Little by little, they came to the attention of the Catalan and Spanish public, through their fresh style, word of mouth and a little bit of social networking. What followed was a year of touring, including festivals such as Primavera Sound. By 2009, they had already held the honour of being Enderrock's album of the year.
In February 2011, Manel began tentatively promoting their album 10 Milles Per Veure Una Bona Armadura, by releasing two tracks ahead of time. Soon after its release in March 2011, it became the number 1 album in Spain, making them the first Catalan group to ever achieve such a feat.
La Bola de Cristall
Manel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Surt el sol a les ciutats on haguéssim pogut viure
I una llum plena de pau va inundant totes les cuines.
Jo faig pinta de tranquil, i tu sembles tan tranquil·la.
I ens crido: "Treu-te la disfressa i revela qui ets!
No em crec que sigueu la vida que ens estem perdent".
Mira,
Això és creure en el que un vol i invertir amb saviesa els dies,
Si prens nota, crec que ens surt un bon llibre d'aforismes.
I ens crido: "Observant-vos les mans, us he vist el truc!
No sou realment la vida que ens hem perdut".
Mira,
Panderetes, serpentines, apa nena, quines mitges,
Hi som tots, sí, però fixa't bé, com et miro, com em mires.
Va, assumim-ho, els dies bons gairebé som invencibles!
I ens crido: "Això és lamentable teatre amateur!
I no la vida que se'ns escapa a cada moment".
Mira
Com els nervis no han pogut, les paraules que buscàvem.
Les diem i no fan por, les diem amb la veu alta:
"Amor meu, sempre hi seré, amor meu, com ho dubtaves?"
I ens crido: "Ja sé de què aneu i he perdut l'interès!
Que la vida que ens hem perdut simplement no existeix".
The lyrics to Manel's song La Bola de Cristall convey a sense of disillusionment and questioning of the world around us. The first verse talks about the sun rising in the cities where we could have lived, and a peaceful light filling all the kitchens. The singer appears to be pretending to be calm, but calls out to their partner to reveal their true selves and stop pretending. The second verse discusses how everything has gone according to plan, showing an example of harmony and believing in what one wants while also investing time wisely. However, the singer suggests that they are not the life they have lost, and calls out to their partner to reveal their true selves once again. The third verse talks about how we all come together in celebration, but the singer acknowledges that even though we may feel invincible during good days, it is all just amateur theater. The final verse discusses how the words we were looking for finally surfaced and are spoken without fear. The singer reassures their partner of their love and calls out to them once again, but this time with a feeling of lost interest. The singer suggests that the life they have lost simply does not exist.
Line by Line Meaning
Mira, Surt el sol a les ciutats on haguéssim pogut viure
Look, the sun rises in cities where we could have lived
I una llum plena de pau va inundant totes les cuines.
And a peaceful light floods all the kitchens
Jo faig pinta de tranquil, i tu sembles tan tranquil·la.
I act calm, and you seem so calm
I ens crido: "Treu-te la disfressa i revela qui ets!
And I shout to us: "Take off the disguise and reveal who you are!
No em crec que sigueu la vida que ens estem perdent".
I don't believe that you are the life we are missing.
Mira, Tot ha anat segons el pla, quin exemple d'harmonia,
Look, everything has gone according to plan, what an example of harmony,
Això és creure en el que un vol i invertir amb saviesa els dies,
This is believing in what one wants and wisely investing the days,
Si prens nota, crec que ens surt un bon llibre d'aforismes.
If you take note, I think we can come up with a good book of aphorisms.
I ens crido: "Observant-vos les mans, us he vist el truc!
And I shout to us: "Looking at your hands, I've seen your trick!
No sou realment la vida que ens hem perdut".
You are not really the life we have lost.
Mira, Panderetes, serpentines, apa nena, quines mitges,
Look, Tambourines, streamers, come on baby, what stockings,
Hi som tots, sí, però fixa't bé, com et miro, com em mires.
We are all here, yes, but look closely, how I look at you, how you look at me.
Va, assumim-ho, els dies bons gairebé som invencibles!
Come on, let's face it, on good days we are almost invincible!
I ens crido: "Això és lamentable teatre amateur!
And I shout to us: "This is a lamentable amateur theater!
I no la vida que se'ns escapa a cada moment".
And not the life that escapes us every moment.
Mira Com els nervis no han pogut, les paraules que buscàvem.
Look, the words we were looking for that the nerves couldn't find.
Les diem i no fan por, les diem amb la veu alta:
We say them and they don't scare us, we say them in a loud voice:
"Amor meu, sempre hi seré, amor meu, com ho dubtaves?"
"My love, I will always be here, my love, how could you doubt it?"
I ens crido: "Ja sé de què aneu i he perdut l'interès!
And I shout to us: "I know what you are up to and I have lost interest!
Que la vida que ens hem perdut simplement no existeix".
That the life we have lost simply does not exist.
Contributed by Reagan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.