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.
Yo Soy Tu Bandera
Los Abuelos de la Nada Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Libertad
hermana de los amigos
Libertad
nada me ata y estoy vivo
no te mueras nunca
Libertad
Libertad
socia de los peregrinos
Libertad
luz, coraje
amor divino
con el corazón
Quien no te comprende
te vulnera
novia de Dios
Libertad
arte de los decididos
Libertad
nada me ata y sigo vivo
yo soy bandera
Libertad
Chu chu ba!!
Chu chu ba!!
The song Yo Soy Tu Bandera by Los Abuelos de la Nada is about freedom and the importance it has in our lives. The first stanza mentions "Libertad" which means freedom in Spanish, being the sister of friends, a partner to pilgrims, a light that brings courage and a divine love. The singer wishes for freedom to never die because it has given him life. In the second stanza, the singer states that whoever doesn't understand freedom is actually hurting it. Freedom is described as the bride of God and the art of the decisive. The singer proudly declares himself as a flag of freedom in the last line.
Overall, the song celebrates and values the fundamental significance that freedom has in shaping our identity and giving us the ability to live our lives with dignity and individuality. The Spanish lyrics, although simple, manage to convey a powerful message that is universal and relatable to anyone fighting for their personal and political rights. The interjection "Chu chu ba!!" is a nonsensical phrase, often used in music to add rhythm and energy to the song without carrying any significant meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
Hombres endebles
Frail men
Libertad hermana de los amigos
Freedom sister of friends
Libertad nada me ata y estoy vivo
Freedom, nothing holds me down and I'm alive
no te mueras nunca
Never die
Libertad socia de los peregrinos
Freedom associate of the pilgrims
Libertad luz, coraje amor divino
Freedom, light, courage, divine love
con el corazón
With the heart
Quien no te comprende te vulnera
Whoever doesn't understand you, harms you
novia de Dios
God's sweetheart
Libertad arte de los decididos
Freedom art of the determined
Libertad nada me ata y sigo vivo
Freedom, nothing holds me down and I'm still alive
yo soy bandera
I am the flag
Libertad
Freedom
Chu chu ba!!
Chu chu ba!!
Contributed by Michael H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
facundito2007
Me acuerdo hace muchisimos años, la primera vez que escuche este tema fue a Las 4:00 de la mañana, me habia comprado el cd de los abuelos y cuanod me levante al otro dia para estudiar lo puse. tengo la imagen de estar sentado en la cocina tomando mate con los auriculares...aguante miguel
David Gómez
Una de las letras más hermosas que nos dejó Miguel.
Nicolás Moreno
Lamentablemente sacaron este discazo de Spotify. Hace tiempo que no escucho música en YouTube, sin embargo aquí estoy. Todo por este discazo.
Maczz 01
Vedad, y si hay alguien que puede cantar "Libertad" en función de como vivió es Miguel Peralta...
Luis Alberto baltazar
SIN PALABRAS MIGUEL GRANDE MUY GRANDE
Psicologos en Belgrano
Es evidente que leyó a Sartre!..... Libertad .. luz coraje amor divino, con el corazón..
SERYAH mcvlogs
Amo esta cancion 😘😘
Martinmas
Siempre en la gloria Miguel.
superpopi2000
Libertad Valía - DNI 57.816.573 - 13 de Julio de 2019. Gracias Miguel !
Alan Gonzalez
Alguien sabe cuál es el instrumento que usan en el principio de la canción?? Gracias!