After moving to Europe in 2004 he started what has been a very fulfilling solo career which has so far produced two albums, and has taken him to tour extensively across Europe and South America. In Germany he collaborated extensively with producer Tato Gomez, with whom he recorded most of the songs on his solo debut.
In 2005, during a trip to Amsterdam, he met Philippe Lemm and together they founded Wazabe, a band that to him fells more like a family -the way it "should" be. After that, Nano moved to the dutch capital and spent a whole year playing extensively with many different bands spaning many styles; from the Colombian cumbias and vallenatos of 'La Parranda' to the gypsy swings of the 'Caspian Hat Dance'. He studied at the Jazz department of the Amsterdam conservatory and made himself a name in the local scene. During that year, several albums where recorded. Together with Pablo Fagundez, he produced Indo(cumentados)`s debut album: "Reciclaje Latinoamericano".
2007 was a busy year, Nano Stern recorded and released his second solo album "Voy y Vuelvo" which has been acclaimed by the Chilean media. Wazabe saw the release of its first LP and did another european tour. Stern also produced the recordings of Gavin Mee's secodn album "Mee Mantras" and colaborated with Manuel García and Catalonian musician Guillamino in "eXile", a multicultural project which explored the poetry writen while in exile by Pablo Neruda and Pera Cuar.
Nano currently lives between continents and is very busy -and happy- composing, producing traveling, learning and performing. Plans for the near future are an Australian tour in January 2008, a series of Folk oncerts with Matija Solce in Chile and Argentina, and another European tour in summer 2008.
El vino y el destino
Nano Stern Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dice la vieja canción.
En una copa de vino
Vencer el destino.
Pero yo prefiero el vino;
Que es una vieja poción
Que a todos nos vuelve finos
Ahora que canto del vino
Como no voy a nombrar
A mi tierra y sus caminos...
Yo no los voy a olvidar.
Cerca se quedo muy lejos,
Lejos lo cerca.
Yo me vine porque quise,
Ahora me vuelvo.
Y entremedio están las aguas
Que otra vez voy a cruzar,
Contra el viento y la marea
De esta pálida ciudad
Que no te deja ni un rato;
Que no te quiere soltar...
Yo me vine porque quise,
Ahora ya vuelvo!
The song "El vino y el destino" by Nano Stern speaks about the singer's choice between taking poison, as suggested by an old song, or drinking wine to conquer destiny. The song implies that wine is a remedy, a potion that makes us feel wonderful. Moreover, the wine teaches us how to sing and enjoy life. The author chooses to talk about wine to remind him of his roots and his past. In the next stanza, the author mentions the geographical proximity and eventual distance from his homeland, which he will always remember. The lyrics mention the struggles the writer encounters in his surroundings, with a disapproving and restrictive city that does not loosen its grip, leaving the writer no choice but to leave.
The message in this song is clear - while the singer faces a difficult situation, he decides to conquer his destiny through wine, using the drink to remind himself of his roots, his past, and to help him enjoy the present. While the lyrics mention the proximity of his homeland, it also talks about the difficulties that arise in the present, showing us that wine can be a means to face those obstacles. The song uses metaphorical lyrics to deliver a powerful message about the resilience of the human spirit in overcoming the many challenges that it faces in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Quisiera tomar veneno;
The old song says that one can defeat destiny by taking poison, but I prefer wine instead.
Dice la vieja canción.
This is what the old song says.
En una copa de vino
By drinking wine.
Vencer el destino.
Defeating destiny.
Pero yo prefiero el vino;
I prefer wine instead.
Que es una vieja poción
Wine is an old potion.
Que a todos nos vuelve finos
It makes us all refined.
Y nos enseña a cantar.
And teaches us how to sing.
Ahora que canto del vino
Now that I sing about wine.
Como no voy a nombrar
How can I not name.
A mi tierra y sus caminos...
My land and its paths...
Yo no los voy a olvidar.
I'm not going to forget them.
Cerca se quedo muy lejos,
What used to be close now seems very far.
Lejos lo cerca.
The far seems close.
Yo me vine porque quise,
I came here because I wanted to.
Ahora me vuelvo.
Now I'm going back.
Y entremedio están las aguas
And in between are the waters.
Que otra vez voy a cruzar,
That I'm going to cross again.
Contra el viento y la marea
Against the wind and the tide.
De esta pálida ciudad
Of this pale city.
Que no te deja ni un rato;
That doesn't let you go even for a moment.
Que no te quiere soltar...
That doesn't want to let you go.
Ahora ya vuelvo!
Now I'm already going back!
Contributed by Isaiah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.