Mano Negra was a French/Spanish/Portuguese band fronted by Manu Chao, born … Read Full Bio ↴Mano Negra was a French/Spanish/Portuguese band fronted by Manu Chao, born in Paris, France to Spanish parents. The band was founded in 1987 by Manu, his brother Antoine, and his cousin Santiago Casiriego. It split circa 1995, but many members had already left in 1992.

The band was formed from the fusion of 2 smallers bands, the Hot Pants and the Casse-pieds.

Mano Negra mixed a number of styles: straight rock (with a lead guitar), latin music (with a brass section), punk (influenced by The Clash). Their songs often mixed French, Spanish and English lyrics.

Frontman Manu Chao later reappeared as as the lead in Radio Bemba Sound System to record their eponymous 2002 live album. He has also released four solo albums, Clandestino and Proxima Estacion: Esperanza in 1998 and 2002,Siberie M'Etait Conteee in 2005 and La Radiolina in 2007.

Former band member Tom Darnal was one of the founders of the band P18

About name

La Mano Negra ("The Black Hand") was a supposed anarchist organization in Andalucía, Spain, accused of many terrorist acts. Although, in latter studies, its existence was found unlikely and was probably an excuse used by the government under Sagasta to oppress anarchist activity in southern Spain.

BALA PERDIDA
Mano Negra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Bala perdida tumba la Bala Perdida
Bala perdida bam! Por el avenida!
Soy una Bala Perdida tumbala Bala Perdida

Sangre guajira
Carga explosiva
Por el avenida
Hirviendo noche y dia

Por el avenida me disparo la vida!!
GET TO THE TOP AND DON'T STOP TO ROCK
El que a hierro mata! a hierro termina!!

Ram dam, piden pan, no le dan, cuando piden
Libertad
Libertad

Libertad
El que a hierro mata! a hierro termina!!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Mano Negra's "Bala Perdida" talk about a lost bullet that's tumbling through the streets. The opening lines suggest that the lost bullet has tumbled and hit something significant, which is evident when it's said: "Bala perdida tumba la Bala Perdida/Bala perdida bam! Por el avenida!" The repetition of the missing bullet suggests that it's a symbolic expression of something that is being sought, but has been lost or missed.

The song goes on to depict a life lived on the edge, characterized by "sangre guajira" (rural blood) and "carga explosiva" (explosive cargo). The song seems to suggest that the singer is living a life that's dangerous, with an emphasis on the night and day that they are on the streets, living dangerously. In the line "Por el avenida me disparo la vida!!" it's like the singer is shooting himself through his decision to live life on the edge.

The chorus of the song reiterates that the singer is a 'lost bullet' - "Soy una Bala Perdida tumbala Bala Perdida" - a person aimless and wandering, trying to find direction. The song ends with the lines "Ram dam, piden pan, no le dan, cuando piden, Libertad", where the singer yearns for freedom but is denied it, and the statement "El que a hierro mata! a hierro termina!!" which translates to 'He who kills dies by the sword' suggesting that the singer lives and dies by his own rules.

Line by Line Meaning

Bala perdida tumba la Bala Perdida
A stray bullet kills the stray bullet itself

Bala perdida bam! Por el avenida!
Stray bullet, bang! Down the avenue!

Soy una Bala Perdida tumbala Bala Perdida
I am a stray bullet, take down the stray bullet

Sangre guajira
Rural blood

Carga explosiva
Explosive load

Por el avenida
Down the avenue

Hirviendo noche y dia
Boiling night and day

Por el avenida me disparo la vida!!
Down the avenue, I shoot my life!!

GET TO THE TOP AND DON'T STOP TO ROCK
Get to the top and keep rocking

El que a hierro mata! a hierro termina!!
He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword!!

Ram dam, piden pan, no le dan, cuando piden
Ram dam, they ask for bread, they are not given when they ask