rock sounds, which sold just over 20.000 copies.
In 2008 the band celebrated their 25th anniversary with the album 25 años no es nada, in which Manuel España performed the band's hits with the collaboration of other artists such as La Mari (of Chambao), Álvaro Urquijo, Mikel Erentxun, Ariel Rot or Raimundo Amador.
El Mundo Tras El Cristal
La Guardia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nunca un príncipe azul por tu vida pasó
Ves las horas marchar frente al televisor
El teléfono está dormido en algún rincón
Y ese disco que da vueltas sin descansar
Esa música que no podrás olvidar (Ustedes)
No podrás olvidar (Arriba, arriba)
Háblame de tu oscura habitación
De tus noches sin dormir, de tu calor
Llámame y a tu lado yo estaré
No me preguntes quién soy, pues no lo sé
Sabes que algo va mal y no quieres hablar
Te conformas con ver el mundo tras el cristal
Y ese disco, hermano
(Ese disco que da vueltas sin descansar)
Si, si, si, y esa música
(Esa música que no podrás olvidar)
No podrás olvidar (Arriba)
Háblame de tu oscura habitación
De tus noches sin dormir, de tu calor
Llámame y a tu lado yo estaré
No me preguntes quién soy, pues no lo sé
Pues no lo sé
Háblame de tu oscura habitación
De tus noches sin dormir, de tu calor
Llámame y a tu lado yo estaré
No me preguntes quién soy, pues no lo sé
(Queréis cantar un poquito, hermanos? Vengan)
Háblame de tu oscura habitación
De tus noches sin dormir, de tu calor
Llámame y a tu lado yo estaré
No me preguntes quién soy, pues no lo sé
(Otra vueltita)
Háblame de tu oscura habitación
De tus noches sin dormir, de tu calor
Llámame y a tu lado yo estaré
No me preguntes quién soy, pues no lo sé (Gracias!)
Háblame de tu oscura habitación
De tus noches sin dormir, de tu calor
Llámame y a tu lado yo estaré
No me preguntes quién soy, pues no lo sé
The lyrics of La Guardia's El Mundo Tras El Cristal describe a lonely and isolated character who is disconnected from the world around them. The opening lines reveal that the character has a collection of letters, but none of them are love letters. This suggests that the character is searching for love and companionship, but has yet to find it. The lyrics go on to describe the character's solitary life, spent watching TV and listening to music that they can't forget. The character seems trapped by their circumstances, unable or unwilling to change their situation.
As the song progresses, the singer tries to connect with the character, urging them to reveal more about themselves and their struggles. The repeated chorus, "Háblame de tu oscura habitación, de tus noches sin dormir, de tu calor", which translates to "Talk to me about your dark room, your sleepless nights, your warmth", is a plea for the character to open up and share their pain. However, the singer acknowledges that they don't know who they are or what they can offer, but still promises to be there for them. The song ends with a call to the audience to join in and sing along.
Overall, the lyrics of El Mundo Tras El Cristal paint a picture of loneliness, alienation, and a desire for connection. The singer's attempt to reach out and connect with the character is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always someone willing to lend an ear and offer support.
Line by Line Meaning
Cartas en el cajón y ninguna es de amor
You have letters in your drawer but none of them express love
Nunca un príncipe azul por tu vida pasó
You've never met your ideal match
Ves las horas marchar frente al televisor
You watch time pass by in front of the TV
El teléfono está dormido en algún rincón
Your phone lies neglected in a corner
Y ese disco que da vueltas sin descansar
That record spinning endlessly
Esa música que no podrás olvidar (Ustedes)
That music that you won't ever forget
No podrás olvidar (Arriba, arriba)
You won't forget it
Háblame de tu oscura habitación
Tell me about your dark room
De tus noches sin dormir, de tu calor
Your sleepless nights and the warmth you feel
Llámame y a tu lado yo estaré
Call me and I will be by your side
No me preguntes quién soy, pues no lo sé
Don't ask me who I am, because I don't know
Sabes que algo va mal y no quieres hablar
You know something is wrong but you don't want to talk
Te conformas con ver el mundo tras el cristal
You settle for observing the world through a window
Si, si, si, y esa música
Yes, yes, that music
No podrás olvidar (Arriba)
You won't forget it
Queréis cantar un poquito, hermanos? Vengan
Do you want to sing a little, brothers? Let's go
Otra vueltita
One more spin
Gracias!
Thank you!
Writer(s): Manuel Espana Santaella, Joaquin Almendros Garcia
Contributed by Jordyn F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Albuñán Granada
Una diferencia abismal entre la música actual: reguetón y demás, y la música de esa época. La Guardia grandes.
David Segarra De Benito
Todo está tras el cristal solo xeras lo k tu kieras ver
James Stewart
Más de 30 años y sigue siendo una maravilla de canción
AlejoProducciones
Sigue siendo y seguir a siendo una vibra innata en la vibra del cantante con pasionn
Alejandro Artiles Sanchez
Es y será la mejor época del Pop Rock Español
EDUARDO
Si tio
Martin Valdez
Sin dudas! Somos una especie que siempre estaremos!
Yolanda Berjón
Totalmente de acuerdo 👏👏
Jonathan
Desde Ecuador, suscribo 🙌🏻
TheGabriel117
Totalmente de acuerdo!