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 Murga
Rubén Blades Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Acaba de llega′ que hace rato estoy esperando
¡avanza muje'!
Allá en la Siria, hay una mora
Que tiene los ojos tan lindos
Lucero encanta′o
¡AY MORA!
Allá en la Siria, hay una mora
Que tiene los ojos tan lindos
Lucero encanta'o
¡AY MORA!
Acábame de quere'
No me martirices mai
Que mi corazón está que se devora...
Por quererte tanto mora
Por quererte tanto mora... ¡ay morita!
Allá en la Siria, allá-llá, allá-llá vive la mora
¡ay que mira pero ven, ven, ven mi corazón te lo implora!
Cuando volverá
Y es que ese amor gitano a mi me devora
Cuando volverá
¡ue! acaba de llegar, acaba de llegar, oye mora
() Cuando volverá
Los buenos tiempos
() Cuando volverá
Con esa mora
() Cuando volverá
Y los romances
() Cuando volverá
Allá en la loma
() Cuando volverá
Eeeeeen un castillo en la Siria allá está la mora
() Cuando volverá
Móntate en tu alfombra esa que es voladora
() Cuando volverá
Ayyyy... mora, mora, mora, mora, mora, mora, amor pa la mora
() Cuando volverá
Que yo tengo una cosita aquí y es para ti
() Cuando volverá
La noche buena
() Cuando volverá
Esa estrellita
() Cuando volverá
Esa gitana, eehhh
() Cuando volverá
Que es tan bonita
() Cuando volverá
Es que en la Siria caballero, por la Siria, por allá está la mora
() Cuando volverá
Yo me acuerdo en la placita donde tomamos ron con soda
() Cuando volverá
Donde le pegue al faquir que te gritaba bembona
() Cuando volverá
Ayyyy! acaba de llegar, llega ya mora.
() Cuando volverá
óyeme mora
() Cuando volverá
Acaba de llegar
() Cuando volverá
Súbete a un camello
() Cuando volverá
Y ven pa acá.
Que dios bendiga la esquina izquierda
Del tacón derecho en la chancleta del cura
Que bendijo tu salero mujer
Iubule!
Ooooleee! y sigue oliendo
Que me muero esperando tu querer
Allá en la Siria señores allá está la mora
Vive en un castillo que arriba una loma
() Cuando volverá
Ven acaba de llegar, acaba de llegar oye mora
() Cuando volverá
Ven, ven, ven, ven que mi corazón de te lo implora
() Cuando volverá
Vuelve morita
() Cuando volverá
Por la manaña
() Cuando volverá
Para cantarte
() Cuando volverá
En tu ventana
() Cuando volverá
Ven, morita ven pa acá. ven mora, ven pa acá, ven, mora ven
() Cuando volverá
Que yo tengo una cosita aquí pa ti, pa ti
() Cuando volverá
Aaa caminar conmigo bajo los lindos rosales
() Cuando volverá
A decirme que me quieres como tu solita sabes
() Cuando volverá
Los tiempos buenos
() Cuando volverá
Tiempos de amor
() Cuando volverá
Noches de playa
() Cuando volverá
Días de sol
() Cuando volverá
Que es lo que pasa que nos estamos alejando tanto
() Cuando volverá
Será que viene en camello o caminando
() Cuando volverá
Ayyy acaba de llegar, acaba de llegar oye mora
() Cuando volverá
Mi corazón, mira mama te lo implora
() Cuando volverá
Mujer ingrata
() Cuando volverá
Vente pa acá
() Cuando volverá
A la bachata
() Cuando volverá
Vamos a rumbear
Diiime cuando cuando cuando
() Cuando volverá
Que hace rato morita que estoy esperando
() Cuando volverá
Móntate en tu alfombra esa que es voladora
() Cuando volverá
Ay acaba de llegar, mi corazón te lo implora
() Cuando volverá
Oye mi ruego
() Cuando volverá
Linda morita
() Cuando volverá
De toas las flores, ayyy la mas bonita
Ooooleee!
Que el cielo te colme de habichuelas
"La Murga" by Rubén Blades is a vibrant and energetic song that pays homage to the music and culture of Syria. The song tells the story of a Syrian woman who captivates everyone with her beautiful eyes. The singer expresses his longing for her love and reminisces about their past romance. He implores her to come back and asks when she will return, yearning for the good times they shared. The lyrics also mention the presence of a gypsy love that devours the singer, adding to the intensity of his emotions.
Throughout the song, the singer creates a vivid image of the Syrian woman living in a castle on a hill, adding to the enchantment and allure surrounding her. The lyrics are filled with excitement and anticipation, urging the Syrian woman to come back and join the festivities. The song is a celebration of love, music, and the joyous atmosphere of an imaginary carnival.
Overall, "La Murga" is a lively and romantic song that captures the spirit of love and longing. The lyrics depict the singer's desire for the return of a passionate romance, set against the backdrop of a vibrant Syrian carnival.
Line by Line Meaning
¡óyeme mora!
Listen to me, woman!
Acaba de llega′ que hace rato estoy esperando
Just arrived, I've been waiting for a long time
¡avanza muje'!
Move forward, woman!
Allá en la Siria, hay una mora
In Syria, there is a woman
Que tiene los ojos tan lindos
Who has such beautiful eyes
Lucero encanta′o
Enchanting star
¡AY MORA!
Oh, woman!
Acábame de quere'
Love me completely
No me martirices mai
Don't torture me, my love
Que mi corazón está que se devora...
Because my heart is consumed...
Por quererte tanto mora
For loving you so much, woman
Por quererte tanto mora... ¡ay morita!
For loving you so much, woman... oh my dear!
Allá en la Siria, allá-llá, allá-llá vive la mora
In Syria, there lives the woman
¡ay que mira pero ven, ven, ven mi corazón te lo implora!
Oh, look but come, come, come, my heart begs you!
Cuando volverá
When will she come back?
Y es que ese amor gitano a mi me devora
And that gypsy love devours me
¡ue! acaba de llegar, acaba de llegar, oye mora
Hey! She just arrived, she just arrived, listen, woman
Los buenos tiempos
The good times
Con esa mora
With that woman
Y los romances
And the romances
Allá en la loma
There on the hill
Eeeeeen un castillo en la Siria allá está la mora
Iiiin a castle in Syria, there is the woman
Móntate en tu alfombra esa que es voladora
Ride on your flying carpet
Ayyyy... mora, mora, mora, mora, mora, mora, amor pa la mora
Oh... woman, woman, woman, woman, woman, woman, love for the woman
Que yo tengo una cosita aquí y es para ti
Because I have a little something here and it's for you
La noche buena
The good night
Esa estrellita
That little star
Esa gitana, eehhh
That gypsy, eehhh
Que es tan bonita
Who is so beautiful
Es que en la Siria caballero, por la Siria, por allá está la mora
It's because in Syria, sir, in Syria, she is there
Yo me acuerdo en la placita donde tomamos ron con soda
I remember in the little square where we drank rum with soda
Donde le pegue al faquir que te gritaba bembona
Where I hit the fakir who called you chubby
Ayyyy! acaba de llegar, llega ya mora.
Oh! She just arrived, hurry up, woman.
óyeme mora
Listen to me, woman
Acaba de llegar
She just arrived
Súbete a un camello
Get on a camel
Y ven pa acá
And come here
Que dios bendiga la esquina izquierda
May God bless the left corner
Del tacón derecho en la chancleta del cura
Of the right heel in the priest's sandal
Que bendijo tu salero mujer
That blessed your charm, woman
Iubule!
Love!
