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®
Segunda Mitad del Noveno
Rubén Blades Lyrics
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Hay gente en la encrucijada y hay que decidir
Entre todos los caminos hay uno solo a elegir
Ahora que te necesito donde has ido Bob Canel
Segunda mitad del noveno
Aquí se decide el juego y no sabemos que hacer
Tiembla la gradería hay mucha emoción
Por eso nos preguntamos a dónde se fue Musiu
Todos los héroes se han ido, todos los héroes se han ido
Con nuestra juventud.
Segunda mitad del noveno
Miedo en primera
Hambre en segunda
Rabia en tercera
Play ball gritó el umpire
Que no se vaya nadie
Que esto se pone bueno
Ahora que te necesito donde has ido Bob Canel
Segunda mitad del noveno, aquí se decide el juego
Y no podemos perder.
Por eso nos preguntamos a donde estará Musiu
Todos los héroes se han ido,
Todos los héroes se han ido con nuestra juventud.
Segunda mitad del noveno.
Segunda mitad del noveno.
The lyrics in Rubén Blades's song Segunda Mitad del Noveno describe the intense emotions and pressure that come with a critical moment in a baseball game. The title, which translates to "second half of the ninth," refers to the final moments of the game where a team must give their all to secure a win. The opening lines suggest that there are decisions to be made, and choices that must be made in order to succeed. The repetition of "donde has ido Bob Canel" adds to the feeling of confusion and panic, as if a key player has disappeared right when they are needed most.
Blades goes on to describe the chaos in the stadium as fans and players alike are feeling the weight of the moment. The line "mucho ruido, mucha bulla pero cero acción" suggests that there is a lot of hype and noise, but no real action being taken. The verses that follow describe the emotions of the players and the sense of urgency as they try to win the game. The repeated chorus of "todos los héroes se han ido con nuestra juventud" reflects a sense of nostalgia and longing for a time when the players were younger and felt more invincible.
Overall, the lyrics convey the intensity of a high-pressure situation, where every decision counts and the players must give their all to win the game.
Line by Line Meaning
Segunda mitad del noveno
The second half of the ninth inning in a baseball game, which is the last chance for a team to make a comeback and win the game.
Hay gente en la encrucijada y hay que decidir
There are people at a crossroads who must make a decision about which path to take.
Entre todos los caminos hay uno solo a elegir
Out of all the available paths, there is only one right choice.
Ahora que te necesito donde has ido Bob Canel
Now that I need you, Bob Canel, where have you gone?
Aquí se decide el juego y no sabemos que hacer
This is where the game is decided, but we don't know what to do.
Tiembla la gradería hay mucha emoción
The bleachers are shaking with excitement.
Mucho ruido, mucha bulla pero cero acción
There is a lot of noise and commotion, but nothing is happening.
Por eso nos preguntamos a dónde se fue Musiu
That's why we wonder where Musiu has gone.
Todos los héroes se han ido, todos los héroes se han ido
All the heroes have left, all the heroes have left.
Con nuestra juventud.
And they took our youth with them.
Miedo en primera
Fear at first base.
Hambre en segunda
Hunger at second base.
Rabia en tercera
Anger at third base.
Play ball gritó el umpire
The umpire shouted, 'Play ball!'
Que no se vaya nadie
Don't let anyone leave.
Que esto se pone bueno
This is getting good!
Aquí se decide el juego y no podemos perder.
The game is being decided here, and we can't afford to lose.
Segunda mitad del noveno.
The second half of the ninth inning.
Writer(s): Ruben Blades
Contributed by Lila S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.