Ricardo Montaner (born as Hector Eduardo Reglero Montaner on September 8, 1… Read Full Bio ↴Ricardo Montaner (born as Hector Eduardo Reglero Montaner on September 8, 1957) is an Argentine-Venezuelan singer and songwriter. Starting his career in the early 80s, he has already released more than 15 albums with numerous successful singles and over 7 million record worldwide.

Montaner was born as Héctor Eduardo Reglero Montaner, in Valentín Alsina, Buenos Aires, Argentina. However, he moved to Venezuela when he was 6 years old. During his youth he performed in the church chorus in the city of Maracaibo. In 1983, he released his first album titled Cada Día. Although the album was not a great success, it was a start for Montaner's career. He describes this album:"as his own version of death metal"

It wasn't until 1987 when Montaner became widely popular in Venezuela with the singles "Yo Que Te Amé" and "Vamos a Dejarlo" belonging to his self-titled album.

The following year he came out with Ricardo Montaner 2 which featured hit songs like "Tan Enamorados" and "A Donde Va El Amor". At the same time, he acted in the popular soap opera Niña Bonita. This also became a tool to make his songs known to the rest of Latin America. He won 4 platinum albums in Argentina alone. His next two albums, Un Toque de Misterio and En el Último Lugar del Mundo, became classics of the popular music in Mexico, Central and South America with hits such as "La Cima del Cielo", "Me Va a Extrañar", "Déjame Llorar" and "Será".

By 1992 Ricardo decided to hit the Spanish Caribbean with Los Hijos del Sol, an album that contained songs like "Castillo Azul", "Honda" and "Piel Adentro". That year, he also recorded a duet with Michelle, which was the Latinamerican version for the Aladdin song "A Whole New World" titled "Un Mundo Ideal".

Although Montaner has written most of his songs he has worked closely with other great song writers in Latin America such as Pablo Manavello, Ilan Chester and Oscar Gómez. But in 1994, Ricardo Montaner wrote and produced all the songs in his album Una Mañana y un Camino, which became popular only years after his release due to the lack of promotion by his new record label EMI Latin, with which Ricardo would also release Viene del Alma in 1995, an Italian pop flavored album. Also in 1995 he teamed up with Yolandita Monge to establish a Guinness World Record for performing 3 concerts in different cities on the same day in Puerto Rico. This was only possible by air transportation via helicopter from stage to stage.

By 1997, Montaner was already a well established artist in the Spanish speaking music world and could give himself the luxury of experimenting with other styles of music, without forgetting the roots that had made him so popular a decade earlier. Working one more time with Pablo Manavello and with a new record company, Warner Music proved to be the promoter Ricardo was expecting for. Es Así brought Ricardo much popularity in the United States Spanish speaking areas and allowed Montaner to tour more than 17 countries in Latin America making him even more popular in Spain. Songs like "La Mujer de Mi Vida", "Para Llorar" and "Es Así" became very popular all around.

In 1999, Montaner recorded his best album ever with his past hits decorated with the strings of the London Metropolitan Orchestra. This proved to be very successful and sold over 1 million copies. Ricardo made another attempt in 2001 with Sueño Repetido that included the bolero style song "Bésame" arranged by Bebu Silvetti which became a hit all over the world. Future works with Juan Carlos Calderón, Kike Santander and Silvetti would be the key for Ricardo to move his songs and popularity to another level in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

2002's Suma (Bolero style songs) and 2003's Prohibido Olvidar (balada pop) had fair results in terms of sales and acceptance. "Si Tuviera Que Elegir" in Suma was written for his daughter. In 2003 he broke the record for the most concerts on a same tour in the theater of Bellas Artes in Puerto Rico. He sold out 18 concerts breaking his past record of 12, which also held it Yolandita Monge and Ricardo Arjona.

In 2004, he made another album with the London Metropolitan Orchestra named Con La London Metropolitan Orchestra Vol. 2 featuring his latest hits songs and two exclusive songs such as "Desesperado" and "Esta Escrito". In 2005, Montaner launched Todo y Nada which featured the songs "Cuando a mi Lado Estas" and "Nada". For this album he's already nominated in the Latin Grammys with album and song of the year for "Cuando a mi Lado Estas". "Amarte es mi Pecado" and "Heridas de Amor" are non-album songs that have been chosen to be the theme songs on two very popular Mexican soap operas and that much popular have become these songs.

In 2007, Ricardo released Las Mejores Canciones Del Mundo produced by Adrian Posse with the songs "Hoy Tengo Ganas De Ti", "Nostalgias (Argen Version)", "Échame A Mí La Culpa (Artista Invitado: Juanes)".

In 2008, he released Las Mejores Canciones Del Mundo II - Y Algunas Mías...! with the songs "Cuando Un Amigo Se Va", "Ansiedad", "Bésame (Featuring Pasión Vega)".

Ricardo Montaner has sold over 22 million albums, and keeps breaking records in arenas and theaters all over the world.