Ooooleee! y sigue oliendo
Ooooleee! And keeps smelling
Que me muero esperando tu querer
Because I'm dying waiting for your love
Allá en la Siria señores allá está la mora
There, gentlemen, in Syria, is the woman
Vive en un castillo que arriba una loma
She lives in a castle atop a hill
Ven acaba de llegar, acaba de llegar oye mora
Come, she just arrived, she just arrived, listen, woman
Ven, ven, ven, ven que mi corazón de te lo implora
Come, come, come, come, my heart begs you
Vuelve morita
Come back, my dear
Por la manaña
In the morning
Para cantarte
To sing to you
En tu ventana
At your window
Ven, morita ven pa acá. ven mora, ven pa acá, ven, mora ven
Come, my dear, come here. Come, woman, come here, come, woman, come
Que yo tengo una cosita aquí pa ti, pa ti
Because I have a little something here for you, for you
Aaa caminar conmigo bajo los lindos rosales
Aaa walk with me under the beautiful rose bushes
A decirme que me quieres como tu solita sabes
To tell me that you love me as only you know how
Los tiempos buenos
The good times
Tiempos de amor
Times of love
Noches de playa
Beach nights
Días de sol
Sunny days
Que es lo que pasa que nos estamos alejando tanto
What is happening that we are drifting so far apart
Será que viene en camello o caminando
Maybe she is coming by camel or walking
Ayyy acaba de llegar, acaba de llegar oye mora
Oh! She just arrived, she just arrived, listen, woman
Mi corazón, mira mama te lo implora
My heart, look mommy, it begs you
Mujer ingrata
Ingrate woman
Vente pa acá
Come here
A la bachata
To the bachata
Vamos a rumbear
Let's party
Diiime cuando cuando cuando
Tell me when, when, when?
Que hace rato morita que estoy esperando
Because I've been waiting for a while, my dear
Móntate en tu alfombra esa que es voladora
Get on your flying carpet
Ay acaba de llegar, mi corazón te lo implora
Oh, she just arrived, my heart begs you
Oye mi ruego
Listen to my plea
Linda morita
Beautiful dear
De toas las flores, ayyy la mas bonita
Of all the flowers, oh the most beautiful one
Ooooleee!
Ooooleee!
Que el cielo te colme de habichuelas
May the sky fill you with beans
Writer(s): Willie Colon, Hector Lavoe
Contributed by Lily A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jessica Martinez
El. sr Blades realizo muy buenos arreglos ademas de que es panameño y la murga es de Panama! :) Saludos desde Mexico!
HRNY
Me facina el sonido de este video y la humildad de Ruben reconociendo a Willie Colon a pesar de la ruptura.
Zulma Gutierrez
Felicidades Panameños desde Argentina y Dios los bendiga mucho :)
jesus martinez
Ruben Blades ... un Idolo .. en Mexico .. Ahi se quiere y aprecia a los representantes de la Musica Guapachosa.. Ruben Blades Amigo ... Willie Colon .. Maestro .. Hector Lavoe.. Voz incomparable .. amamos la salsa.. Por siempre .. estan con nosotros ..
Luis Felipe Pinzon Rodriguez
Que bueno escuchar la murga en boca del gran cantante, compositor y arreglista panameño, Ruben Blades, yo se lo que es murga, porque he tenido el placer de vivirlo en vivo en tierra Panameña, desde Colombia un abrazo para la gente de La Chorrera !!!!
seriela
Me encanta esta version. La armonia esta GENIAL! Desde Puerto Rico, nuestro respeto para el maestro Ruben.
soling cariv
Gracias a Dios por habernos regalado la fortuna de ver nacer en nuestra hermosa tierra a un cantante como Ruben Blades.
Despacho Jurídico Fiscal De la Laguna.
Es un maestro viva Panamá y soy mexicano.
sol denoche
Tema musical que Héctor Lavoe la hizo un éxito con su voz única . Por siempre Lavoe Y Blades !! ❤️❤️
Eliécer Del Cid
Viva Panamá, mi tierra bella, eres única, gracias Dios, por ser Panameño.