Sidestepper began as a solo studio project in 1996 for main man Richard Bla… Read Full Bio ↴Sidestepper began as a solo studio project in 1996 for main man Richard Blair, who had first gone to Colombia in 1993 to work with renowned folk singer Totó La Momposina -- the two had met at Peter Gabriel’s Real World studios where Richard worked as an engineer. The result was the first album, 1997’s Southern Star featuring the Latin drum and bass tune ‘Maine’.

The project soon developed into a production and writing duo with colombian songwriter Ivan Benavides, and has since become a full live band. The two began to write together, producing the future club classic and sidestepper’s first vocal tune - Logozo in 1997. Two years later, the band signed with Chris Blackwell’s Palm Pictures. Again Ivan co-wrote and produced and ‘More Grip‘ was released in 2000, a homage to a salsa night out in Bogotá.

Sidestepper began to play live for the first time, playing gigs in the UK and across Europe, at Glastonbury and Roskilde amongst many others, and Richard continued to DJ in the UK and US. Their shows became legendary, they guaranteed a great party that starts on stage and resulted in a collective and euphoric experience, genuinely contagious. Meanwhile, writing work had begun on 3am (In Beats We Trust), as Richard travelled between London and NY where Ivan was living. The two recorded the core of the album in Bogota in 2002, some eventually unused sessions in Jamaica, with Cuban singer Ronald Infante in Havana, and MC’s Rubi Dan and Juxsi D in London. The mix was done in autumnal London, and 3AM was released to critical acclaim in 2003.

Richard returned to Bogota to form a live band that would be based in Colombia; and between old hands like Janio Coronado and Teto Ocampo, and a then new talent Erika Muñoz, a special magic emerged with this incarnation of Sidestepper, which vowed audiences in Colombia, Mexico and the US for the few years.

After touring extensively with the band, Ivan and Richard wanted to make a record written specifically for each member. The writing and original tracking were done at a farm outside Bogota, and mixing was done at a studio in the city. ‘Continental’ was released in July 2006.

Today, Sidestepper sound had expanded far beyond its original fusion of classic salsa and club beats to take in everything from deep Colombian folk influences to hip hop via cumbia, dancehall reggae, dub and afrobeat, layering infectious melodies and crisp harmonies on top of rock solid beats.

In the process, Sidestepper has helped transform the Colombian music scene, inspiring a new generation of young beat scientists to marry latin music with cutting edge beats. The originator that kick started the new wave of electro acoustic colombian music.

A lot of great talents have passed through the group, many of whom have gone on to great success with their own bands, like Goyo from ChocQuibTown, Pernett, and Sergio Arias from Malalma.

Sidestepper is now conformed as an 8-piece band, and are currently in the studio making a new record for release in the spring of 2010.

The current line up is

Janio Coronado, Edgardo Garcés and Erika Muñoz, on vocals
Teto Ocampo, on guitars
Pedro Ojeda, on drums
Juan Carlos Cuello "El Chongo", on Percussion
Iván Benavides, words and melody
Richard Blair, on bass and beats

www.sidestepper.net.

Come See Us Play
Sidestepper Lyrics

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Los niños juegan
La lluvia llega, pero se quedan
Los niños juegan

Los niños juegan
El sol los quema, pero se quedan
Los niños juegan

Come see us play
Come see us play
Come see us play

Los niños juegan
La lluvia llega, pero se quedan
Los niños juegan

Cae la noche, el sol se esconde
Y ellos se quedan
Los niños juegan

... Come see us play
Come see us play

... Come see us play
Come see us play
Come see us play
Come see us play
Come see us play

Los niños juegan
La lluvia llega, pero se quedan
Los niños juegan

Los niños juegan
El sol los quema, pero se quedan
Los niños juegan

¡Ay! ven a cantar
¡ay! déjate ver
Vamos a jugar

Come see us play
Come see us play

¡Ay! ven a cantar
¡ay! déjate ver
Vamos a jugar

Come see us play

Vuelve como niño
Vuelve como niño y déjate...

Nace como un niño
Nace como un niño

¡Ay! ven a cantar
¡ay! déjate ver
Vamos a jugar

Come see us play
Come see us play

¡Ay! ven a cantar
¡ay! déjate ver
Vamos a jugar

Come see us play
Come see us play

Deja la lluvia ir
Y vuelve como un niño a jugar

Vuelve como niño
Vuelve como niño y déjate...

Vuelve como niño
Vuelve como niño y déjate...

Nace como un niño
Nace como un niño

Ven a jugar, ven a cantar...

Ven como niño, deja ver...
Como niño, como niño...

Deja ver tu rostro,
Deja ver lo hermoso

Come see us play
Come see us play

Deja ver tu rostro,
Deja ver lo hermoso

Deja ver tu rostro,
Deja ver lo hermoso.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Sidestepper's song "Come See Us Play" convey the joy and freedom of childhood. The first two lines talk about how the rain comes but the children continue to play. Similarly, the next two lines talk about how the strong sun rays might burn them, but again, the children continue to play. The chorus that repeats multiple times in the song invites the listener to come see the children play. The verse "los niños juegan, la lluvia llega pero se quedan" is repeated to emphasize the resilience of the children who play through the tough times. Although the sun may burn them and the rain may come, they stay and play. The verse "cae la noche, el sol se esconde, y ellos se quedan, los niños juegan" illustrates how even when night comes and the sun disappears, the children continue to play.

The phrase "Vuelve como niño, vuelve como niño y déjate..." translates to "come back as a child, come back as a child and let yourself..." This idea of returning to a childlike state is repeated throughout the song. The chorus invites the listener to come see the children play, and the verses paint a picture of the freedom and joy that is found in play. The song encourages listeners to let go of adult worries and responsibilities and to see the world through the eyes of a child again.

Line by Line Meaning