In 1991 two new members will become part of the group: Mikel Kazalis (Anestesia) and Mikel Abrego (Bap!!), incrementing considerably the quality and depth of music of the band. In that year they also created Esan Ozenki (say it out loud, in Basque), their own record label. Published in 1991, Gure Jarrera would make Negu Gorriak both famous (as the most solid group of the Basque music rock scene) and infamous (for the song Ustelkeria, which will lead to them to court).
The band's next output (Gora Herria) would be an EP with covers and dub music remixes with the collaboration of their friend Manu Chao. This can be consider a "bridge work" that separates Negu Gorriak early efforts and their 1993 Borreruak Baditu Milaka Aurpegi (The hangman is the man of the thousand faces, a verse from to writer Bernardo Atxaga), perhaps the best record of their career. In it the guitars grow angry, and the lyrics become more poetic and somewhat less political; feelings take over and there are clears notes of frustration and pain. Musically, the record moves from hip hop to punk to ska and rock with extreme naturality.
One year later Idea Zabaldu (Spread the Idea) was released. The influence of long visits to Latin America (and the Zapatista revolution) and the birth of Fermin Muguruza's son is not small. The band has grown mature and children mortality in the third world and AIDS are very present both in the lyrics and also in the tone of the recording. Not so angry and aggressive, Idea Zabaldu would be their last recording with original songs.
Salam Agur would be Negu Gorriak's last album. In it they decided to salute their friends and music influences by covering some of their favourite songs. Influential artists covered were BAP!!, Otis Redding, The Who, Macka B, Minor Threat, Bob Marley, Public Enemy, The Clash, Redskins, Poison Idea, Errobi, Dead Kennedys, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Anestesia and NWA. Once again, as it happened with Kortatu they decided to disband the group in order to avoid creative settling, in practice in 1996, but officially not until 2001 when they finnaly won the trial for the song Ustelkeria.
Bi Doberman Beltz
Negu Gorriak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
kutxako bulego zentralean
hogeita bederatzi urte dituen
arana jaunaren soilunea
hozten du aire girotuak.
hari musikalari kateaturik
paul mauriaten orkestrak
nirvanaren kanta eskaini dio:
burutik pasatuko zaio,
ateratako azken distortsioa
sistemak irentsi egin duela,
berak ilea galdu
baino bizkorrago.
lana bukatu bezain pronto
amorrua nagusituko da,
kreditoz ordaintzen ari den
etxebizitzako egongelan.
epeka-epeka erosi zuen
hifi kate musikalean
rollins banden poderioa
"isiltasunaren amaiera".
jbl bafleetatik
musikaren ordez,
betortzak erakusten
atera dira bi doberman beltz
bilatzen eta suntsitzen.
bi doberman beltz,
bilatzen eta suntsitzen
bi doberman beltz,
bilatzen eta suntsitzen
lilurapenean henriettari
zu hiltzea eskatuko diozu,
baina berak bizkarra emanda
"bilatu eta suntsitu"
leituko duzu
eta tatuaturiko eguzkia
balantza erraldoia bihurtuko da.
alde batean: justizia,
kontrapisuan: egia.
orduan robert de nirok
irrifar bat eskainiko dizu
pelikuletan ez bezala,
errealitatean
izuak ez baitu mugarik
zure masailean koxka sentitzean
konturatuko zara zergatik
dedikatu zion anibal lecterrek
oskar saria bere amari.
hurrengo egunean
kristalez beste aldean
seguro egoteko, atzerapen
mekanismo eta alarma
dispositiboz babesturik dago.
dirua zenbatzean oroituko da,
banku atrakatzaile bat
izan nahi zuela.
laster handiagotuko du
buruaz beste egiten dutenen
zerrenda.
bi doberman beltz,
bilatzen eta suntsitzen
bi doberman beltz,
bilatzen eta suntsitzen
bi doberman beltz.
#dos doberman negros#:
en la oficina central
de la caja de ahorros,
el aire acondicionado
enfría la calva del señor arana
con sus 29 años.
encadenado al hilo musical,
la orquesta de paul mauriat
le ha dedicado una aburguesada
versión del tema de nirvana:
"desprende olor a espíritu joven".
entonces se le pasa por la cabeza,
que el sistema ha sido capaz
de absorver la última distorsión
más rápido que su pérdida
progresiva de cabello.
al terminar la jornada laboral,
la rabia se adueñará
en la sala de estar
de la vivienda
que está pagando mediante
un crédito.
en la cadena musical hifi,
que compró a plazos,
el poderío de la rollins band
marca "el fin del silencio".
de los bafles jbl en lugar
de música salen
dos doberman negros
enseñando sus colmillos,
buscando y destruyendo.
dos doberman negros.
buscando y destruyendo.
en la alucinación,
pedirás a henrietta
que te mate,
pero él te dará la espalda
y podrás leer: "buscar, destruir"
el tatuado sol se convertirá
en una balanza gigante:
en un lado justicia
y en el contrapeso verdad.
entonces robert de niro
te ofrecerá una sonrisa
pues al contrario
que en las películas,
en la realidad el miedo
no conoce fronteras.
cuando sientas el mordisco
en la mejilla te darás cuenta
porqué anibal lecter
dedicó el (premio)
oscar a su madre.
al día siguiente,
al otro lado del cristal
y para su seguridad,
está protegido mediante
un mecanismo de retardo
y un dispositivo de alarma.
contando el dinero,
recordará que un día
quiso ser atracador de bancos.
pronto aumentará
la lista de suicidios.
dos doberman negros.
buscando y destruyendo.
dos doberman negros.
