Blades's father is a percussionist-turned-detective and his mother was a singer and radio performer. His grandfather, Reuben Blades, was an English-speaking native of St. Lucia who came to work on the canal, as he tells in the song West Indian Man on the album Amor y Control ("That's where the Blades comes from.") (1992)
After obtaining degrees in political science and law at Panama's Universidad Nacional, Blades worked at the Bank of Panama as a lawyer. In 1974, Blades moved to the United States, staying temporarily with his exiled parents in Miami before moving to New York City. Blades began his musical career in New York writing songs while working in the mailroom at Fania Records, and soon was working with salseros Ray Barretto and Larry Harlow. Shortly thereafter Blades started collaborating with trombonist and band leader Willie Colón, and they recorded several albums together. Their album Siembra (1978) became the best-selling salsa record in history.
After 1980, Blades tried to terminate his contract with Fania, but he was contractually obliged to record several more albums. These are generally considered toss-offs and Blades himself told his fans to avoid them. When he was free of his contractual obligations, Blades signed with another label, Elektra, and assembled a top-notch band (known variously as Seis Del Solar or Son Del Solar) and recorded a number of albums with them.
In the early 1980s, Blades began his career in films as a composer of soundtracks.
In 1982, Blades got his first acting role in The Last Fight writing the title song as well as portraying a singer-turned-boxer vying for a championship against a fighter who was played by real life world champion boxer Salvador Sánchez.
In 1985, Blades gained widespread recognition as co-writer and star of the independent film Crossover Dreams as a New York salsa singer willing to do anything to break into the mainstream. This same year he earned a master's degree in international law from Harvard University. He was also the subject of Robert Mugge's documentary The Return of Ruben Blades, which debuted at that year's Denver Film Festival. During the 1990s, he acted in films, mounted his unsuccessful presidential bid, founding the party Movimiento Papa Egoró, and continued to make salsa records.
His many film appearances include The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), The Two Jakes (1990), Mo' Better Blues (1990), and Devil's Own (1997). In 1999, he played Mexican artist Diego Rivera in Tim Robbins' Cradle Will Rock.
In 1997, Blades headed the cast of singer/songwriter Paul Simon's first Broadway musical, The Capeman, based on a true story about a violent youth who becomes a poet in prison. In the 2003 film Once Upon a Time in Mexico, starring Johnny Depp, Antonio Banderas, and Willem Dafoe, he played the role of a retired FBI agent.
Blades' 1999 album Tiempos which he made with the 12-piece Costa Rican band Editus, represented a break from his salsa past and a rejection of commercial trends in Latin music.
Some might say that "his biggest mistake was releasing an English-language album in 1988 in the wake of his 1987 Grammy for Escenas" [sic] but in fact, he tends to avoid commercial choices. After winning his first Grammy for Escenas in 1986 he recorded the album Agua de Luna based on the short stories of Gabriel Garcia Marquez in 1987. The next year he released the English language collaboration with rock artists Sting, Elvis Costello, and Lou Reed the same year as Antecedente, another Grammy winner. In 2003 he followed the World Music Grammy winner Mundo with a web site free download project. As he said in 2005 when receiving the ASCAP Founders Award about his non-commercial choices, "That's the way I think."
In 2004 he put his artistic careers on hold when he began serving as Minister of Tourism of Panama.
Source: Wikipedia®
Caminando
Rubén Blades Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Caminando, se cura la herida, caminando, que deja el ayer
En Puerto Rico, en Panamá, en Colombia o en New York
El que no vive, no prueba el sabor que da el amor
Caminando, di mil tropezones, caminando, y nunca paré
Caminando, entre risa y dolores, caminando, pa'lante y con fe
Que nada borra el recuerdo de lo que uno caminó
Caminando, mirando una estrella caminando, oyendo una voz
Caminando, siguiendo la huella, caminando, que otro caminó
Caminando, buscando a la vida caminando, buscando al amor
Caminando, curando la herida, caminando, que deja el dolor!
The lyrics of Rubén Blades's song Caminando (which means "walking") reflect on the lessons and experiences that one gains through life by simply moving forward. The song emphasizes that walking and continuing one's journey is the key to learning, healing, and growing. By walking, one can taste the flavors of love and experience the world around them. The scars of the past and the pain of yesterday can also be healed through walking and continuing to move forward.
Blades mentions different places, including Puerto Rico, Panama, Colombia, and New York, but emphasizes that the message is universal. As the lyrics state, "el que no vive, no prueba el sabor que da el amor" (he who does not live, does not taste the flavor that love gives). Through the lyrics, Blades suggests that one must walk and experience life fully to truly understand oneself and the world.
The song also touches on the idea that as one travels through life, they will inevitably trip and make mistakes, but they must keep moving forward. With time, one can gain an understanding of what life offers and the journey that they have walked. Through it all, one must continue to search for the good things in life, including love and the joys that come from walking.
Overall, the lyrics of Caminando highlight the importance of walking through life, learning from one's experiences, and continuing to move forward despite the hurdles.
Line by Line Meaning
Caminando, se aprende en la vida, caminando, se sabe lo que es
You learn in life by walking, you know what life is by walking.
Caminando, se cura la herida, caminando, que deja el ayer
Walking cures the wound left by yesterday.
En Puerto Rico, en Panamá, en Colombia o en New York
In Puerto Rico, in Panama, in Colombia or in New York
El que no vive, no prueba el sabor que da el amor
Those who do not live, do not taste the flavor that love gives.
Caminando, di mil tropezones, caminando, y nunca paré
I stumbled a thousand times while walking, but I never stopped.
Caminando, entre risa y dolores, caminando, pa'lante y con fe
Walking amidst laughter and pain, walking forward and with faith.
Con el tiempo, comprendí que la vida da pa'to'
With time, I understood that life gives us plenty.
Que nada borra el recuerdo de lo que uno caminó
Nothing erases the memory of what one has walked.
Caminando, mirando una estrella caminando, oyendo una voz
Walking, looking at a star, walking, listening to a voice.
Caminando, siguiendo la huella, caminando, que otro caminó
Walking, following the footprints that someone else left behind.
Caminando, buscando a la vida caminando, buscando al amor
Walking, seeking life, walking, seeking love.
Caminando, curando la herida, caminando, que deja el dolor!
Walking, healing the wound left by pain!
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ruben Blades
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rodrigonunez1755
Se convirtió en un himno de vida, cuando por primera vez la escuché siendo niño en una serie de televisión Colombiana... Y aunque no cuente muchas glorias en mi vida, siempre salgo avante sin lastimar a nadie..
@jazminlopezarias1950
Siii yo también me acuerdo de esa serie de llamaba Asunción y el tema de entrada era está hermosa canción
@almamartinez8067
Por favor hermanos...ayúdenme en oración quiero seguir así Pa'lante y con fe, estoy con una prueba de vida o de muerte y no quiero morir aún
@diegomeneses8579
Protagonizada por María Eugenia parra, asunción
@irmasalamanca7227
Yo tambien recuerdo esa serie por esta canción
@deisyveraguzman7008
@@almamartinez8067 Polanie y con fe
@camiloprofesorlenguaje3142
Cuando era un pequeño de escuela, caminaba 8 Km diarios para llegar a mi colegio y esta canción me acompañaba en mi larga travesía. ¡Gracias Rubén!
@lyna08
Muy buena canción caminar es salud
@josejuansosamartin9404
Te la aprenderias de carrerilla😁
@luzmarinaurrea2589
@@lyna08 1qq