Republica de la Alegria
Ricardo Montaner Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Vale la pena una mujer que se despierta sonriendo
Vale la pena ir a estudiar haciendo huelga al perder tiempo
Vale la pena amar a la niñez, vale la pena ser heroe del barrio
Y a punta de cargaras con crujir

Viva el amor en la ciudad, republica de la alegria
Y que viva la mujer q me enamore de verdad
Viva el amor en la ciudad, republica de la alegria

Que viva el buen humor, viva la vida y los cariños de mama

Vale la pena por amor hacer de tripas corazon
Vale la pena que el orgullo te lo metas al bolsillo
Vale la pena amar a tu enemigo
(Vale la pena)
Vale la pena honrar a Jesucristo
(Vale la pena)
Y en medio de la plaza hechar un grito

Viva el amor en la ciudad, republica de la alegria
Y que viva la mujer q me enamore de verdad
Viva el amor en la ciudad, republica de la alegria
Que viva el buen humor viva la vida y los cariños de mama
Y de papa tambien

Donde va, mi gente, pa' donde va
Se haga punta de machete limpiando mote pa' la ciudad, ooh
Donde va, mi gente, pa' donde va
Se rie Simon Bolivar porque ahora el mismo el que hace paz

Como tai?
Donde va
Donde va
Pa' donde va?

Donde va, mi gente, pa' donde va
Vengan todos a mi fiesta, trainganse algo para tomar
Donde va, mi gente, pa' donde va
Nos esta llamando Quique para contarnos que se acaso en Paraguay

Donde va, mi gente, pa' donde va
Ay dios mio

Junto al lago azul de Pacarai
Donde va, mi gente, pa' donde va

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ricardo Montaner's song "Republica de la Alegria" are a celebration of life and love in the city. The song speaks to the idea that it's worth it to wake up smiling, to go to school even if it means going on strike, and to love children and be a hero in the community. The lyrics also suggest that it's worth it to love even when it's hard, to put your pride aside, to love your enemies, and to honor Jesus Christ.

The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Viva el amor en la ciudad, republica de la alegria" which translates to "Long live love in the city, republic of joy." The song celebrates the power of love and joy to transform a community and bring people together. The verses that follow talk about different aspects of life that are worth living for and celebrating, from partying with friends to taking a stand for what you believe in.

Overall, the song is a reminder to embrace life fully and to find joy in even the most difficult circumstances. It's a celebration of love, community, and the human spirit.

Line by Line Meaning

Vale la pena una mujer que se despierta sonriendo
It's worth being with a woman who wakes up with a smile

Vale la pena ir a estudiar haciendo huelga al perder tiempo
It's worth going to school and striking even if it means losing time

Vale la pena amar a la niñez, vale la pena ser heroe del barrio, Y a punta de cargaras con crujir
It's worth loving children and being a hero in the neighborhood even if it's tough

Viva el amor en la ciudad, republica de la alegria, Y que viva la mujer q me enamore de verdad, Viva el amor en la ciudad, republica de la alegria, Que viva el buen humor, viva la vida y los cariños de mama
Long live love in the city, a republic of joy, and long live the woman who really loves me. Long live love in the city, a republic of joy, and long live good humor, life, and mother's affection.

Vale la pena por amor hacer de tripas corazon
It's worth making sacrifices for love

Vale la pena que el orgullo te lo metas al bolsillo
It's worth putting aside pride

Vale la pena amar a tu enemigo, Vale la pena honrar a Jesucristo, Y en medio de la plaza hechar un grito
It's worth loving your enemy and honoring Jesus Christ, and shouting in the middle of the square

Viva el amor en la ciudad, republica de la alegria, Y que viva la mujer q me enamore de verdad, Viva el amor en la ciudad, republica de la alegria, Que viva el buen humor viva la vida y los cariños de mama, Y de papa tambien
Long live love in the city, a republic of joy, and long live the woman who really loves me. Long live love in the city, a republic of joy, and long live good humor, life, and both mother's and father's affection.

Donde va, mi gente, pa' donde va, Se haga punta de machete limpiando mote pa' la ciudad, ooh
Where are we going, my people? It's like clearing the way to the city with a machete

Donde va, mi gente, pa' donde va, Se rie Simon Bolivar porque ahora el mismo el que hace paz
Where are we going, my people? Simón Bolívar is laughing because now it's he who brings peace

Como tai?, Donde va, Donde va, Pa' donde va?
How are you? Where are we going? Where are we going? Where to?

Donde va, mi gente, pa' donde va, Vengan todos a mi fiesta, trainganse algo para tomar
Where are we going, my people? Come to my party, bring something to drink

Donde va, mi gente, pa' donde va, Nos esta llamando Quique para contarnos que se acaso en Paraguay
Where are we going, my people? Quique is calling us to tell us he got married in Paraguay

Donde va, mi gente, pa' donde va, Ay dios mio, Junto al lago azul de Pacarai, Donde va, mi gente, pa' donde va
Where are we going, my people? Oh my God, next to the blue lake of Pacarai, where are we going?

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KIKE SANTANDER, RICARDO MONTANER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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