January 2020 - Hombre

This is one of the rare occasions when the music came to me before the words. The melody and time signature of the vocal section was the start of it all - there's a strong current of the song style of the Chilean payadores and the guitarron (another unintentional tip of the hat to the decima). The instrumental section was also pretty much complete as it came to me, which is unusual. I certainly found it weird to receive these music parts in 7/4 and 5/4 from the universe!

Drawing a little on that paya sound and the quite blokey history of that folk form, the lyrics are intended to evoke a parable or fable, essentially four mini stories with a message in them. But, inspired by the wonderful Silvio Rodriguez song "Fabula De Los Tres Hermanos" which sets itself up as a story where the third brother will triumph by learning from the mistakes of his brothers but instead ends up just as lost as them, these fables dress themselves up as a celebration of the qualities we traditionally admire in men (propriety, wisdom, honour, bravery) but instead reveal the harm that can be inspired by these qualities when they become toxic.

Un hombre cabal se levanta

Se lava la cara y se larga

La pega es un almohadón

Que amortigua y oculta la cara

Un hombre sabio preguntó

Por los misterios del mundo

Le entregan la buena ley

La vehemencia le queda profundo

Un hombre probo camina

Reconociendo averías

Hace escuchar su voz

Y brinda su efecto en tanta cría

Un hombre audaz da otro paso

Sin señalar un retraso

Y cara a cara al león

Cede un ojo antes que un abrazo

Translation

A proper man rises from bed,

He washes his face and is on his way.

His work is a cushion

That shields and conceals his face.

A wise man asks

About the mysteries of the world.

They hand him the good word

And he bears it with vehemence.

An honourable man walks about

Pointing out faults.

He makes his voice heard

And salutes his effect on the world.

A brave man takes another step

Without sign of retreat,

And face to face with the lion,

Will cede an eye before an embrace.