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®
Cipriano Armenteros
Rubén Blades Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cayó Cipriano Armenteros, así fue
El pueblo se reunió a ver cuando el preso regresaba
Escoltado por la tropa que Manuel Flores mandaba
Algunos viéndolo herido, de él riendo se burlaban
Cipriano en la memoria, sus caras fotografiaba
Los hombres del bandolero al rescate se lanzaron
Emeterio y Pascual Gómez cabalgaban en vanguardia
Medoro y Eliecer, al centro, Facundo en la retaguardia
La banda atacó de sorpresa, al galope sus caballos
El pueblo dormía, borracho, en Manuel Flores confiado
Cuando acabó el tiroteo, quedó Armenteros salvado
Así lo cuentan los viejos, así se fugó Cipriano
Y tiembla la tierra, se escapó Armenteros
Dicen que anda buscando a los que de él se rieron
En el pellejo de esa gente, hermano, estar yo no quiero
Y tiembla la tierra, se escapó Armenteros
Las ventanas están cerradas, no se abren ni por dinero
Todas las puertas trancadas con el cerrojo del miedo
Y tiembla la tierra, se escapó Armenteros
Buscando la recompensa, llegaron del extranjero
Y cuando vieron al hombre, los importados corrieron
Ay, ay, ay, se escapó Armenteros
Ay, ay, ay, se fugó de nuevo
En medio de la balacera, dice Cipriano, que Flores
Cuando le miró la cara, se mojó los pantalones
Cabalgando invencibles sobre el tiempo
(Se escapó Armenteros)
Van Cipriano y su caballo, "Flor de Viento"
(Se fugó de nuevo)
Leyendas que hicieron nuestra historia
(Se escapó Armenteros)
Su fuego alumbrando nuestra memoria
(Se fugó de nuevo)
The song ‘Cipriano Armenteros’ by Rubén Blades y Son del Solar is a narrative of the events that transpired in 1806 in Veraguas, where Cipriano Armenteros was apprehended by the troops of Manuel Flores. As Armenteros was being taken back to the town, some people mocked him for being wounded. However, the bandit's men launched a rescue operation, attacking Flores' forces and saving their leader. In the aftermath of the escape, Armenteros is said to be seeking vengeance on those who ridiculed him, causing fear to grip the town, and the people to lock themselves in.
Line by Line Meaning
En 1806, era el 16 de enero, en la llanura, en Veraguas
On January 16th, 1806, Cipriano Armenteros was taken prisoner in Veraguas
Cayó Cipriano Armenteros, así fue
Cipriano Armenteros was captured and taken prisoner
El pueblo se reunió a ver cuando el preso regresaba
People gathered to see the prisoner being brought back
Escoltado por la tropa que Manuel Flores mandaba
He was escorted by the troops under the command of Manuel Flores
Algunos viéndolo herido, de él riendo se burlaban
Some people laughed and made fun of him, despite his injuries
Cipriano en la memoria, sus caras fotografiaba
Cipriano remembered their faces and stored them in his memory
Los hombres del bandolero al rescate se lanzaron
The bandits went to rescue Cipriano
Por Salsipuedes pasaron, quebrando la madrugada
They passed through Salsipuedes, breaking the dawn
Emeterio y Pascual Gómez cabalgaban en vanguardia
Emeterio and Pascual Gomez rode in the front
Medoro y Eliecer, al centro, Facundo en la retaguardia
Medoro and Eliecer were in the middle, with Facundo at the back
La banda atacó de sorpresa, al galope sus caballos
The bandits attacked by surprise, riding their horses
El pueblo dormía, borracho, en Manuel Flores confiado
The people were drunk and asleep, confident under the protection of Manuel Flores
Cuando acabó el tiroteo, quedó Armenteros salvado
After the gunfire ended, Armenteros emerged unharmed
Así lo cuentan los viejos, así se fugó Cipriano
This is what the old folks say, that's how Cipriano escaped
Y tiembla la tierra, se escapó Armenteros
The earth trembles as Armenteros escaped
Dicen que anda buscando a los que de él se rieron
It is said that he is looking for those who laughed at him
En el pellejo de esa gente, hermano, estar yo no quiero
Brother, I don't want to be in the shoes of those people
Las ventanas están cerradas, no se abren ni por dinero
The windows are closed and won't open, not even for money
Todas las puertas trancadas con el cerrojo del miedo
All the doors are locked with the bolt of fear
Buscando la recompensa, llegaron del extranjero
People from outside came looking for the reward
Y cuando vieron al hombre, los importados corrieron
And when they saw the man, they ran away in fear
Ay, ay, ay, se escapó Armenteros
Oh, oh, oh, Armenteros escaped
En medio de la balacera, dice Cipriano, que Flores
In the middle of the gunfight, Cipriano says that Flores
Cuando le miró la cara, se mojó los pantalones
Wet his pants when he saw Cipriano's face
Cabalgando invencibles sobre el tiempo
Riding invincibly through time
(Se escapó Armenteros)
(Armenteros escaped)
Van Cipriano y su caballo, "Flor de Viento"
Cipriano and his horse, "Flor de Viento," ride together
(Se fugó de nuevo)
(He escaped once again)
Leyendas que hicieron nuestra historia
Legends that made our history
(Se escapó Armenteros)
(Armenteros escaped)
Su fuego alumbrando nuestra memoria
His fire illuminates our memory
(Se fugó de nuevo)
(He escaped once again)
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BLADES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@AlfredoVillasmil
Así la canta el compositor de la canción. Así es en verdad. Sentimiento, música, literatura, arta. ¡Bravo, Rubén!
@mauromartinez672
Muy buena interpretación la que hace el maestro Rubén; un esbozo histórico expresado de la mejor forma. La de Mr. Black también es muy buena.
@carlosalbertoramirezmaldon1172
Ruben Blades es tremendo icono de la salsa en Puerto Rico lo quieren igual qué a cualquier otro salcero boricua; lo conocemos cariñosamente como el poeta de la salsa y sus aportaciones al género han sido grandes! DIOS te bendiga mi hno. Panameño! al igual que Camilo azuquita ,tremendisimo cantante de salsa panameño.
@lopz33
Un día como hoy, 16 de julio de 1948, nació en Ciudad de Panamá el cantautor, músico, actor, activista y político Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna, el Poeta de la Salsa. Maestro, felicitaciones. 🎵🎤✍🎞🎶🎉🎂🎊😀😀😀😀😀
@mmg492
Esta canción es media infancia mía, que recuerdos de niño.
@edwardestrella4174
Este hombre tiene una magia que te hace vivir lo que interpreta.
@SuperFabianflores
Literatura mas música, nadie mejor que el maestro Rubén
@deisyinojosa419
Me encanta!!!!😘👏👏👏
@allanarrocha442
La inspiración fue más real de lo creen. Un caudillo justo se requiere
@kichigan1
"Viva la liberacion Panameña y Latinoamericana!"