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.
Lehenbiziko Bala
Negu Gorriak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Arbaso zaharren etxean.
Udaberria aurrean.
Negu gorria atzean.
Eten da nire haria
Pasa dena pasatzean.
Hilotza dago larrean
Bizitzarekin jolasean
Bizitzarekin jolasean
Lehenbiziko bala
Baserriko lanetan
Zebilen alaba
Ta patuak jo zion
Bihotzaren aldaba.
Bere bide beretik
Erori zen ama
Aita ezin jasanez
Bizitzaren zama
Bere burua urkatuz
Joan zen besteengana
Lehenbiziko bala
Itxaurrondoan dagoen
Belearen kanta
Bere mokoan behera
Doan odol tanta.
Osabak esan zizkidan
Hitzen zalaparta:
Gogoratzen al zara
Nola hil zen aita
Bere era berean
Hilko zara baita.
Lehenbiziko bala
Maldizio beltz hori
Gainean dudala
Baserritik banoa
Inondik inora
Bizitzaren bideak
Itxi zaizkit ala?
Dena begi zorrotzez
Ikusten dudala,
Karabinan sartzen det
Lehenbiziko bala.
Lehenbiziko bala
The lyrics to Negu Gorriak’s song ‘Lehenbiziko Bala’ delve into themes of life, death, and the passage of time. The first verse of the song speaks of the singer’s birth in his grandparents’ farmhouse, with spring in front of him and the red winter behind him. The imagery suggests the singer is looking back on his life and the events that have led up to where he is now. The phrase ‘eten da nire haria, pasa dena pasatzean’ (my sail is down, all that has happened has passed) further supports the idea of the singer reflecting on his past.
The second verse tells the story of a daughter who worked on her family farm and was beaten by her father for her heart’s desire. The words ‘bihotzaren aldaba’ (the heart’s threshold) suggest that the daughter was beaten for wanting to follow her heart and not the tradition of the family. The father, unable to cope with the loss of his daughter, took his own life. The singer raises the question, ‘Nola hil zen aita?’ (How did the father die?) and hints at the possibility that the father may have killed himself due to remorse or guilt.
The song’s final verse expresses a sense of confusion and uncertainty about life’s path. The singer questions whether he has closed all the paths of his life or whether there are other, more difficult, paths that he is yet to take. The phrase ‘Maldizio beltz hori, gainean dudala’ (that black curse, hovering above) further emphasizes the sense of foreboding and uncertainty about the future.
Line by Line Meaning
Baserrian jaio nintzen
I was born in the countryside
Arbaso zaharren etxean.
In an old house in Arbaso
Udaberria aurrean.
In front of spring
Negu gorria atzean.
With the red winter behind me
Eten da nire haria
My river has stopped flowing
Pasa dena pasatzean.
When everything that happens goes by
Hilotza dago larrean
Death is in the ground
Bizitzarekin jolasean
Playing with life
Hilotza dago larrean
Death is in the ground
Bizitzarekin jolasean
Playing with life
Lehenbiziko bala
The first bullet
Baserriko lanetan
In the chores of the farmhouse
Zebilen alaba
The lost daughter
Ta patuak jo zion
And the shots hit her
Bihotzaren aldaba.
The key to her heart
Bere bide beretik
From her own path
Erori zen ama
Her mother fell
Aita ezin jasanez
Her father couldn't bear
Bizitzaren zama
The burden of life
Bere burua urkatuz
He killed himself
Joan zen besteengana
He went to join the others
Lehenbiziko bala
The first bullet
Itxaurrondoan dagoen
In the narrow valley
Belearen kanta
The song of the ox
Bere mokoan behera
With its muzzle lowered
Doan odol tanta.
Blood flowing freely
Osabak esan zizkidan
The uncles told him
Hitzen zalaparta:
The incoherent words
Gogoratzen al zara
Do you remember
Nola hil zen aita
How father died
Bere era berean
In his own way
Hilko zara baita.
You will also die
Lehenbiziko bala
The first bullet
Maldizio beltz hori
That dark curse
Gainean dudala
Looming above me
Baserritik banoa
I come from the countryside
Inondik inora
From all over
Bizitzaren bideak
The paths of life
Itxi zaizkit ala?
