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.
Little Japan
Los Lobos Lyrics
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The starlit sky don't seem to mind
A candle's burnin' a hundred years
Like a baby cryin' a thousand tears
But it's been so long
And the days go on and on
In a land that's only a memory
A red sun's risin' as if to say
"Don't ever leave me, don't go away"
But I gotta be strong
As time goes on and on
What can I do in dreams so blue
Where I see you
My little Japan, my little Japan
Morning's comin' through evening's rest
I've tried my hardest, I've done my best
Is it right to say to you
What my spirit's calling for me to do?
But I can't be wrong
I gotta go on and on
Along the way, I'll hope and pray
I can see the day
I could be with you, my little Japan
I can be with you
The song Little Japan by Los Lobos is a poignant and wistful expression of the longing for a faraway place that holds a deep emotional connection. The singer is alone at night with sleepless eyes, gazing at the starlit sky, which appears indifferent to his troubles. The flame of a candle that has been burning for a hundred years is juxtaposed with the image of a baby crying a thousand tears, further underscoring the sense of timelessness and the eternal nature of emotions.
The town across the sea is a land only a memory, and the red sun's rising seems to say "Don't ever leave me, don't go away," as if pleading with the singer to stay. But he knows he must be strong and go on, as time goes on and on. In dreams that are so blue, he sees the image of Little Japan, a place that holds a deep emotional resonance for him. He longs to be with her, but morning is coming through evening's rest, and he must try his hardest and do his best to make it happen.
As the singer wonders whether it is right to say what he feels, he acknowledges that he cannot be wrong and must go on and on, hoping and praying that he can see the day when he will be with Little Japan again. The song is a poignant and beautifully crafted expression of longing and the power of memories to sustain us in times of loneliness and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
Alone at night with sleepless eyes
I am by myself at night with my eyes unable to shut.
The starlit sky don't seem to mind
The sky full of stars appears indifferent to my restlessness.
A candle's burnin' a hundred years
A candle has been burning for an exceptionally long time, like a hundred years.
Like a baby cryin' a thousand tears
It seems like I've been crying endlessly, like a baby wailing for a thousand tears.
But it's been so long
This feeling of loneliness has been going on for an extended period.
And the days go on and on
Time passes quickly as the days continue to tick by.
A town is sleepin' across the sea
A settlement slumbers across the sea from me.
In a land that's only a memory
The land across the sea is only a memory now.
A red sun's risin' as if to say
The sun is emerging in the sky, appearing to communicate that I shouldn't leave the land across the sea.
"Don't ever leave me, don't go away"
The rising sun is symbolically begging me to stay and not leaving.
But I gotta be strong
I need to be strong and resist the urge to leave.
As time goes on and on
Time continues to move forward, and I must stay strong as it does.
What can I do in dreams so blue
I am uncertain what I'm supposed to do while feeling despondent in my dreams.
Where I see you
I see you in my dreams despite being so far away.
My little Japan, my little Japan
I am fondly recalling Japan as "My little Japan" in a nostalgic tone of voice.
Morning's comin' through evening's rest
Morning has arrived, and night is coming to a close as I try to rest.
I've tried my hardest, I've done my best
I've done all that I can, and I can't do anything else to make things better.
Is it right to say to you
I'm unsure if I should voice my thoughts and feelings to you.
What my spirit's calling for me to do?
I'm considering if it's right to listen to what my soul is urging me to do.
But I can't be wrong
I can't afford to be incorrect about anything.
I gotta go on and on
I must keep going, regardless of what happens.
Along the way, I'll hope and pray
While progressing through this journey, I'll keep praying and remaining optimistic.
I can see the day
The day when I may be reunited with you is becoming clearer.
I could be with you, my little Japan
I could be back with you in Japan, remembering it fondly as "My little Japan."
I can be with you
I will be with you one day after everything I've been doing to get to you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CESAR ROSAS, LOUIS FRAUSTO PEREZ
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?