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.
Kaixo
Negu Gorriak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bizitza agurtzen besterik ez denean,
Etorkizunaren ikuspen erakusketa baten
Negarrez hasten da...
Eta gurasoak pozik...
Pozik oraindik
Eta umea negarrez...
Edonoren heriotzean
Bizitza agurtzen besterik ez denean,
Egurrezko kutxa baten aldamenean
Jendea negarrez hasten da...
Eta senide guztiak triste...
Denak oso triste daude
Eta defuntua ixilik...
Ixil, ixilik dago
Bizitzaren txorakeriak,
Hasi ta bukatu negarrez
Hauxe duk hauxe...
In the first stanza of Negu Gorriak's "Kaixo", the lyrics delve into the melancholic state that people undergo when introducing themselves to life at birth and when bidding farewell at death. When someone is born, they are introduced to a future that is unknown and uncertain, causing sorrow and fear. On the other hand, death marks the inevitable end of life and when the living have to bid farewell to their loved ones, everything becomes sad and mournful. Despite this, parents may be happy at the beginning of their child's life, but as they watch them grow up and face the harsh realities of life, they become quite sad. Children, in turn, are ignorant to the difficulties of life, but grow up to realize the harsh truths and are saddened by this experience.
The second stanza discusses the aftermath of a person's death. It highlights the sorrow-filled atmosphere which fills the room after the death of an individual. The floor is covered with wooden caskets, and the people present are sad and mournful. All of the deceased's relatives are grieving, and they prefer to keep quiet rather than making noise. Sorrow, which is the constant and inevitable companion of life, begins and ends with tears.
Line by Line Meaning
Edonor jaiotzerakoan
At the moment of birth...
Bizitza agurtzen besterik ez denean,
When life bids farewell, and nothing else remains...
Etorkizunaren ikuspen erakusketa baten
A preview of the future is shown...
Negarrez hasten da...
It begins with sadness...
Eta gurasoak pozik...
And the parents are happy...
Pozik oraindik
Still happy...
Eta umea negarrez...
While the child is sadly...
Negarrez uluaka.
Growing up amidst sadness.
Edonoren heriotzean
At the moment of anyone's death...
Bizitza agurtzen besterik ez denean,
When life bids farewell, and nothing else remains...
Egurrezko kutxa baten aldamenean
Behind the lid of a wooden box...
Jendea negarrez hasten da...
People start grieving...
Eta senide guztiak triste...
And all the relatives are sad...
Denak oso triste daude
Everyone is very sad...
Eta defuntua ixilik...
And the deceased is silent...
Ixil, ixilik dago
Silent and still
Bizitzaren txorakeriak,
The ups and downs of life...
Hasi ta bukatu negarrez
Beginning and ending with sorrow...
Hauxe duk hauxe...
That's how it is, that's how it goes...
Contributed by Riley O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
IberianRainbow
esta canción es de las que te puede hacer saltar por la ventana (olvidando que no puedes volar) vaya subidon de adrenalina!!!
paul le berre
ouf!!!!!!!!!!
en breton ?
Ojo de Pez
Que recuerdos, se me pone la piel de gallina con este tema!
José Ma Cabañas Raigón
Enorme temón con una letraza simple en la forma pero gigante en el mensaje de fondo...Salut desde L'Hospitalet (Barna)
BIG CHANGVS
Soy Andaluz y estoy orgulloso de que mi apellido sea de origen Vasco, viva Euskal herria y viva Andalucia!
Esteban Luxeternal
Desde URUGUAY UN SALUDO ENORME A EUZKADI UN GRAN PAIS CON GENTE MARAVILLOSA, BIETAN JARRAI HERRIA ZUREKIN! LOS QUEREMOS MUCHO, VIVA EL PUEBLO VASCO!!!!!
Fernando Lara
Nunca he estado en Euskadi, pero me encantaría ir. Buena tierra, buena gente. Un saludo desde Andalucía.
Brian Peraza
¡Mila esker por toda la música, Negu Gorriak! Saludos de un salvadoreño desde un pueblecillo en USA.
Pedro Sanchez
saludos hermano
Brian Peraza
¡Saludos!