1) A mononym of Aurelio V… Read Full Bio ↴Voltaire is a name of at least three acts:
1) A mononym of Aurelio Voltaire Hernández (b. 1967, Havana, Cuba), a singer/songwriter whose music has its roots deeply embedded in European folk and also has influences from the gothic scene. He has also been directing commercials and animating short films for ten years, the best known of these are his Hieronymus Bosch-inspired station MTV IDs.
Inspired by the films of Ray Harryhausen (Jason and the Argonauts, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad), Voltaire began animating at the age of ten on a super8 camera. By piecing together snippets of information from fanzines, he eventually was able to teach himself how to make foam rubber animation models and animate them. The films of his childhood landed him his first directing job in 1988 with MTV. The stop-motion tour of the hellish Garden of Earthly Delights won several awards.
He also teaches stop-motion animation at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
He also wrote the song "BRAINS!" for the Cartoon Network show "Grim and Evil" which has since split into two separate shows (The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, Evil Con Carne) and the song can also be found on his album "Boo Hoo".
An avid fan of Star Trek, Voltaire frequently attends conventions and released a four track E.P. called "Banned on Vulcan". It was a set of comedy recordings poking fun at characters from the show.
He often takes part in Adventure Quest Worlds special musical events in which he is drawn incredibly well!
Discography:
The Devil's Bris (1998)
Almost Human (2000)
Boo Hoo (2002)
Then and Again (2004)
Ooky Spooky (2007)
To the Bottom of the Sea (2008)
Hate Lives in a Small Town (2010)
Riding a Black Unicorn Down the Side of an Erupting Volcano While Drinking from a Chalice Filled with the Laughter of Small Children (2011)
BiTrektual (2012)
Raised by Bats (2014)
Heart-Shaped Wound (2017)
What Are the Oddz? (2019)
The Black Labyrinth (TBD)
2) A German indie rock group from Bonn, too. They were founded in 2003 by Roland Meyer de Voltaire, who is the singer, songwriter and producer of the band. Their discography includes one EP and two albums, called "Heute ist jeder Tag" (2006) and "Das letzte bisschen Etikette" (2009).
Sites: Voltaire-Musik.De (official)
3) A Polish punk rock band who have released two albums.
4) An 18th-century French writer and philosopher, who might be scrobbled by people listening to audiobooks of his works.
Day of the Dead
Voltaire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was a stranger, in danger, in a world unknown
A clap of thunder and the ground around me did explode
And the skeletons in dozens come out from that hole
Why? No lie!
It was the Day of the Dead!
Did you hear what I just said?
I didn't even know
It was the Day of the Dead!
I tried not to lose my head
Oh-oh-ohh
Way down in Mexico
The place was jumping with carribas swaying to and fro
An evil skeleton made off with my beef burrito
They opened the pinata and a swarm of guts went up my nose
I lost all bowel control and knew that it was time to go
Why? No lie!
It was the Day of the Dead!
Did you hear what I just said?
Oh-oh-ohh
I didn't even know
It was the Day of the Dead!
I tried not to lose my head
Oh-oh-ohh
Way down in Mexico
The locals tell me not to fear
It happens at least once a year
When hell is full the dead will walk the Earth and
Apparently they come up here
For the beer!
Why? No lie!
It was the Day of the Dead!
Did you hear what I just said?
Oh-oh-ohh
I didn't even know
It was the Day of the Dead!
I tried not to lose my head
Oh-oh-ohh
Way down in Mexico
Dia de los muertos
El calacas vio
Oh-oh-ohh
Y el gringo se asusto
Dia de Los Muertos
El cabron se arrugo
Oh-oh-ohh
Aqui en Mexico
CORRE CARAJO QUE LOS MUERTOS ESTAN EN LA CALLE!
The song “Day of the Dead” by Voltaire is a humorous retelling of the singer’s experience in Mexico during the annual celebration of Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Voltaire describes feeling like a stranger and in danger in this unfamiliar world, until he witnesses a sudden explosion and the emergence of dozens of skeletons. It is then that he realizes that it is the Day of the Dead, a time when the dead are believed to return to the living world to celebrate with their loved ones.
Voltaire goes on to recount the chaos and revelry of the celebrations, from the swaying Carribas and stolen beef burritos to the unexpected blast of piñata guts. Despite feeling overwhelmed, he is reassured by the locals that this is a normal occurrence, happening once a year when the dead walk the earth alongside the living, all in search of some cold beer.
Overall, the song is a playful and entertaining look at a unique cultural celebration, as well as a reminder that death is not to be feared but rather celebrated as a natural part of life.
Line by Line Meaning
I was just a tourist the first time I went to Mexico
I visited Mexico for the first time as a tourist.
I was a stranger, in danger, in a world unknown
I felt lost and endangered in an unfamiliar place.
A clap of thunder and the ground around me did explode
Suddenly, the ground shook and thunder roared.
And the skeletons in dozens come out from that hole
To my surprise, many skeletons emerged from the ground.
Why? No lie!
I swear this is true!
It was the Day of the Dead!
I realized that it was the Day of the Dead festival.
Did you hear what I just said?
Can you believe what I just experienced?
Oh-oh-ohh
Expressing amazement, shock or disbelief.
I didn't even know
I had no idea that such a festival existed.
I tried not to lose my head
I tried to stay calm and not panic.
Way down in Mexico
I was in Mexico at the time.
The place was jumping with carribas swaying to and fro
The festival was full of vibrant, dancing carnival songs.
An evil skeleton made off with my beef burrito
Somebody took away my beef burrito, wearing a scary skeleton costume.
They opened the pinata and a swarm of guts went up my nose
When they broke open the pinata, a disgusting smell came out and went up my nose.
I lost all bowel control and knew that it was time to go
The experience was too overwhelming and I needed to leave.
The locals tell me not to fear
The locals reassured me that there was nothing to be afraid of.
It happens at least once a year
The festival takes place annually.
When hell is full the dead will walk the Earth and
There's a belief that when hell is at capacity, the dead will come back to life and walk the Earth.
Apparently they come up here
It's said that they come to the living world to join the festival.
For the beer!
To have a good time and drink beer.
Dia de los muertos
The Spanish phrase for Day of the Dead.
El calacas vio
The skeleton saw.
Y el gringo se asusto
And the foreigner got scared.
El cabron se arrugo
The guy got nervous.
Aqui en Mexico
Here in Mexico.
CORRE CARAJO QUE LOS MUERTOS ESTAN EN LA CALLE!
Run, damn it! The dead are in the street!
Contributed by Jake J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.