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.
La rançon du succès
Mano Negra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
De passer à la télé
Depuis le temps que j'attends
Ça y est je suis adopté
C'est moi le nouveau chien savant
Montrer ma queue, la remuer
C'est moi le nouveau chien savant
Docile et bien payé
Montrer ma gueule à l'écran
Avec mes yeux de cocker
Montrer ma gueule à l'écran
Et ma bouille de travers
Je en montre plus les dents
Je saurai vous émouvoir
Je en montre plus les dents
Et je saurai vous faire croire
Que mon âme est sincère
Danse la danse rance, s'il vous plaît
Danse la danse, la rançon du succès
"Mon dieu qu'il est marrant
Je suis très bien dressé
Mon dieu qu'il est marrant
Par un vieux chien policier
Regardez-le chanter
Dressé sur mes petites pattes
Regardez le chanter
A hurler dans le vent"
Chéri je t'aime
Chéri je t'adore
Como la salsa de Nabuchodonosor
Comment peut-on supporter
La pâtée pour chien et chat
Comment peut-on y croire
Où est donc passée ma foi?
Même plus mes yeux pour pleurer
Quand je vois autour de moi
Les gens danser la danse rance
Danse la danse rance, s'il vous plaît
Danse la danse rançon du succès
A tous les clébards de la rue
Je crie: "Je suis vendu"
A tous les cabots, les cadors
Je crie: "Je n'en peux plus" (de me voir si laid dans ce miroir...)
The song "La Rançon Du Succès," performed by Manu Chao's former band, Mano Negra, expresses the feeling of being sold out and exploited for success. The lyrics describe the singer's admission to the mainstream media world after spending a long time waiting for a chance. He compares himself to a well-trained dog that does what it is told and gets paid a good amount of money in return. The line "Danse la danse rançon du succès" is repeated throughout the song and signifies a form of dance where the vocalist moves their body to the beat. This dance is the result of being successful in the music industry, and the artist feels as though they have been cheated by the industry as they are forced to make choices that go against their belief for the sake of being successful.
The artist also addresses the disappointment that comes with success, which did not bring happiness, but instead brought pangs of loss of identity and faith. The song reveals the artist's dissatisfaction with the industry and his media representation, as he is portrayed as a puppet that is trained to do all that is required in the industry. Towards the end of the song, the artist brings attention to the situation of all the other stray dogs, who happen to be in a similar situation by saying "to all the stray dogs in the street, I scream, I'm sold out; to all the dogs, I cry, I can't take it anymore (seeing myself so ugly in this mirror)."
Line by Line Meaning
Depuis le temps que j'attends
I have been waiting for so long
De passer à la télé
To be on TV
Ça y est je suis adopté
Finally, I have been chosen
C'est moi le nouveau chien savant
I am the new smart dog
Montrer ma queue, la remuer
Showing and wagging my tail
Docile et bien payé
Obedient and well-paid
Mais c'est l'heure il faut y'aller
But now it's time to go
Montrer ma gueule à l'écran
To show my face on the screen
Avec mes yeux de cocker
With my Cocker Spaniel eyes
Et ma bouille de travers
And my crooked face
Je en montre plus les dents
I won't show my teeth anymore
Je saurai vous émouvoir
I will know how to move you
Et je saurai vous faire croire
And I will make you believe
Que mon âme est sincère
That I have a sincere soul
Danse la danse rance, s'il vous plaît
Dance to this stale dance, please
Danse la danse, la rançon du succès
Dance the dance of success for a price
"Mon dieu qu'il est marrant
"Oh my God, how funny he is
Je suis très bien dressé
I am well-trained
Par un vieux chien policier
By an old police dog
Regardez-le chanter
Look at him singing
Dressé sur mes petites pattes
Standing on my little paws
A hurler dans le vent"
Howling into the wind"
Chéri je t'aime
Darling, I love you
Chéri je t'adore
Darling, I adore you
Como la salsa de Nabuchodonosor
Like the salsa of Nebuchadnezzar
Comment peut-on supporter
How can we bear
La pâtée pour chien et chat
Dog and cat food
Où est donc passée ma foi?
So where has my faith gone?
Même plus mes yeux pour pleurer
I don't even have tears left to cry
Quand je vois autour de moi
When I see around me
Les gens danser la danse rance
People dancing to the stale dance
A tous les clébards de la rue
To all the stray dogs on the street
Je crie: "Je suis vendu"
I shout: "I have been sold"
A tous les cabots, les cadors
To all the mutts and mongrels
Je crie: "Je n'en peux plus"
I shout: "I can't take it anymore" (of seeing myself so ugly in this mirror...)
Contributed by Savannah F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Malika
I love it!! Soooo much energy and good vibes!! I get so happy of it!! SUPERB!!
Stanlin Vasconez
Awesome music never dies out!!!!
Octavio Ceballos
Enero 2020
La salsa de nabucodonosor
TheWidow
hola de nuevo 240p...
Benoit Cransac
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesss
Gerardo Caride
esto es mano negra
poupinette30184
cette chanson te fout la patate.....
El Mismisimo Purpura
@MrThreedigits It does