Life is worth nothing if in the end I can’t change
what surrounds me, what I have and what protects me
and that’s why, for me,
Life is worth nothing.
– Pablo Milanese
Sad to hear … Jumping Fences version of ‘Candle de Nieve‘ sends shivers down my spine. Wonderful poet, Pablo Milanese. Here are Lachlan’s words on Pablo’s passing. Lachlan is one of the “Jumping Fences” that plays in the tradition of Nueva Cancion. – Ed., 22 Nov @022
Today we found out that the Cuban singer/songwriter, Pablo Milanés has passed away at the age of 79, after battling cancer and other health issues for a number of years.
Sue and I were introduced to the music of Pablo by Justo Diaz, an Argentinian musician who was touring Australia in 1979 and stayed with us for a few weeks. Justo travelled light but had a small collection of cassettes which included songs by Pablo, that we assiduously listened to.
Fascinated by this new music from Cuba, in our flat in Carmody Road, Justo, Sue and I began to translate some of Pablo’s songs, and uncovered a rich lyricism with a strong revolutionary outlook that grew out of the Cuban revolution and the left wing movements across Latin America. I still remember the wonder of discovering the meaning of ‘Yo Pisaré Las Calles Nuevamente’ (I will walk the streets again) and its courageous optimism for the future of Chile, still recoiling from the CIA backed coup d’état. This and so many other songs resonated strongly with us (fighting our own repressive government in Queensland), and so began our journey into learning and playing songs from the Nueva Canción movement in Latin America, particularly the Cuban Nueva Trova. In our first group, Frontera, we played Pablo’s ‘La Vida No Vale Nada’ and in Gaviota we played ‘Homenaje’ amongst other songs. Our repertoire still includes ‘Candil de Nieve‘ which Pablo co-wrote with Raul Torres.
In 1996 Sue and I spent three months in Cuba studying guitar and bass, with twin brothers, Silvio and Vidal Tarin, and one song we learnt to play together was Pablo’s classic love song, ‘Yolanda’. I can recall vividly giving a small concert to the staff at the Democratic International Federation of Women’s hostel in Miramar, Havana, where, after being told by one of the cooks, Cecilia, that she didn’t like the Nueva Trova, she led the singing of ‘Yolanda’ when we played it with all the staff singing along (the other picture below).
Pablo seemed a ‘straight-shooter’, and there were times when, even after years of professing support for the Cuban Revolution, he didn’t resile from making criticisms of things he didn’t like. At times this sat uneasily with those of us who strongly support the Cuban revolution and all the things it achieved. Perhaps, however, one of those things achieved was the right of public figures like Pablo to express dissent. Of course the internal dynamic of the revolution is a matter for Cubans to resolve without external pressure or free advice, but nevertheless, I am sure the views of Pablo will be the subject of extensive commentary in the coming days both from within and outside Cuba.
His extraordinary body of music, created over more than five decades will stand as a monument to creativity, to the magic of art and music, and the incredible ability to explore the richness of humanity in song. His art touched millions of people.
Lachlan Hurse
22 Nov 2022
Listen to Candil de Nieve by Jumping Fences
Here’s a (rough) translation of his song La Vida No Vale Nada (Life is worth nothing), released in 1976.
La Vida No Vale Nada
Life is worth nothing if it is not to perish
So others can have what they enjoy and love
Life is worth nothing if I remain seated
After all I have seen and dreamed call me from all quarters.
Life is worth nothing when others are killing themselves
And I’m just keep singing as if nothing happened.
Life is worth nothing if I hear a deadly scream
And that’s not capable of touching and stopping my heart
Life is worth nothing if I ignore that the murderer
Who took another path and prepares another ambush
Life is worth nothing if a brother is surprised
When he knew in advance what was being prepared for him
Life is worth nothing if four fall per minute
And, in the end, the day is decided by the outrage
Life is worth nothing if I have to postpone
Another minute of existence and end up dying in bed
Life is worth nothing if in the end I can’t change
what surrounds me, what I have and what protects me
and that’s why, for me,
Life is worth nothing.