The song "Bi Doberman Beltz" by Negu Gorriak is a fast-paced, intense and politically charged song that critiques society's capitalist values and the effects it has on people. The song's lyrics paint a picture of a man named Arana, who works in a bank's central office, listening to elevator music and dreaming of being a bank robber. The song seems to be a critique of people who become complacent in their jobs and lives and the consequences of those choices. The song paints a picture of a culture that values money over people, and how that leads to destruction.
The song is full of political and social commentary, as is typical of Negu Gorriak's music. The band was known for being outspoken about Basque nationalism, socialism and anti-capitalist values, which made them controversial in Spain in the late 80s and early 90s. The song's lyrics critique consumerism, greed and the artificiality of modern life. The song uses metaphors of two black Doberman dogs searching and destroying to symbolize the destructive consequences of a society that values money above all else.
Line by Line Meaning
kutxako bulego zentralean
In the central office of the savings bank
hogeita bederatzi urte dituen
With twenty-nine years
arana jaunaren soilunea
The baldness of Mr. Arana
hozten du aire girotuak.
Being cooled by the air conditioning
hari musikalari kateaturik
Chained to the background musical
paul mauriaten orkestrak
The orchestra of Paul Mauriat
nirvanaren kanta eskaini dio:
Offers the song of Nirvana:
"izpiritu gaztearen usaina dario".
"It smells like the spirit of youth"
burutik pasatuko zaio,
It will go through his mind
ateratako azken distortsioa
The last distortion of the output
sistemak irentsi egin duela,
That the system has absorbed it
berak ilea galdu
Faster than he is losing his hair
baino bizkorrago.
That's why it is not fair.
lana bukatu bezain pronto
As soon as the work ends
amorrua nagusituko da,
The anger will grow
kreditoz ordaintzen ari den
In the living room
etxebizitzako egongelan.
Where he is paying for his home
epeka-epeka erosi zuen
He bought little by little
hifi kate musikalean
In the musical chain hifi
rollins banden poderioa
The power of the Rollins Band
"isiltasunaren amaiera".
"The end of the silence".
jbl bafleetatik
From the JBL speakers
musikaren ordez,
Instead of music
betortzak erakusten
Showing two black Dobermans
atera dira bi doberman beltz
Two black Dobermans appear
bilatzen eta suntsitzen.
Searching and destroying.
bi doberman beltz,
Two black Dobermans,
bilatzen eta suntsitzen
Searching and destroying.
lilurapenean henriettari
In the dream state to Henrietta
zu hiltzea eskatuko diozu,
You will ask her to kill you
baina berak bizkarra emanda
But she will turn her back
"bilatu eta suntsitu"
"Search and destroy"
leituko duzu
You will be left with
eta tatuaturiko eguzkia
And the tattooed sun
balantza erraldoia bihurtuko da.
Will turn into a giant scale.
alde batean: justizia,
On one side: justice,
kontrapisuan: egia.
On the counterweight: truth.
orduan robert de nirok
Then Robert De Niro
irrifar bat eskainiko dizu
Will offer a sarcastic smile
pelikuletan ez bezala,
Unlike in the movies,
errealitatean
In reality
izuak ez baitu mugarik
Fear knows no boundaries
zure masailean koxka sentitzean
As you feel the bite on your cheek
konturatuko zara zergatik
You will realize why
dedikatu zion anibal lecterrek
Anibal Lecter dedicated it
oskar saria bere amari.
The Oscar Award to his mother.
hurrengo egunean
The next day
kristalez beste aldean
On the other side of the glass
seguro egoteko, atzerapen
Protected by a delay mechanism
mekanismo eta alarma
And an alarm device
dispositiboz babesturik dago.
It will be stored safely.
dirua zenbatzean oroituko da,
While counting the money,
banku atrakatzaile bat
He will remember that he wanted
izan nahi zuela.
To be a bank robber.
laster handiagotuko du
Soon the list
buruaz beste egiten dutenen
Of those who commit suicide
zerrenda.
Will grow larger.
dos doberman negros
Two black Dobermans
buscando y destruyendo.
Searching and destroying.
dos doberman negros.
Two black Dobermans.
buscando y destruyendo.
Searching and destroying.
Contributed by Natalie K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Chris Jung
Bidoberman Pelz (Peter)
Chris Jung
Wir waren Mal anders