Sosa was born in Tucumán, a northwestern province of Argentina, of mestizo descent from French and Amerindian (Quechuan) ancestry. In 1950, at age fifteen, she won a singing competition organized by a local radio station and was given a contract to perform for two months.
Sosa and her first husband Manuel Oscar Matus were key players in the mid-60s nueva canción movement (which was called nuevo cancionero in Argentina). Her first record was Canciones con Fundamento (Songs with Fundament), a collection of Argentine folk songs.
In 1967, Sosa toured with great success the United States and Europe. In subsequent years, she performed and recorded extensively, broadening her repertoire to include material from throughout Latin America.
In the early 1970s, Sosa released two concept albums in collaboration with composer Ariel Ramírez and lyricist Félix Luna: Cantata Sudamericana (South American Cantata) and Mujeres Argentinas (Argentine Women). She also recorded a tribute to Chilean poet Violeta Parra.
After the military dictatorship of Jorge Videla came to power, the atmosphere in Argentina grew increasingly oppressive. At a concert in La Plata (Buenos Aires) in 1979, Sosa was searched and arrested on stage, and the attending crowd was arrested. Banned in her own country, she moved to Paris and then to Madrid.
Sosa returned to Argentina in 1982, several months before the military regime collapsed as a result of the Falklands War, and gave a series of concerts at the Opera theater in Buenos Aires, where she invited many of her younger colleagues to share the stage. A double album of recordings from these performances became an instant best seller.
In the following years, Sosa continued to tour both in Argentina and abroad, performing in such venues as the Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and the Mogador in París.
Sosa's repertoire continued to broaden, and she made recordings in various styles. She collaborated frequently with Argentine musicians such as León Gieco, Charly García, Antonio Tarragó Ros, Rodolfo Mederos and Fito Páez, and other Latin American artists such as Milton Nascimento and Silvio Rodríguez.
Sosa participated in a 2001 production of the Misa Criolla by Ariel Ramírez.
Mercedes Sosa's website(in Spanish)
María María
Mercedes Sosa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
María va pisando penas, la arena ardiente
María va calcina el monte un sol de fuego
María va temor pombero, palmar estero
María va
Quiso la siesta ponerle un niño a su soledad
De trigo y luna y de su mano
María va y se bebe el sol que huele a duende
María va
Andando el verano de sol y chicharra
A flores del monte, María, olía tu pueblo
Un tren perezoso, resuello y resuello
A calle regada, María, olía tu pueblo
A pura inocencia de niño pueblero
A calle regada, a flores del monte
María, olía tu pueblo
Mirar rasgado, patitas chuecas
María va pisando penas, la arena ardiente
María va calcina el monte un sol de fuego
María va temor pombero, palmar estero
María va
Quiso la siesta ponerle un niño a su soledad
De trigo y luna y de su mano
María va por el tabacal, tu paso
María va y se bebe el sol que huele a duende
María va, María va, María va, María va, María va
The lyrics to Mercedes Sosa's song "María María" are about a woman named María who walks with a certain grace and determination, despite the challenges she faces. The opening lines describe her physical appearance, with "mirar rasgado" meaning her eyes are sharp and observant, and "patitas chuecas" meaning her legs or feet are bowed or crooked. Despite this, Maria continues to walk forward, "pisando penas" or stepping on sorrows, and covering "la arena ardiente" or the scorching sand with the fire of the sun.
As the song progresses, the focus shifts to Maria's desires and aspirations. She is depicted as a woman who longs for a child to keep her company in her loneliness, but who is also connected to the natural world around her. She walks through a "tabacal" or tobacco field, soaking up the sun that "huele a duende" or smells of magic. Maria's journey is also connected to her hometown or "pueblo," which the singer describes in sensory terms, from the scent of flowers to the sound of a train passing by.
Overall, the lyrics to "María María" paint a picture of a strong, resilient woman who is deeply connected to her environment and her own emotional life. Through her struggles and triumphs, she remains true to herself and her own unique path.
Line by Line Meaning
Mirar rasgado, patitas chuecas
María walks with a torn and ragged look, with her feet dragging along in the hot sand filled with all her sorrows.
María va pisando penas, la arena ardiente
María walks on the burning sand, crushing all her worries beneath her feet.
María va calcina el monte un sol de fuego
As María walks, the scorching sun burns the surrounding mountains, leaving nothing but ash.
María va temor pombero, palmar estero
As María walks, she feels the fear of the pombero, a mythical creature that lives in the palm groves.
María va
María keeps walking despite all the obstacles and dangers.
Quiso la siesta ponerle un niño a su soledad
María wanted to ease her loneliness by having a child to keep her company.
De trigo y luna y de su mano
She dreams of her little one, surrounded by the warmth of the wheat fields and the light of the moon, holding her hand.
