Las Cafeteras says it knows — and you know — 'It's Time'

Las Cafeter… Read Full Bio ↴Las Cafeteras says it knows — and you know — 'It's Time'

Las Cafeteras, the dynamic L.A. son jarocho band, releases 'It's Time' on Tuesday, and it includes 'La Bamba Rebelde,' a timely take on a classic.
October 27, 2012|By Reed Johnson, Los Angeles Times
The new interpretation of "La Bamba" sung by the dynamic young L.A. band Las Cafeteras isn't your abuelito's version of the classic Mexican folk tune. Nor is it Ritchie Valens' 1958 hit rendition, or Los Lobos' smash 1987 remake.
So what's different about Las Cafeteras' "La Bamba Rebelde" (The Rebel La Bamba), which appears on the group's just-issued CD "It's Time"? For starters, there are the punchy, quasi-hip-hop vocal cadences that overlay the traditional instrumental matrix of 10-string jarana and four-string requinto guitars known as son jarocho.

Then there are the very L.A., very timely lyrical updates. "It's the rebel 'La Bamba' that I will sing because we are Chicanos of East L.A., ay, arriba!" the brassy lead female vocalist declares on the track. "I don't believe in borders! I will cross them!" Moments later, a male singer gives a proud shout-out to his San Gabriel Valley roots, while yet another voice chimes in to denounce "leyes racistas" (racist laws).
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That kind of politically cognizant attitude-to-burn propels "It's Time," which will be released digitally on Tuesday.
"I think music has to be relevant," jarana player Daniel French said during a recent interview with his colleague Annette Torres, a marimbol and zapateado percussionist, at the Cafe Tropical in Silver Lake. "And I think our goal is how do we write music that's relevant to what we're seeing and we're hearing."
Respecting tradition while opening space for innovation is the mantra of Las Cafeteras, a bilingual ensemble of three women and four men, all in their late 20s or early-to-mid 30s, whose music blends ska, punk, hip-hop, marimbol, spoken-word and urban-contemporary elements with the rich heritage of son jarocho, the Afro-Caribbean-influenced folk genre from the southeast Mexican state of Veracruz.
The group, which has opened shows for Lila Downs and took part last August in the annual Encuentro de Jaraneros jarocho festival in downtown L.A., will be part of the musical lineup at Saturday's Dia de los Muertos ancestor-worship celebration at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. They'll be performing at the noon to midnight event in rotation with the bands Ozomatli, La Santa Cecilia, Very Be Careful and Tribu.
Upcoming concert dates for the band — whose other members are Denise Carlos (jarana segunda, voice), Hector Flores (jarana tercera, voice), David Flores (requinto), Leah Rose Gallegos (vocals, quijada del burro, a.k.a. donkey jawbone) and Jose Cano (Native American flute) — include November shows in Ensenada, Tijuana and San Diego and a slot in March at South by Southwest.
In keeping with jarocho's slave-music origins, Las Cafeteras has maintained its sharp political edge. That perspective stems in part from the band's 2005 genesis as a group of student-friends who took son jarocho classes together at the Eastside Cafe in L.A.'s El Sereno neighborhood, and were inspired to use their music as a story-sharing, community-building, teaching tool.
"Our CD is called 'It's Time' because we live in urgent times," French said. "And we didn't say what it's time for, because you know what it's time for — you know and I know. You know what you're supposed to do, and we want you to do what you're supposed to do. And we're doing what we're supposed to do. And when everybody does that, the world, it's already changing but it's going to come quicker."

Apache
Las Cafeteras Lyrics

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Put down the pain, put down the gun
Dancing warrior of the sun
Get up and run, up and run
Heart is beating like a drum, drum, heart is beating

Mystery of a seed
Mamas gonna have you a child
Nourishing home is what she'll need

Little baby will grow up wild, wild, oh free and

Like a drum. Like a drum.
Heart beating like a drum
Like a drum. Like a drum.
Warrior of the sun

Sweet candy on fire
Stole the fate of my baby boy

Sweet candy on fire
Stole the fate of my baby boy

Plugged into a machine
Faded and sedated
Things I said I didn't mean
It was all related, related, oh it was all

Crashing cycles of the sun
Fighting for the light of joy
Like a wave your time will come
You'll be ok, keep going on, on, you'll be ok, and

Like a drum. Like a drum.
Heart beating like a drum
Like a drum. Like a drum.
Warrior of the sun

Like a drum. Like a drum.
Heart beating like a drum
Like a drum. Like a drum.
Warrior of the sun

Sweet candy on fire
Stole the fate of my baby boy

Sweet candy on fire
Stole the fate of my baby boy

...Say to you, baby boy
Just keep on going
You keep on going
When the world gets tough
Keep on going)

Like a drum. Like a drum.
Heart beating like a drum
Like a drum. Like a drum.
Warrior of the sun.

Like a drum. Like a drum.
Heart beating like a drum
Like a drum. Like a drum.
Warrior of the sun.

Like a drum. Like a drum.
Heart beating like a drum
Like a drum. Like a drum.
Warrior of the sun.

Like a drum. Like a drum.
Like a drum. Like a drum.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Las Cafeteras’ “Apache” explore themes of resilience, survival, and identity through the metaphor of a drum. The singer urges listeners to put down the pain and gun, and become a “dancing warrior of the sun.” The drum becomes a symbol of a beating heart and the essence of life. The “mystery of a seed” represents the potential for growth and imagination. The love and nourishment of a mother is necessary for a child to grow up “wild” and free. The repetition of the phrase “like a drum” emphasizes the importance of rhythm not just in music, but in life.

The line “sweet candy on fire stole the fate of my baby boy” is a reference to the subprime mortgage crisis in the United States and the exploitation of vulnerable communities by predatory lenders. The “baby boy” represents the dream of homeownership and financial stability that was taken away by these practices. The line “Plugged into a machine, Faded and sedated” speaks to the dehumanizing effects of a system that values profit over people.

The chorus of “Warrior of the sun” is a call to action and a declaration of strength. The final lines offer encouragement to listeners to keep going, even when the world is tough. The drum becomes a symbol of resilience and the power to overcome adversity.

Line by Line Meaning

Put down the pain, put down the gun
Let go of the hurt and violence

Dancing warrior of the sun
Embody strength and resilience

Get up and run, up and run
Keep moving forward

Heart is beating like a drum, drum, heart is beating
Stay connected to your inner strength

Mystery of a seed
The potential of new life

Mamas gonna have you a child
Bringing new life into the world

Nourishing home is what she'll need
A supportive environment to raise a child

Little baby will grow up wild, wild, oh free
Encouragement to live freely and fearlessly

Like a drum. Like a drum.
Reinforcing the metaphor and significance of the drum

Heart beating like a drum
The powerful life force within

Sweet candy on fire
An attractive but dangerous temptation