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®
El Reto
Rubén Blades Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Esta es una canción de un tipo que en el solar de los aburridos una vez citó a mi amigo Carmelo Da Silva a pelear y el tipo
(Linda melodía) ey cállate la boca que estoy hablando ombe
El tipo no se apareció. Coño! Por esas cosas
Pero aquí ahora están dejando entra' cualquiera aquí a este sitio.
Me retaste a que viniera y estoy aquí
Llegué puntual a la cita, no me perdí
Después de hablar tantas cosas tu por ahí
Tu acción de no aparecerte desenmascara
Para la esquina te has vuelto sombra con nombre
Aquí no perdonan al que no da la cara
Y menos al que olvidó lo que es ser un hombre.
Bendición Salamalecu esto es así
Tú no me has aparecido pero yo si
Después de hablar tantas cosas malas de mí
Que mal concepto en el barrio tienen de ti
Que pasó que no estás aquí.
Eyga que pasó, que pasó guapo viejo.
Son las seis y no estás aquí.
Oye que el barrio está reunido y no aparece el pendejo.
Que pasó que no estás aquí.
Dizque con pinta de alacrán y se te acabó el guarapo.
Son las seis y no estás aquí.
Tu palabra caca e' perro tu palabra, tu reputación un trapo.
Que pasó que no estás aquí.
Salamalecu, salamalecu, sala salamalecu.
Son las seis y no estás aquí.
Después de hablar tantas mentiras de mí.
Que pasó que no estás aquí.
Pero a mi cuida, pero me protege mi Dios, la Virgen con ocho sí.
Son las seis y no estás aquí.
Te esperé pa' darte una guantera con saborcito a pernil.
Que pasó que no estás aquí.
Dizque con fama de guapo y fue a buscar alguacil.
Son las seis y no estás aquí.
Cuando sintió el olor a hombre, no enseño ni su perfil.
Que pasó que no estás aquí.
No hizo efecto tu veneno ni tu boca de reptil.
Son las seis y no estás aquí.
Si a las seis era la cita compa, y usted no pudo venir.
Que pasó que no estás aquí.
Que en los barrios que yo conozco no se acepta al cobarde.
Son las seis y no estás aquí.
Eeha si te citan a pelear tú llegas, tu llegas aunque sea tarde.
Que pasó que no estás aquí.
Que pasó que tú que tú que tú que yo que tú que yo que tú que yo
Son las seis y no estás aquí.
Que tú tú que yo que tú que yo y po, te volviste un Gasparín.
Que pasó que no estás aquí.
Fantasma te llaman! muñequita de marfil.
Rubén Blades's song "El Reto" is a story about a challenge that was posed by the singer's friend, Carmelo Da Silva, to a man in their neighborhood who never showed up. The song starts with an introduction by Vavá Quiñone', the singer's friend and a popular radio announcer, who sets the scene for the story. The singer then proceeds to talk about how the man who had been challenged to fight did not show up, leaving the neighborhood and the singer disappointed. The man's absence was seen as an act of cowardice, and his reputation in the neighborhood was tarnished.
Later on, the man who was challenged appears, and the singer confronts him about not showing up. The man makes excuses for not showing up, but the singer and the neighborhood are not convinced. The man's reputation is further damaged, and he is referred to as a "muñequita de marfil" (porcelain doll) and a "fantasma" (ghost). The song is a reflection on the importance of keeping your word and showing up when you say you will, especially in the eyes of your community.
Line by Line Meaning
Señoras y señores les habla Vavá Quiñone'.
The announcer introduces the song and its theme about a challenge
Esta es una canción de un tipo que en el solar de los aburridos una vez citó a mi amigo Carmelo Da Silva a pelear y el tipo
The song is about a man who challenged someone to fight but failed to show up
(Linda melodía) ey cállate la boca que estoy hablando ombe
The artist asks someone to be quiet while he's speaking
El tipo no se apareció. Coño! Por esas cosas
The challenger didn't show up which caused disappointment and frustration
Pero aquí ahora están dejando entra' cualquiera aquí a este sitio.
Anyone is allowed in the place now, without restrictions
Me retaste a que viniera y estoy aquí
The artist took the challenge and showed up
Llegué puntual a la cita, no me perdí
The artist arrived on time and didn't get lost
Después de hablar tantas cosas tu por ahí
The challenger spoke poorly about the artist behind his back
Dejaste al barrio plantado, también a mi.
The challenger let down the whole neighborhood and the artist
Tu acción de no aparecerte desenmascara
The challenger's failure to show up reveals his true character
Para la esquina te has vuelto sombra con nombre
The challenger's reputation is damaged and he's now a nobody
Aquí no perdonan al que no da la cara
In this neighborhood, those who don't show up to a challenge are not forgiven
Y menos al que olvidó lo que es ser un hombre.
Furthermore, those who forget what it means to be a man are not respected
Bendición Salamalecu esto es así
The artist invokes a blessing and affirms the truth
Tú no me has aparecido pero yo si
The artist showed up despite the challenger's absence
Después de hablar tantas cosas malas de mí
The challenger spoke negatively about the artist
Que mal concepto en el barrio tienen de ti
The challenger has a bad reputation in the neighborhood
Que pasó que no estás aquí.
The artist questions why the challenger didn't show up
Eyga que pasó, que pasó guapo viejo.
The artist asks the challenger why he didn't come
Son las seis y no estás aquí.
It's already 6 PM and the challenger didn't show up
Oye que el barrio está reunido y no aparece el pendejo.
The neighborhood is gathered and the challenger is nowhere to be found
Dizque con pinta de alacrán y se te acabó el guarapo.
The challenger has a scorpion-like appearance but lacks courage
Tu palabra caca e' perro tu palabra, tu reputación un trapo.
The challenger's words are like dog feces and his reputation is dishonorable
Salamalecu, salamalecu, sala salamalecu.
The artist affirms the blessing once again
Pero a mi cuida, pero me protege mi Dios, la Virgen con ocho sí.
The artist is protected and watched over by his God and the Virgin Mary
Te esperé pa' darte una guantera con saborcito a pernil.
The artist was ready to fight and deliver a punch with a pork flavor
Dizque con fama de guapo y fue a buscar alguacil.
The challenger has a reputation of being brave but called for police backup
Cuando sintió el olor a hombre, no enseño ni su perfil.
When the challenger sensed a real man, he didn't even show his face
No hizo efecto tu veneno ni tu boca de reptil.
The challenger's poison and snake-like tendencies didn't work
Si a las seis era la cita compa, y usted no pudo venir.
If the challenge was for 6 PM and the challenger couldn't come, it's his fault
Que en los barrios que yo conozco no se acepta al cobarde.
In the artist's neighborhood, cowards are not welcome
Eeha si te citan a pelear tú llegas, tu llegas aunque sea tarde.
If you're invited to fight, you show up even if it's late
Que pasó que tú que tú que tú que yo que tú que yo que tú que yo
The artist keeps asking the challenger why he didn't show up
Que tú tú que yo que tú que yo y po, te volviste un Gasparín.
The artist mocks the challenger for turning into a coward like the cartoon character Casper the Friendly Ghost
Fantasma te llaman! muñequita de marfil.
The artist calls the challenger a ghost or phantom and mocks him for being like a white ivory doll
Writer(s): Ruben Blades
Contributed by Alexander I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.