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.
Madame Oscar
Mano Negra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Elle est tombée dans un traquenard
Aujourd'hui c'est la grève des cars
Et ces connards veulent rien savoir
Madame Oscar est en pétard
Il est déjà 7h-l'quart
Trop tard pour son feuillton du soir
Qui va ram'ner Mme Oscar?
Il est trop tard Mme Oscar!
Alors elle descend jusqu'au bar
Voir si des fois l'père Zanzibar
Peut la ramener dans sa Panhard
Mais Zanzibar est au billard
D'puis c'matin qu'il arrète pas d'boire
Il veut pas croire à ces histoires
De grève des cars
D'feuillton du soir
D'7h-l'quart
& d'colère noire
Mr Canut aurait bien pû
La racompagner jusqu'à Répu
Mais ses lunettes ont disparu
Ses yeux peuvent pas conduire tous nus
Mme Oscar n'a plus d'espoir
& ya personne pour s'émouvoir
Son gros pétard cherche à s'assoire
Il ne trouve plus que le bord du trottoir
V'nant du Boulevard un sale cafard
Viens s'assoire près d'madame Oscar
Soudain il sort son grand couteau
& il lui plante dans le dos
On lira d'main dans les journeaux
Que sur l'boulvard au p'tit matin
Une pauv' vieille est morte de chagrin
& qu'on recherche encore l'assassin
Et alors?
Qui va ram'ner Mme Oscar?
Il est trop tard Mme Oscar!
T'as beau t'appeller Oscar Tramor
Te v'la tout seul comme un rat mort
The song "MME Oscar" by Mano Negra tells a story of a frustrated and late Madame Oscar who is caught up in the strike of public transportation. The first stanza highlights her predicament as she has fallen into a trap and there are no buses to take her where she needs to go. She is angry and fuming because she will miss her evening soap opera show. The second stanza shows her futile attempt to find someone who can drive her to her destination. She goes to a bar hoping to find someone willing to help but Zanzibar is busy playing billiards and cannot drive her. Mr Canut is willing to help but without his glasses, he is as good as blind. She is left without hope, unable even to find a place to sit.
The final stanza summarizes the fate of Madame Oscar, who is left alone and helpless, feeling like a dead rat. Though she may be a prominent figure (as suggested by her name) or feel important (as suggested by her frustration), she is powerless in a situation where public transportation strikes affect everyone, regardless of social status or importance. The song suggests that despite our perceived status in society or importance, we are all vulnerable to events beyond our control, going as far as portraying how our desperation could end up with severe consequences, as Madame Oscar's fate implies.
Line by Line Meaning
Madame Oscar est en retard
Madame Oscar is running late
Elle est tombée dans un traquenard
She fell into a trap
Aujourd'hui c'est la grève des cars
Today there is a bus strike
Et ces connards veulent rien savoir
And these jerks don't care
Madame Oscar est en pétard
Madame Oscar is angry
Il est déjà 7h-l'quart
It's already 7:15
Trop tard pour son feuillton du soir
Too late for her evening show
Ca la met dans une colère noire
It makes her furious
Qui va ram'ner Mme Oscar?
Who will bring Madame Oscar?
Il est trop tard Mme Oscar!
It's too late, Madame Oscar!
Alors elle descend jusqu'au bar
So she goes down to the bar
Voir si des fois l'père Zanzibar
To see if Père Zanzibar
Peut la ramener dans sa Panhard
Can drive her in his Panhard
Mais Zanzibar est au billard
But Zanzibar is playing billiards
D'puis c'matin qu'il arrète pas d'boire
Since this morning he hasn't stopped drinking
Il veut pas croire à ces histoires
He doesn't believe these stories
De grève des cars
About the bus strike
D'feuillton du soir
About her evening show
D'7h-l'quart
About the time
& d'colère noire
And about her fury
Mr Canut aurait bien pû
Mr Canut could have
La racompagner jusqu'à Répu
Driven her to the Répu
Mais ses lunettes ont disparu
But his glasses are missing
Ses yeux peuvent pas conduire tous nus
His eyes can't drive naked
Mme Oscar n'a plus d'espoir
Madame Oscar has no hope left
& ya personne pour s'émouvoir
And there's no one to pity her
Son gros pétard cherche à s'assoire
Her big butt is looking for a place to sit
Il ne trouve plus que le bord du trottoir
It only finds the edge of the sidewalk
V'nant du Boulevard un sale cafard
Coming from the Boulevard, a dirty cockroach
Viens s'assoire près d'madame Oscar
Sits next to Madame Oscar
Soudain il sort son grand couteau
Suddenly he pulls out his big knife
& il lui plante dans le dos
And stabs her in the back
On lira d'main dans les journeaux
We will read in the newspapers tomorrow
Que sur l'boulvard au p'tit matin
That on the boulevard, early in the morning
Une pauv' vieille est morte de chagrin
A poor old woman died from grief
& qu'on recherche encore l'assassin
And the assassin is still being sought
Et alors?
So what?
T'as beau t'appeller Oscar Tramor
Even if your name is Oscar Tramor
Te v'la tout seul comme un rat mort
You're all alone like a dead rat
Contributed by Caroline W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@cesaralbanoespinozapacheco8882
Temazo ❤
@lionelcomte7914
Hôôôôôôôôô magnifique !!!!
@73ikando
Nostalgique Que du bon
@paulfranco3239
💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
@angeline1287
hiper bien
@jeremygauer7883
😀👍👍
@abigailsonnava8752
❤ no se porque no puse atención a la clase de francés 😢