Vocalist/guitarist David Hidalgo and drummer Louie Pérez met at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, and bonded over their mutual affinity for obscure musical acts such as Fairport Convention, Randy Newman and Ry Cooder. Pérez recalls, "We’re looking at each other, 'You like this stuff? I thought I was the only weird one.' So I went over to his house one day for about a year, which we spent listening to records, playing guitars, and starting to write songs." The two borrowed reel-to-reel recorders from a friend and created multi-track recordings of music spanning from parody songs to free-form jazz. They later enlisted fellow students Cesar Rosas and Conrad Lozano to complete the group's line-up in 1973.
Formed in the late 1970's, band members Dave Hidalgo, Cesar Rojas, Steve Berlin, Louie Pérez and Conrad Lozano became the bellwether for Mexican-American music in the U.S. when they recorded the music for "La Bamba" in 1987, which added popular acclaim to the critical praise they had received for their 1984 album "How Will the Wolf Survive?".
They have since become one of the mainstays of the Latin music scene as well as rock music in general, staying together through over 20 albums, and for almost three decades, through changing music climate and personal tragedies, they've continued cranking out albums and touring to dedicated fans.
High Places
Los Lobos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is that you never have to look up
The advantage of being in high places
Is that you never have to look up
And you feel like a big shot
It makes you feel like a big shot
Makes you feel like a real big shot
The advantage of being in high places
Is that people look so small
The advantage of being in high places
Is that people look so small
And you feel like a big shot
It makes you feel like a big shot
It makes you feel like a big shot
Makes you feel like a real big shot
The trouble with being in high places
Is when you fall it's a long way down
The trouble with being in high places
Is when you fall it's a long way down
The trouble with being in high places
The trouble with being in high places
The trouble with being in high places
The trouble with being in high places
Is when you're down nobody picks you up
The trouble with being in high places
Is when you're down nobody picks you up
Cuz you acted like a big shot
So what happened to the big shot
So what happened to the big shot
You thunk you were a real big shot
The trouble with being in high places
The trouble with being in high places
The trouble with being in high places
The trouble with being in high places
The song "High Places" by Los Lobos delves into the idea of power and how it can change one's perception of oneself and others. The lyrics focus on the advantages and disadvantages of being in a position of power. The advantages include never having to look up because you are already at the top, and the feeling of being a big shot. The song highlights the power dynamic between those who hold the high places and those who do not. The people in high places view those below them as small and insignificant. This feeling of power is contrasted by the observation that when one falls from a high place, the distance is much greater, and the inevitable descent is isolating and lonely. In this way, the song emphasizes the consequences of prioritizing power over relationships.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "It makes you feel like a big shot" three times, drawing attention to the repetition and reinforcing the idea of power's allure. The song then shifts to the troubling aspects of holding a position of power. When one acts like a big shot, the consequences of the fall from grace are harsh, as nobody will pick them up. The final refrain repeats the idea that being in high places is a double-edged sword, as much as it may seem attractive at first.
Line by Line Meaning
The advantage of being in high places
Being in a position of power or authority has its benefits
Is that you never have to look up
You don't have to seek approval from anyone because you're already on top
And you feel like a big shot
Being in high places can give you a sense of self-importance
It makes you feel like a big shot
Being in high places can give you a false sense of confidence
Makes you feel like a real big shot
Being in high places can make you feel like you're on top of the world
Is that people look so small
Being in high places can make others seem insignificant in comparison to you
The trouble with being in high places
However, being in a position of power can have its downsides
Is when you fall it's a long way down
The higher up you are, the harder you fall
Is when you're down nobody picks you up
When you're in a position of power and lose it, people may not be there to support you
Cuz you acted like a big shot
If you've been boastful or arrogant, people may not want to help you when you're down
So what happened to the big shot
If you lose your position of power, your sense of self-importance may disappear
You thunk you were a real big shot
Just because you were in high places doesn't mean you were invincible
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: PEREZ HIDALGO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jim Wood
on Me Estas Matando
I would like to learn this song. My Spanish is sufficient, but I require the lyrics. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Jim Wood
on Me Estas Matando
I can't seem to find lyrics for this song. Can anyone help me out?