Early life and career
His parents were Nicasio Armas Figueroa and Modesta Enguaima Hernandez. He has four brothers and sisters; Domingo, Algeria, Felipa and Margoth. When he was nine his family traveled from Los Guatacaros to Caño Morocho near Zaraza, and it was there at the age of 11, that he began to take part with local musicians in parrandas and dances. At the age of twelve composes his first song: Mi Primer Amor (My first Love). At the age of 15 makes debut in a dominical program of Radio Zaraza lead by Pompeyo Higuera, soon he enters in the gaita group Los Bravos de la Loma for which he composed several carols and aguinaldos, under the direction of the teacher Jose Antonio Blanca of the Copleros de Unare.
At the age of 16, participates in a contrapunteo festival that was made in El Faro club, and makes trophy and money from the attending public. With 17 years travels to Caracas, and started to sing in night clubs, but for folkloric music, there were only a few clubs available.
His first idol was José Romero Bello, a very respected singer and composer and one of the first interpreters of “Florentino y el Diablo”, also next to El Carrao de Palmarito. Reynaldo Armas was baptized with the pseudonym El Cardenal Sabanero when he traveled with Romero Bello to San Fernando de Apure and participated in the festival “Cantaclaro de Oro” singing a version of the Florentino de Oro. This was in 1973, and he obtained second place out of 18 participants. In 1975 he returned to the festival and took first place, the same in Valencia, Venezuela with the “Cucarachero de Oro”, in San Carlos of Austria wins as composer, the Miranda de Oro in Los Teques and many but like contrapunteador and solo singer. Between 1975 and 1976 he records two singles, first with the name: Mi primer Amor y Cariño fingido and the second: Recorriendo a Venezuela and El Revolucionario.
In 1977 Reynaldo Armas records his first LP with the support of Rafael Martínez Arteaga El Cazador Novato, that in that time was with greatly popular in Venezuela and Colombia with several folkloric poems. Yo También quiero cantar was the name of that album, it was not a success in the radios, because in that time the folk music only sounded in certain programs at night and in the TV wasn't widely available.
In 1978, with the LP La inspiración del poeta, Reynaldo begins his popularity around the country, a folk music with romanticism, penetrating the most important cities conquering the market and public of different ages and gender, becoming a Messiah for the llanero music.
From then on it has been a parade of successes without parallel; the prizes and recognitions come and go and as do the decorations. Prizes like the Guaicaipuro de Oro, Meridiano, Ronda, Mara, Cacique, Tiuna, Venus, among others.
He has written more than three hundred songs and has recorded twenty-six albums, all with his own compositions, except three songs from the first album, that belong to El Cazador Novato. He constantly travels to Colombia where has a parallel market, also to the United States and Europe. Reynaldo Armas is certainly one of the most important venezuelan folk singers of all time.
Mi Amigo el Camino
Reynaldo Armas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
la frescura de un ambiente natural
un trinar de pajarillo, primor de un campo florido
bajo un cielo vegetal.
un trinar de pajarillo, primor de un campo florido
bajo un cielo vegetal.
y me dijo que nunca fuese a llorar
el bien sabe que la vida esta llena de sorpresas
y hay que perder y ganar.
el bien sabe que la vida esta llena de sorpresas
y hay que perder y ganar.
Unos suben y otros bajan
todo tiene su final
se apagarían las estrellas
si con la mano se lograran alcanzar
para existir los colores
tiene que haber dimensiones
con calor de humanidad.
Mi amigo el camino sin exigir recompensa
me acompaña desde el jagüey hasta el mar
zarpa la barca del tiempo y concierto de gaviotas
me invita para soñar.
zarpa la barca del tiempo y concierto de gaviotas
me invita para soñar.
Mi amigo el camino me enseñó a cruzar los ríos
el estero la montaña y el palmar
dio matiz a mi canción refrescó mi inspiración
con brisas del chaparral.
dio matiz a mi canción refrescó mi inspiración
con brisas del chaparral.
Camino triste que hiciste
un día tendrá que llegar
voy a seguir esos pasos
aunque mañana me pierda en la soledad
ojalá nunca me canse
nunca me canse para nunca regresar.
In Reynaldo Armas's song "Mi Amigo El Camino," the lyrics express a deep appreciation for the friendship and guidance that the road has provided. The singer describes how the road has given them the gift of nature, with a chorus of chirping birds and blooming fields under a vegetal sky. The road has also been a source of comfort, advising the singer not to cry in the face of life's surprises and losses. The road has taught them many things, including how to cross rivers, navigate through mountains, and find inspiration in the cooling breezes of the chaparral.
The third stanza takes a more philosophical approach, contemplating the universal truths behind the road's teachings. The stanza posits that everything has an end - people rise and fall, stars go out, and colors require depth and substance to exist. The road's friendship, then, comes without the expectation of reward. Rather, it is an invitation to dream and sail to new places and experiences. The final stanza solidifies the bond between the singer and the road, with the former committed to following in the latter's footsteps and finding new ways to persevere through life's trials without ever losing sight of the road's guidance.
Line by Line Meaning
Mi amigo el camino me regaló con ternura
The road gifted me with tenderness and affection
la frescura de un ambiente natural
the freshness of a natural environment
un trinar de pajarillo, primor de un campo florido
the chirping of birds, charm of a flowery field
bajo un cielo vegetal.
under a vegetative sky.
Mi amigo el camino también me dio su consuelo
The road also gave me solace
y me dijo que nunca fuese a llorar
and told me to never cry.
el bien sabe que la vida esta llena de sorpresas
It knows that life is full of surprises.
y hay que perder y ganar.
and you have to win and lose.
Unos suben y otros bajan
Some rise while others fall
todo tiene su final
Everything has an end
se apagarían las estrellas
The stars would go out
si con la mano se lograran alcanzar
if we could reach them with our hands
para existir los colores
For colors to exist
tiene que haber dimensiones
there have to be dimensions
con calor de humanidad.
with warmth of humanity.
Mi amigo el camino sin exigir recompensa
The road, without asking for anything in return
me acompaña desde el jagüey hasta el mar
accompanies me from the pond to the sea.
zarpa la barca del tiempo y concierto de gaviotas
The ship of time sets sail with a chorus of seagulls
me invita para soñar.
invites me to dream.
Mi amigo el camino me enseñó a cruzar los ríos
The road taught me how to cross rivers
el estero la montaña y el palmar
the stream, the mountain and palm trees.
dio matiz a mi canción refrescó mi inspiración
gave hue to my song, refreshed my inspiration
con brisas del chaparral.
with breezes of the chaparral.
Camino triste que hiciste
Sad road you have made
un día tendrá que llegar
one day it will have to come
voy a seguir esos pasos
I'm going to follow those footsteps
aunque mañana me pierda en la soledad
even if tomorrow I lose myself in solitude.
ojalá nunca me canse
hopefully, I'll never get tired
nunca me canse para nunca regresar.
never tire so I never have to go back.
Contributed by Alexandra T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.