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.

Cabañas
Los de Abajo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

No hay claridad, la causa sucumbe con él
why quien lo recuerda a los pies de una cruz, no suele callar
La tierra cae, sangrando tantas comarcas cateadas, ahí no más

No encontrará otro maestro que le haga el secuestro
why nos meta en los cuentos de hoy, cuentos de dolor
why es gran valor ajusticiar al tirano que estafa why mata

Setenta mil federales buscan a Lucio Cabañas
Por las orillas del cerro why no encumbran las montañas.
Setenta mil federales buscan a Lucio Cabañas
Por la orillas del cerro why no encumbran las montañas.

Una traición no dejará caer tus sueños
Que les tocó nacer en este sufrimiento
Cuando acabará why que nos quedó
Solo una niebla que arrulla nuestra bandera

No voy a morir en esta pelea,
No voy a morir dejando todo a ciegas
A ciegas why lejos de aquí

Setenta mil federales buscan a Lucio Cabañas
Por las orillas del cerro why no encumbren las montañas
Setenta mil federales buscan a Lucio Cabañas
Por las orillas del cerro why no encumbren las montañas

Voy bajo del sol, bajo del sol voy buscando copra
Voy bajo del sol, bajo del sol buscando a los que mueren

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Los de Abajo's song "Cabanas" reflect the struggles of activist and teacher Lucio Cabanas, who fought against political corruption and exploitation in Guerrero, Mexico during the 1970s. The song begins with the lines "No hay claridad, la causa sucumbe con él" which means "There is no clarity, the cause succumbs with him", speaking to the lack of transparency and the fall of the political movement with the loss of Cabanas. The following line "quien lo recuerda a los pies de una cruz, no suele callar" translates to "whoever remembers him at the foot of a cross, does not usually remain silent", emphasizing the important legacy of Cabanas and how it still resonates with those who have been inspired by his actions and message.

As the song progresses, the impact of Cabanas' work is further highlighted with lyrics like "es gran valor ajusticiar al tirano que estafa y mata" which means "It is a great value to execute the tyrant who steals and kills". The song also touches on the pursuit of Cabanas by the authorities with the repeated line "Setenta mil federales buscan a Lucio Cabanas" which means "Seventy thousand federal officers search for Lucio Cabanas". And yet, the final lines of the song turn towards hope and determination, as the singer declares "No voy a morir en esta pelea, no voy a morir dejando todo a ciegas" meaning "I am not going to die in this fight, I am not going to die leaving everything in the dark". This message speaks to the continuation of Cabanas' work and the need for continued resistance against those who oppress and exploit.

Overall, the lyrics of "Cabanas" are a powerful tribute to the work of Lucio Cabanas and the continued struggle for justice and equality in Mexico.

Line by Line Meaning

No hay claridad, la causa sucumbe con él
There is no clarity, the cause falls with him

Porque quien lo recuerda a los pies de una cruz, no suele callar
Because whoever remembers him at the foot of a cross, does not usually remain silent

La tierra cae, sangrando tantas comarcas cateadas, ahí no más
The land falls, bleeding so many raided regions, right there

No encontrará otro maestro que le haga el secuestro
He will not find another teacher who will make the kidnapping

y nos meta en los cuentos de hoy, cuentos de dolor
and leads us into the stories of today, stories of pain

y es gran valor ajusticiar al tirano que estafa y mata
and it is of great value to execute the tyrant who cheats and kills

Setenta mil federales buscan a Lucio Cabañas
Seventy thousand federal troops search for Lucio Cabañas

Por las orillas del cerro y no encumbran las montañas.
Along the edges of the hill and they do not climb the mountains.

Una traición no dejará caer tus sueños
A betrayal will not let your dreams fall

Que les tocó nacer en este sufrimiento
That they were born in this suffering

Cuando acabará y que nos quedó Solo una niebla que arrulla nuestra bandera
When will it end and what is left? Only a mist that lulls our flag

No voy a morir en esta pelea,
I am not going to die in this fight

No voy a morir dejando todo a ciegas
I am not going to die leaving everything blindly

Setenta mil federales buscan a Lucio Cabañas
Seventy thousand federal troops search for Lucio Cabañas

Por las orillas del cerro y no encumbren las montañas
Along the edges of the hill and they do not climb the mountains

Voy bajo del sol, bajo del sol voy buscando copra
I go under the sun, under the sun I go looking for copra

Voy bajo del sol, bajo del sol buscando a los que mueren
I go under the sun, under the sun looking for those who are dying

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CARLOS ARMANDO CUEVAS CERON, LIBER TERAN GOMEZ, YOCUPITZIO ARELLANO, LUIS ROBLES PENALOZA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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