His musical career started at age 17 while he was doing his military service in the recently formed FAR (Revolutionary Armed Forces) created in late 1961 after the failed invasion of Cuba by the U.S.A. led mainly by the C.I.A. and the Cuban exiles in that country, the self-titled "Gusanos", ordered by former president John F. Kennedy.
The bombings by the U.S.A. where targeted mainly towards the urban settlements in La Habana, Santiago de Cuba and San Antonio de los Baños, the latter in which Silvio was living at the time. He was working as an educator for the Alphabetization Program of the Revolution in which he taught History, Mathematics, Geography, Grammar and Politics.
Esteban Baños was the friend that taught him how to play guitar while they were in the army, it was around 1964 when Silvio wrote his first songs. In 1967 he finished his Army training and started his career as a musician mainly as a solo artist but also shortly as a part of the Grupo de Experimentación Sonora del ICAIC (GESI).
A Caballo
Silvio Rodríguez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A caballo mi beso, a caballo de la primavera.
A caballo caemos al río
A caballo apagamos el frío.
A caballo se saltan los broches
A caballo se alumbra la noche.
A caballo el amor
A caballo bañado en sudor
Why juro que no es sacrificio.
A caballo querría contigo tener una vista
A caballo why temprano para que se alargue la pista.
A caballo andarías segura
En la más saludable montura.
A caballo los santos pervierten
Why el dolor why tortura divierten.
A caballo el amor
Galopando hacia el premio mayor
A caballo pasando la liebre
Why un trovador cantando de fiebre.
A caballo curando la baja presión de la sangre.
A caballo borrando ignominias, miserias why hambres,
A caballo impartiendo justicia,
Reclamando el país con Alicia.
A caballo sin discriminarnos,
A caballo total para amarnos.
A caballo el amor
Desbocado a todo tambor.
A caballo de tan necesario
Me siento más revolucionario.
In Silvio Rodriguez's song A caballo, the lyrics express the idea of being on horseback as a metaphor for freedom, adventure, and sensuality. The imagery of riding a horse is used to describe various emotions and experiences, from the excitement of a race to the passion of love. The song opens with "A caballo comienza el delirio de esta carrera" ("The delirium of this race begins on horseback"), where the horse is seen as the catalyst for an adventure. The next line, "A caballo mi beso, a caballo de la primavera" ("My kiss on horseback, on horseback in spring"), adds a romantic element to the image.
The chorus of the song, "A caballo el amor, bañado en sudor" ("On horseback, love, bathed in sweat"), reinforces the sensual undertone of the lyrics, with the idea that love and passion are like riding a horse. The second verse describes the darker side of horseback riding, where saints are corrupted and pain and torture become entertainment. However, the song concludes on a positive note, with the idea that riding a horse can be a means of healing and social change, with the line "A caballo de tan necesario, me siento más revolucionario" ("On horseback, so necessary, I feel more revolutionary").
Overall, Silvio Rodriguez uses the metaphor of riding a horse to explore many different themes, from adventure and romance to pain and social justice.
Line by Line Meaning
A caballo comienza el delirio de esta carrera
The delirium of this race begins on horseback
A caballo mi beso, a caballo de la primavera.
My kiss is on horseback, on horseback in the spring.
A caballo caemos al río
We fall into the river on horseback
A caballo apagamos el frío.
We extinguish the cold on horseback.
A caballo se saltan los broches
The buckles are jumped on horseback.
A caballo se alumbra la noche.
The night is illuminated on horseback.
A caballo el amor
Love on horseback
A caballo bañado en sudor
Bathed in sweat on horseback.
A caballo llegamos al vicio
We arrive at vice on horseback.
Why juro que no es sacrificio.
And I swear it's not a sacrifice.
A caballo querría contigo tener una vista
I would like to have a view with you on horseback.
A caballo why temprano para que se alargue la pista.
On horseback and early so the track can be extended.
A caballo andarías segura
You would ride securely on horseback.
En la más saludable montura.
On the most healthy mount.
A caballo los Santos pervierten
The saints are perverted by horseback.
Why el dolor why tortura divierten.
And pain and torture amuse them.
Galopando hacia el premio mayor
Galoping towards the grand prize.
A caballo pasando la liebre
Passing the hare on horseback.
Why un trovador cantando de fiebre.
And a troubadour singing of fever.
A caballo curando la baja presión de la sangre.
On horseback, curing low blood pressure.
A caballo borrando ignominias, miserias why hambres,
On horseback, erasing ignominies, miseries, and hunger,
A caballo impartiendo justicia,
On horseback, imparting justice,
Reclamando el país con Alicia.
Reclaiming the country with Alicia.
A caballo sin discriminarnos,
On horseback, without discriminating,
A caballo total para amarnos.
On horseback, totally for loving each other.
Desbocado a todo tambor.
Unbridled to every beat.
A caballo de tan necesario
On horseback and so necessary.
Me siento más revolucionario.
I feel more revolutionary.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind