Performer of a music style known as Canto Nuevo or Nueva Trova, Luis Eduard… Read Full Bio ↴Performer of a music style known as Canto Nuevo or Nueva Trova, Luis Eduardo Aute has been an artist in many different ways. It was in 1954 when Aute moved to Spain, after spending his childhood in the Philippines. Deciding to become an artist, Luis Eduardo Aute's first passion was painting, having his first exhibition in 1960, while living in Madrid. By the mid-'60s, the painter and poet was convinced to start recording his own music and he signed up to RCA in 1966. The following year, Aleluya and Rosas En El Mar were released. Prominent books such as Las Matematicas del Espejo, La Liturgia del Desorden, and Animal were published in recognition to his writing skills. After releasing Alevosía in 1995, Aute started touring all over Latin America and Spain with a painting exhibition called Ad Libidum; he later participated in a collective album called Un Secreto A Voces, based on lyrics by Alejandro Filio.

Blanco y Negro
Luis Eduardo Aute Lyrics

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Lo blanco es blanco;
lo negro es negro;
no hay grises
que valgan por medio.

Overall Meaning

In the song "Blanco y Negro" by Luis Eduardo Aute, the lyrics "Lo blanco es blanco; lo negro es negro; no hay grises que valgan por medio" translate to "white is white; black is black; there are no middling grays that matter." The song is a playful commentary on the rigidity of societal norms and the limitations they impose on individual expression. The lyrics suggest that there is a tendency to view things in a binary manner, where there are only two absolutes, with no room for nuance or compromise. This can apply to a multitude of contexts, including politics, race, and gender.

The singer emphasizes the duality between black and white, which he believes are the most significant and distinctive colors, and that any halfway point or compromise is ultimately meaningless. This can be perceived as a critique of the attitudes and traditions that perpetuate societal hierarchies, and the need for more fluid and inclusive ways of thinking. In a way, the song advocates for embracing complexity and diversity.

Line by Line Meaning

Lo blanco es blanco;
White is white;

lo negro es negro;
Black is black;

no hay grises
There are no gray areas

que valgan por medio.
That are worth considering.

Contributed by Joshua Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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