Los de Abajo are a band from Mexico City founded in 1992 as a Latin ska fou… Read Full Bio ↴Los de Abajo are a band from Mexico City founded in 1992 as a Latin ska four-piece band. Since then they have expanded to eight members and widened their musical influences to include rock, salsa, reggae, cumbia, Son Jarocho and banda sinaloense. Founder member Liber Terán is the main vocalist and writes many of the songs, although all band members receive equal pay for their contributions.

The band was unable to secure a record deal in Mexico, as their music was considered to be insufficiently commercial, and ended up releasing their first album Latin Ska Force independently. However, in 1999 they secured a deal with David Byrne's Luaka Bop record label to release their international debut, Los de Abajo.

The follow-up Cybertropic Chilango Power was released in 2002 and won BBC Radio 3's World Music Award for the Americas. 2006's LDA v The Lunatics saw them continue to absorb influences from around the world and included a Spanish-language version of The Fun Boy Three song "The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum)", featuring Neville Staples.

The band are supporters of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation and have played benefits gigs for the revolutionary group. The Zapatistas' Comandante Esther features on "Resistencia", the first track on LDA v The Lunatics.

Anda Levanta
Los de Abajo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Chorus:
Anda levanta
Andate levanta ya
Anda en el momento que va a llegar
Anda en el momento que va

Vuelves de la calle
No tienes con quien hablar

Ves al lado tuyo algo que te hare reaccionar
El polvo en el piso
Se remueve hasta el final
Haz que saque todo desde adentro hasta el final

Chorus
Anda levantaS

Pasan ya los años
why ya te reencontrarás
El dolor se saca, se comparte ya verás
No escondas tu aliento
No limites tu ansiedad
Que el vaivén del tiempo como va lo hará flotar

Esa voz que se viene mal
Esa movida que te traes
Ya ?no vas a caminar

Saca la yerba de la buena ¡buena!
Saca la agüita de la buena ¡buena! (Repeat)

Chorus
Anda levantaS

¡Ra!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song Anda Levanta by Los de Abajo is a call to action, a rally cry for the listener to pick themselves up and move forward. The chorus starts with “Anda levanta,” which translates to “Go on, lift yourself up.” The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the urgency of the message. The verses describe a feeling of loneliness and the need to express oneself, to let out all the emotions that have been bottled up. The second verse talks about the passage of time, and how eventually, one will reunite with old friends and acquaintances. The song ends with the phrase “Saca la yerba de la buena,” which means “Take out the good herb,” which could be interpreted as an invitation to let loose and enjoy life.

The song is characterized by a fast-paced beat that blends elements of ska, reggae, and Latin rhythms. The lyrics are sung in Spanish, but the message is universal, and the upbeat tempo of the song makes it easy for anyone to dance along. The use of horns and percussion creates a festive atmosphere, reinforcing the positive message of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

Anda levanta
Get up and rise

Andate levanta ya
Go on and rise now

Anda en el momento que va a llegar
Rise at the moment it arrives

Anda en el momento que va
Rise at the moment it comes

Vuelves de la calle
You're coming back from the street

No tienes con quien hablar
You have nobody to talk to

Ves al lado tuyo algo que te hare reaccionar
You see something beside you that will make you react

El polvo en el piso
The dust on the floor

Se remueve hasta el final
It's stirred up until the end

Haz que saque todo desde adentro hasta el final
Make it bring everything out from inside until the end

Pasan ya los años
The years go by