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.
Oh Yeah
Los Lobos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nineteen-eighty-two
Standing on a corner
With nothing much to do
Talking with Cecilia
In nineteen-eighty-five
Glad to still be breathing
Glad to be alive
Where's all the time
Nineteen-ninety-one
Change on the dresser
Bed is still undone
What's a weary man to do
In nineteen-ninety-four
Hear the front bell ringing
But no one's at the door
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Who's gonna know
When all is said and done
That a boy was born to Rita
In nineteen-sixty-one
And lived a hundred years
By nineteen-ninety-six
Who's ever gonna notice
That it all came down to this
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
The lyrics to Los Lobos’s song “Oh Yeah” tell a story of a man reflecting on his life and the passage of time. The first verse sets the scene in the middle of July in 1982, where the man is standing on a corner with nothing to do. He talks to Cecilia, and the second verse jumps three years ahead to 1985, where the man is still alive and grateful to be breathing. The third verse skips forward again to 1991, where change can be seen on the dresser, but the bed is still undone. We don’t know the significance of this verse, but it implies a feeling of stagnation, of being unable to move forward or overcome obstacles.
The fourth verse takes us to 1994, where the man hears the front bell ringing, but no one’s at the door. This could symbolize missed opportunities or people that he once knew but are no longer present in his life. The chorus “Oh yeah” follows after each verse, as it seems to be his way of acknowledging what has happened in his life but also accepting it. In the fifth verse, the man wonders who will know or remember him after he passes away, and the song concludes with another “Oh yeah” chorus.
Overall, the lyrics of “Oh Yeah” seem to celebrate life while also acknowledging its challenges and impermanence. The verses and chorus repeat, creating a cyclical structure that mimics the passage of time. Each verse jumps ahead a few years, giving a snapshot of the man’s life and the changes he experiences over time. The imagery is simple but effective, creating a sense of nostalgia and introspection.
Line by Line Meaning
Middle of July
The song begins by setting the time and place; it is July, and the year is 1982.
Nineteen-eighty-two
The year when this event is happening.
Standing on a corner
The singer is standing aimlessly on a street corner with nothing much to do.
With nothing much to do
The artist is bored and has no particular plans or activities in mind.
Talking with Cecilia
The artist is engaging in conversation with a person named Cecilia.
In nineteen-eighty-five
Three years later, in 1985, the singer is still alive and talking with Cecilia.
Glad to still be breathing
Despite the passage of time, the singer is grateful to still be healthy and alive.
Glad to be alive
A resounding affirmation of the artist's appreciation and gratitude for life.
Where's all the time
Suddenly, it is 1991, and the artist is reflecting on how quickly time has passed.
Nineteen-ninety-one
The year has changed to 1991.
Change on the dresser
There is money on the singer's dresser that he has not yet dealt with.
Bed is still undone
The artist has not yet made his bed, a sign of his languor or the relaxed attitude towards the day.
What's a weary man to do
The singer is tired and feeling burnt out, unsure of his path forward.
In nineteen-ninety-four
Three years later, the year is now 1994.
Hear the front bell ringing
The doorbell rings and someone is at the door.
But no one's at the door
The artist finds no one at the door and wonders who rang the bell.
Oh yeah
An exclamation of enthusiasm, contentment, and approval.
Who's gonna know
The singer reflects on the idea that no one will know the full measure of his life or accomplishments.
When all is said and done
Looking forward to the end of life, the singer considers what people will have learned or taken away from his experience.
That a boy was born to Rita
The artist reflects on his own origins, as a child that was born to a mother named Rita.
In nineteen-sixty-one
The year was 1961 when the artist was born.
And lived a hundred years
A hypothetical future in which the artist will have lived for a hundred years, a symbol of long life and lasting impact.
By nineteen-ninety-six
The year has jumped forward to 1996, and the singer is still alive.
Who's ever gonna notice
The artist questions how many people will truly recognize or remember his contribution to the world.
That it all came down to this
Despite the singer's ambitions, the realities of life have brought him to this point, a resigned reflection on the limitations placed on every life.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
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?