Have they closed for me?
Dena begi zorrotzez
Everything with sharp eyes
Ikusten dudala,
I see
Karabinan sartzen det
I insert the cartridge
Lehenbiziko bala.
The first bullet
Writer(s): negu gorriak
Contributed by Charlotte D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
thunder bracker
Naci en el caserio
en la casa de mis antepasados.
La primavera por delante.´
El invierno rojo detras.
Se ha roto nuestro hilo
al pasar lo q ha pasado.
El cadaver esta en el prado
jugando con la vida
trabajando en el caserio
andaba la hija
y el destino le dio
la aldaba del corazon.
Por su mismo camino
cayo la madre
papa sin poder soportarlo
la carga de la vida
ahorcandose
se fue donde los demas.
La cancion del grajo
q esta en el nogal,
la gota de sangre
q baja por su pico.
Me dijo mi tio
se murio la txalaparta
Te acuerdas
como murio papa?
al igual q el moriras
tu tambien.
Esa negra maldicion
q tengo encima
me voy del caserio
de ninguna parte a ningun lado
los caminos de la vida
se me han cerrado?
mientras miro todo
con mirada aguda
meto en la carabina
la primera bala.
thunder bracker
Naci en el caserio
en la casa de mis antepasados.
La primavera por delante.´
El invierno rojo detras.
Se ha roto nuestro hilo
al pasar lo q ha pasado.
El cadaver esta en el prado
jugando con la vida
trabajando en el caserio
andaba la hija
y el destino le dio
la aldaba del corazon.
Por su mismo camino
cayo la madre
papa sin poder soportarlo
la carga de la vida
ahorcandose
se fue donde los demas.
La cancion del grajo
q esta en el nogal,
la gota de sangre
q baja por su pico.
Me dijo mi tio
se murio la txalaparta
Te acuerdas
como murio papa?
al igual q el moriras
tu tambien.
Esa negra maldicion
q tengo encima
me voy del caserio
de ninguna parte a ningun lado
los caminos de la vida
se me han cerrado?
mientras miro todo
con mirada aguda
meto en la carabina
la primera bala.
TittoNesta
Esta cancion es original de Fermin, en Negu Gorriak, y como tributo TTM la saco en Dale Aborigen, Fermin los acompaño al grabarla TTM hizo una gira con Negu por toda Europa
Simón Medrano
Fidel y Fermín formaron parte de Mano Negra, junto con Manu Chao; por esas épocas músicos de ambas bandas compartían escenarios y colaboraban en discos como "Casa Babylon", "Dale Aborígen", etc.. Antes y después de eso, Fidel participó de discos solistas de Fermín y de Manu; Iñago Muguruza también participó con TTM, y su banda Joxé Ripiau grabó con Amparanoia; Amparo también grabó con Fermín y Manu, y ellos también participaron en sus discos, etc.... Todos con todos. Una verdadera orgía musical.
Rosa M Zarza
Fermín , Fidel y Manu participaron con un Grupo llamado Tijuana No!
carlos martin
Fermín Muguruza jamás formó parte de Mano Negra.
Manu Chao formó Mano Negra en los 80, cuando NG no existía; entonces Muguruza estaba en Kortatu.
Por otro lado, los discos de Mano Negra, y de Manu Chao; son una patraña.
Y este video clip, una gilipollez; sobretodo si entiendes lo que dice.
Le maik
Es curioso haberse acostumbrado a kortatu y luego ver a fermin en una banda totalmente diferente.
Zeze Nou
Ke groso esta banda la escuché cuando tenia 13 años! hoy tengo el doble jajaja... vamos neguuu!!!
Donde va la mente va el Qì
Y hoy casi el triple jajajjajajaj TOMA RECUERDO!!!!**
Guillermo antonio Correa reyes
Yo amo este grupo
Nova. A. L. T.
Todos tus muertos fueron una banda muy cercana a Fermin Muguruza y Negu Gorriak, y Fermin grabó este tema con ellos. De hecho TTM grababan en el sello discográfico de NG: Esan Ozenki.