In 1967, Formell became musical director of Elio Reve's charanga orchestra. He reformatted the group into Changui '68, and then founded his own group, Los Van Van, on December 4, 1969.
Musical style
Using a charanga line-up as its base, Van Van added trombones and vocals, and was the first Cuban group to use synthesizers and drum machines. Their sound was a fusion of changui and son montuno with various types of music, including Afro-Cuban rhythms, rock, funk, disco, and hip hop. Juan Formell contributed countless innovations to the Cuban bass and clave, which paved the way for a radical reconceptualisation of rhythmic arrangements in Cuban music. The Van Van sound came to be known as songo (based on the songo rhythm), which laid the base for the later development of timba.
Notable personnel
Los Van Van has been a school for outstanding singers and musicians. Past members with successful careers as solo artists include Pedro Calvo, Angel Bonne, Changuito, Cesar "Pupy" Pedroso and others. As of 2006, Los Van Van probably have the best lineup of singers for a Cuba band composed of; Mayito Rivera, Roberto Hernandez "Roberton", Yeni Valdes and Lele Rosales.
Quien No Ha Dicho Una Mentira
Los Van Van Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Y experimentar el abandono
Y como fuí yo el que se equivocó
Eso fué lo que me tocó
No me diste la posibilidad
De aclararte mis sentimientos
Y ahora sólo Dios y yo
Mentir para defender
La imagen de una mujer
Pero hubo algo que no hice bien
Y así fué que me equivoqué
Quien no ha dicho una mentira
Todo el mundo ha sido un poco mentiroso
Atención, atención escucha el mensaje de mi canción
Me tocó sufrir la soledad, pero no importa
De ahora en adelante ya no hay más na'
Tú me enamoraste a base de mentiras
Por eso me alejo de ti
Y ahora asúmeme, perdóname, sígueme, trépame, mátame
Asúmeme, perdóname, llévame pa' lo hondo
Que tu versa
Pido perdón, pido perdón
Todo el mundo tiene derecho a equivocarse
Y porque no
Por un poco de dinero
Y una botas de charol
Tú te fuiste con un pepe
A eso llegarás, tú te convencerás muchacha
Que eso es pa' mi nada más
Vamos a ver mamá si la cuenta
A ti te da con otro
The lyrics to Los Van Van's "Quien No Ha Dicho Una Mentira" talk about the experience of loneliness and abandonment, and how sometimes people make mistakes that lead to those feelings. The singer talks about how he was the one who made a mistake and how he wasn't given the chance to clarify his feelings before he was left alone. He also discusses how sometimes people lie to protect someone else's image, but sometimes those lies can cause them to make even more mistakes.
The chorus of the song, "Quien no ha dicho una mentira, todo el mundo ha sido un poco mentiroso" translates to "Who hasn't told a lie, everyone has been a bit dishonest." The idea is that everyone makes mistakes, and in this case, the singer is admitting to his own. However, he also asks for forgiveness and wants to move on from the past.
The lyrics touch on themes of honesty, forgiveness, and the complexities of relationships. The singer acknowledges his own failings but also points out that everyone makes mistakes. The song is a reminder to be forgiving to others and ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Me tocó sufrir la soledad
I experienced suffering from loneliness
Y experimentar el abandono
I also experienced abandonment
Y como fuí yo el que se equivocó
I was the one who made a mistake
Eso fué lo que me tocó
That's what happened to me
No me diste la posibilidad
You didn't give me a chance
De aclararte mis sentimientos
To explain my feelings to you
Y ahora sólo Dios y yo
Now only God and I
Sabemos lo que pasó
Know what happened
Mentir para defender
Lying to defend
La imagen de una mujer
A woman's image
Pero hubo algo que no hice bien
But there was something I didn't do well
Y así fué que me equivoqué
And that's how I made a mistake
Quien no ha dicho una mentira
Who hasn't told a lie
Todo el mundo ha sido un poco mentiroso
Everyone has been a bit of a liar
Atención, atención escucha el mensaje de mi canción
Attention, listen to the message of my song
Me tocó sufrir la soledad, pero no importa
I suffered from loneliness, but it doesn't matter
De ahora en adelante ya no hay más na'
From now on, there's nothing else
Tú me enamoraste a base de mentiras
You made me fall in love with lies
Por eso me alejo de ti
That's why I'm distancing myself from you
Y ahora asúmeme, perdóname, sígueme, trépame, mátame
And now, accept me, forgive me, follow me, climb with me, kill me
Asúmeme, perdóname, llévame pa' lo hondo
Accept me, forgive me, take me deep down
Que tu versa
As you please
Pido perdón, pido perdón
I apologize, I apologize
Todo el mundo tiene derecho a equivocarse
Everyone has the right to make mistakes
Y porque no
And why not
Por un poco de dinero
For a little money
Y una botas de charol
And patent leather boots
Tú te fuiste con un pepe
You left with someone else
A eso llegarás, tú te convencerás muchacha
You'll get there, girl, you'll convince yourself
Que eso es pa' mi nada más
That's mine alone
Vamos a ver mamá si la cuenta
Let's see, Mom, if the bill
A ti te da con otro
Fits you with someone else
Writer(s): juan formell
Contributed by Isaiah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@LosVanVan
Gocen este tema 💃🏻. Gracias por sus comentarios!!
@juliodjchuloberon9508
Hacia falta este video!!! Gracias por tanto!!! Saludos desde Argentina!!!!!van van por siempre
@cam6112
Llego Van Van! Siempre cómo un tren y a tiempo... Grandes ustedes! ✌
@salsero3982
PUERTO RICO Y CUBA UN PAJARO DE DOS ALAS!
@felixcolon1568
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🇨🇺🇵🇷
@salsero3982
@felix colon 🇨🇺🇵🇷❤
@magalilopez6954
Ufffffffff Espectacularrrrrrr,tremenda convinacion entre Grandes , Maravilloso en Verdad
@carmuta
temonnnnnnnnn de temones!!!!!!!!!!! van van desde antes, ahora y para siempre, Callao Peru
@camilorivero2554
Finalmente, ocurrió lo que estaba esperando desde hace años: ¡¡¡una grabación de Los Van Van con Gilbertico!!! Si cada uno por su cuenta son unos monstruos, esta combinación es sencillamente sublime. Es más, creo que después de este abuso, no voy a escuchar más música. Se pasaron. ¡¡¡SABROOOOOOOSO...!!!
@esperanzacatalasardinas68
WoW,van van y Gilberto Santarosa💯👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