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.
Tiempos Muertos
Los de Abajo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Que desgarró tu herida
Que desgarró tu herida
Te llamaron un loco suicida
Fue tanta hipocresía
Fue tanta hipocresía
why recibiste el apoyo de la gente
Emitiste un ya basta
No sabes cuanto, ya lo necesitaban
En el año en que explotó la mina
Que desgarró tu herida
Que desgarró tu herida
Te llamaron un loco suicida
Fue tanta hipocresía
Fue tanta hipocresía
Caminaste de frente
why recibiste el apoyo de la gente
Emitiste un ya basta
No sabes cuanto
Ya lo necesitaban
En el llano se quedó tu huella,
Que despertó conciencias
Que despertó conciencias
Te llamaron transgresor del orden
Por no quedarte a ciegas
Por no quedarte a ciegas
Reviviste el viejo fuego
Aquí en la selva de concreto
Aquí en la selva de concreto
Reviviste el calor humano
Allá donde lo dan por muerto
Allá donde lo dan por muerto
Hoy le canto al que persiguen
Al que no pueden callar
Hoy le canto al que resiste
Tiempos muertos sin tranquilidad
The song Tiempos Muertos by Los de Abajo reflects on the struggles of a man who was viewed as a crazy suicidal person for standing up against the injustice that was done to him. The song starts with the reference to a mining accident that caused a deep wound in the singer's life. The incident received much hypocrisy from the public, and the singer was called a crazy suicidal person for his efforts to seek justice. Despite these struggles, the singer continued to fight for what he believed in, receiving support from the people who had been waiting for someone to stand up and say 'enough is enough.'
The song highlights the power of standing up for oneself and one's beliefs. We see how the singer's actions inspired others and how his legacy was left behind, evidenced by the imprint he left on the plain. The lyrics remind us of the need to push back against the status quo and that we can make a significant impact, even in the face of opposition.
Overall, Tiempos Muertos is a powerful call to action, urging the listeners to take a stand against oppression and injustice, and to know that change is possible, no matter how bleak things may seem.
Line by Line Meaning
En el año en que explotó la mina
Refers to a specific year when a tragic event took place
Que desgarró tu herida
The event caused significant physical and emotional harm
Te llamaron un loco suicida
Others judged and criticized the person's actions
Fue tanta hipocresía
The criticism seemed insincere and hypocritical
Caminaste de frente
The person faced the challenges head-on
why recibiste el apoyo de la gente
The person received support from others
Emitiste un ya basta
The person said 'enough is enough'
No sabes cuanto, ya lo necesitaban
The action taken was necessary and appreciated by others
En el llano se quedó tu huella
The person left a positive impact on the community
Que despertó conciencias
The person's actions raised awareness and encouraged others to think differently
Te llamaron transgresor del orden
The person was labeled a rule breaker
Por no quedarte a ciegas
The person did not conform to societal norms or expectations
Reviviste el viejo fuego
The person reignited a forgotten passion or movement
Aquí en la selva de concreto
Refers to the busy city or urban life
Reviviste el calor humano
The person brought back human connection and empathy
Allá donde lo dan por muerto
Refers to a place or situation where hope and compassion are scarce
Hoy le canto al que persiguen
The song celebrates and honors those who are oppressed or persecuted
Al que no pueden callar
Those who speak out and refuse to be silenced
Hoy le canto al que resiste
The song praises those who resist injustice and oppression
Tiempos muertos sin tranquilidad
Refers to a difficult period where peace and calm are absent
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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