Charly García took the band under his wing after dissolving Serú Girán, and the Abuelos played in García's 1982 Christmas concert. García also drafted López, Melingo and Calamaro for his band, in parallel with their work for the Abuelos. The 1983 debut album included many compositions by Abuelo-López, and a reggae hit by Calamaro's former partner Gringui Herrera, Tristezas de la ciudad (City blues).
For their 1983 album, Vasos y Besos, Melingo wrote his own reggae hit: Chala-man, Bazterrica contributed No se desesperen (Don't despair), and Calamaro chimed in with Mil horas (A thousand hours).
The band became popular with rockers and more pop-oriented audiences. Especially, Calamaro was favored by teenage girls looking for an "edgier" idol than balladeer Alejandro Lerner. The album sold a solid 160,000 records, and was presented in a six-month country-wide tour.
Record executives arranged to send the band to Ibiza for the recording of their 1984 album, Himno de mi Corazón (Hymn of my heart). The album became a sales hit as expected. Later that year, Melingo, who was also working with García and another band (Los Twist), called it quits and was replaced by Alfredo Desiata.
By early 1985, the band's spirits were damaged due to Bazterrica's cocaine addiction, which eventually had him fired from the band, and the rivalry between Abuelo and Calamaro for top billing.
About that time, Calamaro wrote what would be his last mega-hit with the band: Costumbres argentinas (Argentine habits). Sensing that the band was on the verge of dissolution, the band recorded a live album in the Opera theater in Buenos Aires on May 1985. For the occasion, Gringui Herrera replaced Bazterrica, Juan del Barrio reinforced Calamaro in keyboards, and Melingo played some songs as a guest musician.
The band played one last gig on October 1985, in the Vélez Sársfield stadium, to fulfill their contractual obligation to the "Rock and Pop" festival which featured INXS. The crowd reacted badly to the band's evident lack of motivation (the pouring rain and the badly mixed sound did not help), and Abuelo was hit in the face by a bottle hurled from the field. The band played the remainder of their set with Abuelo visibly bleeding.
With the band dissolved, Abuelo started playing small venues, harking back to his roots of poetry-influenced songwriting. Late in 1986, he drafted Polo Corbella, Kubero Díaz, and sax player Willy Crook to form a new Abuelos band, which recorded Cosas mías in 1987 with relative success.
In late 1987, following gallbladder surgery, Miguel Abuelo was diagnosed with AIDS; terminally ill, he died from cardiac arrest a few days after his 42nd birthday, in March 26, 1988. That was the end of the Abuelos as a band; the remaining members reunited several times, with different formations. Notably, Miguel's son Gato played with Calamaro, Bazterrica and Corbella in a 1997 re-union.
The rights to the Abuelos de la Nada name were offered by Abuelo's widow Krisha Bogdan to Kubero Díaz, who refused out of respect. At some point during 2001, it was reported that Bogdan and Gato were fighting in court over the rights to the name and to Miguel Abuelo's unpublished recordings.
Chalamán
Los Abuelos de la Nada Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Y digo: "En la calle te buscaré
En la calle te encontraré"
No, no, no, no, no
A veces me imagino tu cara en la multitud
Y digo: "Que ya no te necesito
que ya no te necesito"
Esta noche vas a viajar
Esta noche vas a viajar en mi sidecar
Cuando esté lejos
Sin pase para volver acá
Esa noche te llamaré
Esa noche te buscaré
A veces me imagino tu cara en la multitud
Y digo: "Que ya no te necesito
que ya no te necesito"
Volverá, volverá
La canción del cielo
Y en la gran fiesta de disfraz
Y en la gran fiesta de disfraz
A Babilonia bajarán
En Babilonia lo quemarán
No, no, no, no, no.
Chalamán, rastafa
Esta noche vas a viajar
Esta noche no se preocuparán más
A veces pienso que ya o me haces efecto
Y digo: "que ya no te necesito
Que ya no te necesito,
Que ya no te necesito
Que ya no te necesito..."
In "Chalaman," Los Abuelos de la Nada sing about a relationship that has lost its spark. The singer acknowledges that sometimes they feel as though their partner no longer affects them, but quickly denies it, insisting that they will seek out their partner in the streets. The song continues with the singer imagining their partner's face in the crowd and telling themselves that they no longer need them. However, this is contrasted with the repeated assertion that the partner will be traveling with the singer in their sidecar that night, implying that they still have a hold on them. The song ends with a mysterious reference to the "song of the sky" and a warning that something will "burn in Babylon."
The lyrics of "Chalaman" are a mix of Spanish and made-up words. "Chalaman" and "rastafa" do not have clear meanings, but add to the song's whimsical, playful tone. The song is known for its catchy chorus and upbeat melody, which have made it a classic of Argentine rock.
Line by Line Meaning
A veces pienso que ya no me haces efecto
Sometimes I think that you no longer affect me emotionally
Y digo: "En la calle te buscaré
And I say, 'I will search for you in the streets'
En la calle te encontraré"
I will find you in the streets'
No, no, no, no, no
No, no, no, no, no
A veces me imagino tu cara en la multitud
Sometimes I picture your face in the crowd
Y digo: "Que ya no te necesito
And I say, 'I no longer need you'
que ya no te necesito"
I no longer need you'
Chalamán, rastafa
Chalamán, rastafa
Esta noche vas a viajar
Tonight you will travel
Esta noche vas a viajar en mi sidecar
Tonight you will travel on my sidecar
Cuando esté lejos
When I am far away
Sin pase para volver acá
Without a pass to return here
Esa noche te llamaré
That night I will call you
Esa noche te buscaré
That night I will search for you
Volverá, volverá
It will return, it will return
La canción del cielo
The song of the sky
Y en la gran fiesta de disfraz
And in the big costume party
Y en la gran fiesta de disfraz
And in the big costume party
A Babilonia bajarán
They will go down to Babylon
En Babilonia lo quemarán
They will burn it down in Babylon
No, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no, no.
Chalamán, rastafa
Chalamán, rastafa
Esta noche vas a viajar
Tonight you will travel
Esta noche no se preocuparán más
Tonight you won't have any worries
A veces pienso que ya o me haces efecto
Sometimes I think that you no longer affect me emotionally
Y digo: "que ya no te necesito
And I say, 'I no longer need you'
Que ya no te necesito,
I no longer need you,
Que ya no te necesito
I no longer need you
Que ya no te necesito..."
I no longer need you...'
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Daniel Alejandro Melingo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@javchavarria
No jodan. Ni en 1000000 años se va a llegar a esta calidad. ¡Qué banda por favor!
@andromalio1983
Adelantadísimo a su época... una reliquia.
@gustavobordenave4734
Hoy todo autotune horrible todos, no vuelve más esta música, genios totales
@arieledgardomoreno1261
Miguel Abuelo lo que haces falta por estas epocas
@javiercoronel3457
Los Abuelos! La banda más grosa del Rock Argentino! Todos los integrantes súper músicos e intérpretes
@javiersanchez4191
Apenas 2 años tenía cuando hicieron esta maravilla
@mauricionegri4873
Los abuelos de la nada. Realmente excepcionales. Es un lujo ver estos vídeos.
@cristoforovaz4379
Gracias!!!!!No se imaginan la felicidad que me generó ver este vídeo,a mis casi 50 crecí con la música de Los abuelos y verlos fue maravilloso.
@papercraftfrank2000
Desde Perú decirles q buen Rock Argentino carajo
@RiquelmeLeandro
Reliquia audiovisual del rock nacional.