María va, por el tabacal, tu paso
María walks to the rhythm of her footsteps through the tobacco field.
María va y se bebe el sol que huele a duende
As María walks, she drinks in the sun's rays, imbued with the enchanting fragrance of magic.
Andando el verano de sol y chicharra
In the summer heat, with the sound of cicadas in the background, María keeps walking.
A flores del monte, María, olía tu pueblo
As María walks, she smells the flowers of the mountain, reminding her of her hometown.
Un tren perezoso, resuello y resuello
She hears the sound of a lazy train, chugging along slowly.
A calle regada, María, olía tu pueblo
As she nears her hometown, she smells the familiar scent of freshly-watered streets.
A pura inocencia de niño pueblero
She reminisces on her childhood, filled with pure innocence of a child growing up in a small town.
A calle regada, a flores del monte
The streets of her hometown are filled with the scent of mountain flowers.
María va, María va, María va, María va, María va
Despite all the challenges she faces, María keeps going, step by step.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Antonio Tarrago Ros
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
The Black Source Moniek Black
María, María es un don
es el sueño, el dolor
de una fuerza que nos alerta
una mujer que merece vivir
y amar como otra mujer del planeta
María, María es el Sol
es calor, es sudor
y una lágrima que corre lenta
de una gente que ríe
cuando debe llorar
y no vive,
apenas aguanta
Pero hace falta la fuerza
hace falta la raza
hacen falta las ganas, siempre
dentro del cuerpo y las marcas
María, María confunde dolor y alegría
Pero hace falta la maía,
hace falta la gracia
hacen falta los sueños, siempre
entre la piel y esas marcas
posee la extraña man'a
de creer en la vida
Una mujer que merece vivir
y amar como otra mujer del planeta
De una gente que ríe
cuando debe llorar
y no vive,
apenas aguanta.
Erich Ariel
Hermosa canción de Milton Nascimiento, le quedo a mercedes hermosa la interpretación, escucho esta música desde niño; estaba viendo que el año de este álbum es el mismo de mi nacimiento, más para recordarla por siempre, gracias Meche por tanto.
The Black Source Moniek Black
María, María es un don
es el sueño, el dolor
de una fuerza que nos alerta
una mujer que merece vivir
y amar como otra mujer del planeta
María, María es el Sol
es calor, es sudor
y una lágrima que corre lenta
de una gente que ríe
cuando debe llorar
y no vive,
apenas aguanta
Pero hace falta la fuerza
hace falta la raza
hacen falta las ganas, siempre
dentro del cuerpo y las marcas
María, María confunde dolor y alegría
Pero hace falta la maía,
hace falta la gracia
hacen falta los sueños, siempre
entre la piel y esas marcas
posee la extraña man'a
de creer en la vida
Una mujer que merece vivir
y amar como otra mujer del planeta
De una gente que ríe
cuando debe llorar
y no vive,
apenas aguanta.
Makiko v
Tuve el privilegio de escuchar a La Negra en Mendoza, cerrando su espectáculo con María, María. No hay palabras para explicar la energía que desplegada Mercedes, pequeñita de talla, pero que parecía gigantesca, con esa voz resonando en el anfiteatro mendocino. Ponía la piel de gallina. POrque sentía esta canción, porque habla de todas las mujeres que sufrimos , que amamos, que miramos para adelante a pesar de las marcas de la tristeza, de la pobreza!
Maritza Rivas
Esta es la canción que mas me gusta oir cantar a Mercedes Sosa, la vi en un concierto cuando yo tenía 15 año... Negra eres única inolvidable!!!
PIPY BALENA
Me emocione después de más de 30 años oírla ..recordé mí primaria mis compañeros. Q hoy siguen a mí lado ..q hermosa canción en el salón d actos en clase de música .
papitokiko
Ver esa imagen de Mercedes Sosa, me provoca pensar en la Madre Tierra, Gaia. Tierna y ponderosa al mismo tiempo. Ver la herencia de nuestra cultura nativa desde Alaska hasta la Patagonia en esa sonrisa y sentir el poder en esa voz.
Sak Arbik
La Voz de la Madre Tierra. Gracias, Mercedes, Ser de Luz
gretty ramirez
Hermosa versión Jamas la había escuchado.... y tengo la piel erizada
Aline Couto
É uma canção de um cantor aqui do Brasil🇧🇷, chamado Milton Nascimento🇧🇷 que fez para sua mãe. Milton a compôs junto com Fernando Brant🇧🇷 e a cantora Mercedes Sosa regravou. É uma música muito admirada e conhecida pelos Brasileiros!
Toda mulher, tem um pouco de Maria! 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷
Metamorfose_Ambulante
Gracias! Yo soy brasileño e me gusta mucho de esto versión. Jamas la había escuchado.