The group won a Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album in 1999 for its self-titled album. Their musical style has changed with each incarnation, blending sounds from Tejano, mariachi, Cuban, Afro-Peruvian, Brazilian, blues, rhythm and blues, country, jazz and rock. The personnel included the members of The Texas Tornados, Los Lobos, Calexico, Ozomatli, and other famed musicians.
Los Super Seven is a studio album released by supergroup Los Super Seven. It was released in September 15, 1998 by RCA Nashville. Freddy Fender and Flaco Jiménez, both from Texas Tornados, formed Los Super Seven, along Joe Ely, Rick Trevino, David Hidalgo and Cesar Rosas (of the Los Lobos' fame), and Tejano vocalist Ruben Ramos. The album peaked at number-one in the Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart and reached top ten in the Billboard Top Latin Song chart. Los Super Seven earned them the Grammy Award for Best Mexican-American Performance at the 41st Grammy Awards. A portion of the proceeds of the album were destined to the National Council of La Raza a non-profit organization that represents Latino interests and causes.
Discography
Los Super Seven (1998)
Canto (2001)
Heard It on the X (2005)
Members on Los Super Seven
Joe Ely – guitar, vocals
Freddy Fender – vocals
David Hidalgo (of Los Lobos) – guitar, vocals
Flaco Jimenez – accordion, vocals
Ruben Ramos – vocals
Cesar Rosas (of Los Lobos) – guitar, vocals
Rick Treviño – guitar, vocals
Doug Sahm – vocals
Max Baca – bajo sexto, vocals
Joel Guzman – accordion, vocals
Steve Berlin (of Los Lobos) – Producer
Rick Clark – Music consultant
Dan Goodman – Executive producer
Dave McNair – Engineer/mixer
Members on Canto
Wil-Dog Abers (of Ozomatli) – bass
Susana Baca – vocals
David Hidalgo – bass, guitar, percussion, arranger, drums, vocals, requinto
Raul Malo (of the Mavericks) – vocals
Ruben Ramos – vocals
Rick Treviño – vocals
Cesar Rosas – bass, guitar, vocals, guitarron, jarana
Alberto Salas – piano, arranger
Caetano Veloso – guitar, vocals
Conrad Lozano (of Los Lobos) – guitarron
Louie Perez (of Los Lobos)
Cougar Estrada (of Los Lobos) – percussion, drums
Steve Berlin – (of Los Lobos) Producer
Rick Clark – Music consultant
Dan Goodman – Executive producer
Dave McNair – Engineer/mixer
Members on Heard It on the X
Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown – guitar, vocals
Rodney Crowell – vocals
Joe Ely – vocals
Freddy Fender – vocals
John Hiatt – vocals
Lyle Lovett – vocals
Raul Malo – vocals
Ruben Ramos – vocals
Delbert McClinton – vocals
Rick Trevino – vocals
Joey Burns (of Calexico) – nylon-string acoustic guitar, electric bass, upright bass, piano, arranger
John Convertino (of Calexico) – drums, percussion
Paul Niehaus (of Calexico) – pedal steel guitar, baritone electric guitar, 6-string bass guitar
Jacob Valenzuela (of Calexico) – trumpet
Martin Wenk (of Calexico) – trumpet, vibes, claves
Volker Zander (of Calexico) – upright bass
Flaco Jimenez – accordion
Denny Freeman – electric guitar, piano
John Contreras – acoustic guitar, vihuela
Max Baca – bajo sexto, backing vocals
Augie Meyers – piano
Hunt Sales – drums
Redd Volkaert – electric guitar
Charlie Sexton – guitars, lap steel guitar, piano, percussion, producer
Rick Clark, Dan Goodman, Charlie Sexton – Producers
Dave McNair – Engineer/mixer
Texas Treefort Studios – Recording complex, Austin TX
El Canoero
Los Super Seven Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo soy el canoero que rema, rema y que rema, rema
Buscando la bacía que es mi morena
La busco para darle cosita buena
Yo salgo del río sin luz y sigo por el sancoya
Tirado de playa en playa toda las huellas que dejas tú
Me de listo por el sausa y por suerte el magdalena
Llego a boca del ceniza y no encuentro a mi morena
Playera Playera - mi playerita
¿A dónde tú vas? - mi playerita
¿Con quién tú te vas? - mi playerita
¿A dónde tú vas? - mi playerita
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
