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®
La Cancion Del Final Del Mundo
Rubén Blades Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A darse el último trago
No se me pueden quejar, el 'Show' fue bueno y barato
Ante el dolor el buen humor es esencial
Saca a tu pareja y ponte a bailar la canción del final del mundo
Que no les dominé el miedo, no se pongan a gritar
Control y nada de nervios y cuidado con llorar
Y ahora nos llegó la cuenta y tenemos que pagar
Despídete de tu barrio y del mundo en general
Y que en la tierra nadie quede sin bailar la canción
Del final del mundo
The song "La Cancion Del Final" by Ruben Blades can be translated to "The Song of the End." The first verse tells the listeners to prepare themselves because everything is coming to an end. Regardless of the situation, the singer encourages the people to stay positive and enjoy the last moments of their lives. He also reflects on the concept that humor is essential when facing difficult times.
The second verse mentions that people should not succumb to fear or panic but must make an effort to stay calm. The singer encourages people to be strong and move forward regardless of the outcome. He then discusses that everything comes at a cost, and now it's time to pay for what has been done in the past.
The chorus then invites the listeners to say goodbye to their homes and the world in general, and dance to the song of the end of the world. The song seems to be a reflection on the inevitable reality of death and the importance of living life to the fullest.
Line by Line Meaning
Prepárense ciudadanos, se acabó lo que se daba
Get ready citizens, it's all over now
A darse el último trago
Take the last drink
No se me pueden quejar, el 'Show' fue bueno y barato
You can't complain, the show was good and cheap
Ante el dolor el buen humor es esencial
In the face of pain, good humor is essential
Saca a tu pareja y ponte a bailar la canción del final del mundo
Take out your partner and dance the song of the end of the world
Que no les dominé el miedo, no se pongan a gritar
Don't let fear dominate you, don't shout out loud
Control y nada de nervios y cuidado con llorar
Stay calm and don't be nervous, be careful not to cry
Para bien o para mal lo mandamos a buscar
Whether for good or bad, we sent it to look for
Y ahora nos llegó la cuenta y tenemos que pagar
And now the bill has come and we have to pay
Despídete de tu barrio y del mundo en general
Say goodbye to your neighborhood and the world in general
Y que en la tierra nadie quede sin bailar la canción
And let no one on earth be without dancing the song
Del final del mundo
Of the end of the world
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RUBEN BLADES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind