Matador (Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - Matador, English Lyrics)

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Description

A song from "Los Fabulosos Cadillacs" (The Fabulous Cadillacs), a historic band that started in 1984 and is still going strong today. The lead singer is Vicentico, who also has a solo career. As far as I know, this song first appeared in the 1993 album "Vasos Vacíos" (Empty Glasses), a compilation album, pictured in the video. This song is incredibly well known, and most people would know most of the lyrics. Again, this has as its theme the disappearences and opressions of the dictatorships that most of Latin America once suffered.

- Victor Jara was a chilean musician and author who also made many protests songs. He was tortured and murdered by the chilean dictatorship in 1973. His fingers and tongue were cut off in the process to prevent him from singing again.

- As for "León Santillán", as far as I can tell it's a made up name! There's another song about him, but there's no proof that he is actually a real person. Some info here: https://arairadio.com.ar/articulo/manuel-santillan,-el-%E2%80%9Cleon%E2%80%9D-de-latinoamerica.phpy

- "Cana" is a slang term for the police.

- "Porteño" is the demonym for the city of Buenos Aires. It literally means "of the port".

- "Barracas" is a neighborhood in Buenos Aires. There are a lot of different neighborhoods each of them with their own rich history. The line "the matador of the 100 porteño neighborhoods" is a nod to this fact.

- "Matador" means "killer", of course. But I chose to retain the original word as I think it's well known in the anglophone world by now.

The video of this song is quite good, you should watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjPA7CXutDw

Spanish:

¡Te están buscando, matador!

Me dicen el matador, nací en Barracas
Si hablamos de matar mis palabras matan
No hace mucho tiempo que cayó el León Santillán
Y ahora sé que, en cualquier momento, me la van a dar

Pa-pa-pa-oh
Pa-pa-pa-oh
¿Dónde estás, matador?
Pa-pa-pa-oh
Pa-pa-pa-oh

Me dicen el matador, me están buscando
En una fría pensión los estoy esperando
Agazapado en lo más oscuro de mi habitación
Fusil en mano, espero mi final

Pa-pa-pa-oh
Pa-pa-pa-oh
La cana te busca, matador (Pa-pa-pa-oh)
La cana te miente, matador (Pa-pa-pa-oh)

¡Hey, hey!

¡Hey, hey!

¡Matador, matador!
¿Dónde estás matador?
¡Matador, matador!
No te vayas, matador
Matado-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
¡Oh yeah!
¡Matador, matador!

Viento de libertad, sangre combativa
En los bolsillos del pueblo la vieja herida
De pronto el día se me hace de noche
Murmullos, corridas y el golpe en la puerta
Llegó la fuerza policial

Pa-pa-pa-oh
Pa-pa-pa-oh
Mirá hermano en qué terminaste (Pa-pa-pa-oh)
Por pelear por un mundo mejor (Pa-pa-pa-oh)

¿Qué suenan?
Son balas
Me alcanzan
Me atrapan
Resiste
¡Victor Jara no calla!

Matador, te están buscando
(Matador, matador) Matador te están matando
Matador-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh yeah
(Matador, matador) Valiente matador

Me dicen el matador de los 100 barrios porteños
No tengo por que tener miedo, mis palabras son balas
Balas de paz, balas de justicia
Soy la voz de los que hicieron callar sin razón
Por el sólo hecho de pensar distinto, ¡ay, Dios!
Santa María de los Buenos Aires, si todo estuviera mejor

¡Matador, matador!
Si todo estuviera mejor
¡Matador, matador!
¿A dónde vas matador?
¡Matador, oh yeah!
¡Matador, matador!

English:

They're looking for you, Matador!

They call me "matador", I was born in Barracas
As killing goes, my words killing
Not long ago León Santillán fell
And I know I'm gonna get it any time now

Pa-pa-pa-oh
Pa-pa-pa-oh
Where are you, Matador?
Pa-pa-pa-oh
Pa-pa-pa-oh

They call me "matador", they're looking for me
In a cold inn I wait for them
Hiding in the darkest corner of my room
Gun in hand, I await my end

Pa-pa-pa-oh
Pa-pa-pa-oh
The cops are looking for you, Matador (Pa-pa-pa-oh)
The cops are lying to you, Matador (Pa-pa-pa-oh)

¡Hey, hey!

¡Hey, hey!

Matador! Matador!
Where are you Matador?
Matador! Matador!
Don't leave, Matador
Matado-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
¡Oh yeah!
¡Matador, Matador!

Winds of freedom, combative blood
In the pockets of the people, that old wound
Suddenly the day turns into night
Mumblings, pursuits, and the knock on the door
The police force has arrived

Pa-pa-pa-oh
Pa-pa-pa-oh
Look how you wound up, brother (Pa-pa-pa-oh)
For fighting for a better world (Pa-pa-pa-oh)

¿What's that sounds?
It's bullet
They reach me
They trap me
Resist
Victor Jara does not shut up

Matador, they're looking for you
(Matador, matador) Matador, they're killing you
Matador-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh yeah
(Matador, matador) Brave matador

They call the Matador of the 100 porteño neighborhoods
I have no reason to be afraid, my words are bullets
Bullets of peace, bullets of justice
I'm the voice of those who they silenced for no reasons
For the only fact of thinking differently, oh God!
Holy Mary of the Buenos Aires, if only things were better

¡Matador, matador!
If only things were better
¡Matador, matador!
¿Where are you going matador?
¡Matador, oh yeah!
¡Matador, matador!