Yo soy el canoero que rema, rema y que rema, rema
Buscando la bacía que es mi morena
La busco para darle cosita buena
Yo salgo del río sin luz y sigo por el sancoya
Yo diviso en alta mar, la espuma que dejó el barco
Seguro que se me lleva la mujercita que quiero tanto
Seguro que se me lleva la mujercita que quiero tanto
Playera Playera - mi playerita
¿Por qué es que te vas? - mi playerita
¿Con quién tú te vas? - mi playerita
¿O te vas a Panamá? - mi playerita
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
The lyrics to Los Super Seven's song "El Canoero" tell the story of a canoeist who spends his days rowing up and down the river searching for his lover, referred to as his "bacía." Despite his tireless efforts to find her, he often comes up empty-handed and feels like giving up. He laments that he has been searching for her footprints along the river's beaches, but without success. He feels increasingly hopeless, even spotting the wake of a ship which he fears carries away the one who he loves.
The repetition of the lines "Yo soy el canoero que rema, rema y que rema, rema" throughout the song emphasises the hard work and determination required to search the entire river for his beloved. The playful use of the phrase "darle cosita buena" adds a sensuous layer to the singer's motivation, revealing his willingness to do whatever it takes to be with his lover. However, despite all his efforts, the song ends on a tragic note with the repeated line "Esta pobre canoero se va a matar." This translates as "This poor canoeist is going to kill himself," emphasising the despair that comes with searching for a love so hard to find.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo soy el canoero que rema, rema y que rema, rema
I am the canoeist who tirelessly rows and rows, searching for my beloved.
Buscando la bacía que es mi morena
Looking for the woman who is my love, my darling.
La busco para darle cosita buena
I search for her to give her something special.
Yo salgo del río sin luz y sigo por el sancoya
I leave the dark river behind and continue on the Sancoya.
Tirado de playa en playa toda las huellas que dejas tú
Following your every footprint from beach to beach.
Me de listo por el sausa y por suerte el magdalena
I am guided by the Sausa and luckily by the Magdalena.
Llego a boca del ceniza y no encuentro a mi morena
I arrive at the mouth of the Ceniza and do not find my beloved.
Playera Playera - mi playerita
Shirt, shirt - my dear little one.
¿A dónde tú vas? - mi playerita
Where are you going? - my dear little one.
¿Con quién tú te vas? - mi playerita
Who are you leaving with? - my dear little one.
¿A dónde tú vas? - mi playerita
Where are you going? - my dear little one.
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
This poor canoeist will die.
Yo diviso en alta mar, la espuma que dejó el barco
I spot the foam left by the boat on the high sea.
Seguro que se me lleva la mujercita que quiero tanto
I am sure it takes away the woman I love so much.
¿Por qué es que te vas? - mi playerita
Why are you leaving? - my dear little one.
¿Con quién tú te vas? - mi playerita
Who are you leaving with? - my dear little one.
¿O te vas a Panamá? - mi playerita
Or are you going to Panama? - my dear little one.
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
This poor canoeist will die.
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
This poor canoeist will die.
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
This poor canoeist will die.
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
This poor canoeist will die.
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
This poor canoeist will die.
Esta pobre canoero se va a matar
This poor canoeist will die.
Contributed by Samuel B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@heyyou1140
I don't understand the vocals, but really enjoy the music, and trying to decifer a meaning. Beautiful, bouncy, happy music from an all-star set of musicians. Gracias for posting, mi Amogi.