Los Lobos is a Mexican-American rock band from East Los Angeles, California… Read Full Bio ↴Los Lobos is a Mexican-American rock band from East Los Angeles, California, USA, heavily influenced by rock and roll, Tex-Mex, country music, folk, blues, and traditional Spanish / Mexican music such as boleros and norteño.

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.

Why We Wish
Los Lobos Lyrics

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That's why we wish, baby
Cause forever is way too long
That's why we wish, baby baby
Cause it's here today
And then it's gone

It's when a boy
Grows up into a man

And a seed turns into a tree
It's when two lovers kiss
Forever it seems
And the blind man at last can see

That's why we wish, baby
Cause forever is way too long
That's why we wish, baby
Cause it's here today
And then it's gone

How 'bout the girl
Who finds a dream come true
In a man that loves her so
And the orphan cries
Forever it seems
Until at last he finds a home

That's why we wish, baby
Cause forever is way too long
That's why we wish, baby baby
Cause it's here today
And then it's gone

Once a poor poor soul
Found what looked like a stone
And held up into the sun
Saw a diamond shining
Forever it seemed
And his searching, searching days were gone

That's why we wish, baby
Cause forever is way too long
That's why we wish, baby baby
Cause it's here today
And then it's gone

That's why we wish, baby
That's why we wish, baby baby

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Los Lobos's song "Why We Wish" explore the fleeting nature of life and emphasize the importance of cherishing the present moment. The repeated refrain of "that's why we wish" suggests that the act of wishing is a way of acknowledging the impermanence of life and recognizing that the things we desire may not always be attainable.

The verses provide examples of different life experiences that illustrate this theme. The first verse juxtaposes the growth of a boy into a man with the growth of a seed into a tree, emphasizing the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The second verse portrays the intensity of young love as a fleeting moment that can never be fully recaptured. The third verse celebrates the transformative power of finding a home, while the final verse underscores the idea that even the most unexpected and wonderful discoveries can be impermanent.

Overall, the lyrics suggest that we should embrace the transience of life and enjoy the moments we have while we have them. "Forever is way too long," Los Lobos seems to say, and so it is up to us to live in the present and make the most of what we have.

Line by Line Meaning

That's why we wish, baby
We have desires and hopeful dreams

Cause forever is way too long
The thought of eternity is daunting

Cause it's here today
But the present moment is precious

And then it's gone
And time waits for no one

It's when a boy
Life is full of changes and transformations

Grows up into a man
We all must face the passing of time and growth

And a seed turns into a tree
Nature reminds us of the beauty and power of growth

It's when two lovers kiss
Love is a powerful force that can make time seem irrelevant

Forever it seems
But even the strongest emotions can't stop the hands of time

And the blind man at last can see
The world is full of small victories and moments of triumph

How 'bout the girl
Everyone has their own unique story to tell