Becoming involved in music since he was 15, in 1979 he and his brother Alejandro formed underground rock band ZAS. The following year he managed to contact Queen frontman Freddie Mercury and gain a spot on stage as the opening act for the British group for their Buenos Aires concerts. He turned ZAS into one of the most important argentine rock bands of the early 80s.
In 1986, Mateos recorded in the United States his first solo album (officially, but in practice he still used members of ZAS as supporting band). With a much more polished sound, and greater pop accessibility than the ZAS works, Mateos jumped on the crest of the wave of Argentine rock acts that dominated the 1986-1988 period all over Latin America, Spain, and elsewhere.
Solos en América was considered a watershed album containing cuts that would become classics of Rock en Español from that time, including the homonymous track, "Cuando Seas Grande", and "Mi Sombra en la Pared".
Riding a wave of massive popularity in Mexico, Mateos introduced the slogan "Rock en tu Idíoma" (Rock In Your Language) in 1987. He began touring that nation, introducing along the way local acts such as Caifanes and Maldita Vecindad, among others. All those groups would become major acts in their own right within a short period. In the 1987-1988 Mateos would tour Latin America to sell-out stadiums.[1] He was among the first Rock en Español acts to receive active support from fledgling MTV International.
The 1990s would be a period of continued solo success for Mateos and his now adult-pop rock music across the Spanish-speaking world, though ironically he would drop off somewhat in popularity in his homeland. In general, what in the rest of Latin America is considered rock, in Argentina tends to be seen as pop. This has sometimes led to cultural confusion about how to categorize the current Miguel Mateos musical output, as outside Argentina Mateos remains an iconic figure of the Rock en Español movement.
Mateos went on the so-called first Rock en Español tour of the United States in 1990, where he was awared the Bravo Musical Award. He released Bar Imperio in 1998 and after a hiatus released Uno in 2005.
Locomundo
Miguel Mateos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Educación, libertad, independencia
No lo da el progreso
Ni tampoco lo da la ciencia
Veo luz en los ministerios
Acaso tienen fiesta
Nadie se hace cargo
No saben, no contestan, oh no
Ya sin rumbo vas
Locomundo
A ellos les queda una bala
Y cien millones de dólares nuevos
A mí me queda un peso
Y cien millones de formas de vencerlo
Su amor, amor al dinero
Y su "reality show"
Críticas nerviosas desalmadas su desamor
Locomundo gira sin parar
Ya sin rumbo vas a estallar
Lejana tierra mía
La vida es una herida absurda
El hombre es un arma
De algunos gobiernos
Y la soledad es pornográfica
Tierra, techo, pan, salud
Educación, libertad, independencia
Nena, no lo da el progreso
Tampoco lo da la ciencia
Loco, loco Locomundo contra la pared
Sólo quiero amor y vos sólo quieres
Sólo quieres co
The lyrics of Miguel Mateos's song Locomundo speak about the troubles and issues that society faces in terms of basic necessities such as land, a roof over one's head, food, health, education, freedom, and independence. The singer brings to light the fact that progress and science do not provide these things, and instead, he sees light in the offices of governmental ministries. However, they seem to be ignoring the issues, and no one takes responsibility or provides any answers. Meanwhile, the world keeps turning, and Locomundo, meaning the crazy world, continues its endless rotation without any sense of direction or purpose.
The song's lyrics also acknowledge the difference in the distribution of wealth, with some people having access to a bullet and a hundred million dollars in comparison to the singer, who has only one peso but a hundred million ways to overcome his troubles. Additionally, Mateos criticizes the prevalence of reality television, calling it a manifestation of society's love for money rather than genuine human connections.
Overall, the song conveys a sense of helplessness towards the world's issues, and the singer longs for love and human affection in a world increasingly driven by money and material possessions.
Line by Line Meaning
Tierra, techo, pan, salud
The essentials for a life worth living, which are access to land, shelter, food, and healthcare.
Educación, libertad, independencia
The fundamental rights that make us free individuals and independent thinkers, which are access to education, freedom, and independence.
No lo da el progreso
Progress and technological advancement cannot provide these basic necessities and rights on their own.
Ni tampoco lo da la ciencia
Science and innovation alone cannot provide these basic necessities and rights to everyone.
Veo luz en los ministerios
In the government, there are signs of improvement and positive changes happening.
Acaso tienen fiesta
Perhaps the government officials are celebrating the appearance of improvement, but there is much more work to be done.
Nadie se hace cargo
No one takes responsibility for the ongoing issues and struggles that still exist in society today.
No saben, no contestan, oh no
The government officials and leaders are not providing answers or solutions to the problems that are being faced by the people they represent.
Locomundo gira sin parar
The world and all its issues continue to spin out of control relentlessly.
Ya sin rumbo vas
As we continue to move forward, it feels as though we are drifting without any clear direction or purpose.
A ellos les queda una bala
The wealthy and powerful still have access to resources and options to protect themselves.
Y cien millones de dólares nuevos
The rich have endless amounts of new resources at their disposal, while the poor struggle with little to no monetary resources.
A mí me queda un peso
As an ordinary person, I have very limited financial resources and struggle to make ends meet.
Y cien millones de formas de vencerlo
Despite my lack of financial resources, I am determined to find creative and innovative ways to overcome my struggles and move forward.
Su amor, amor al dinero
The love of money is the root of all evil, and the pursuit of wealth is a misguided aim.
Y su "reality show"
Modern society is obsessed with reality TV shows and preoccupied with superficial and meaningless distractions.
Críticas nerviosas desalmadas su desamor
Society is plagued with callous and heartless criticism, and a general lack of empathy and compassion for others.
Locomundo gira sin parar
The world and all its issues continue to spin out of control relentlessly.
Ya sin rumbo vas a estallar
As we continue to drift aimlessly, it feels as though we are on the brink of catastrophe, ready to explode at any moment.
Lejana tierra mía
The poet is nostalgic for a place and time, a homeland that feels far away and long gone.
La vida es una herida absurda
Life is a senseless and painful wound, with no reason or purpose behind it.
El hombre es un arma
Man is a weapon with the power to inflict both great good and great evil upon the world.
De algunos gobiernos
Some governments use their power to further their own agenda and interests, rather than serving the people they are meant to represent.
Y la soledad es pornográfica
Solitude is an explicit and taboo condition that is kept hidden and unacknowledged by society.
Loco, loco Locomundo contra la pared
The world as we know it is in a state of crisis and facing major challenges that may seem insurmountable.
Sólo quiero amor y vos sólo quieres
All the poet wants is love and human connection, but society seems more concerned with materialistic pursuits and achieving personal glory and gain.
Sólo quieres co
All you seem to want is sex and physical pleasure, without any deeper emotional or spiritual connection.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind