From the vibrant heart of Latin America comes a song that pulsates with life, danger, and the unpredictable rhythm of the streets. As part of our “Songs Written with a Machete” series, where we delve into impactful songs born from raw experiences, we explore “Pedro Navaja,” a masterpiece by salsa legend Ruben Blades. This isn’t just a song; it’s a sonic story, blending magical realism with gritty street poetry, penned by an artist renowned for his musical intensity and narrative prowess.
My own introduction to the realities that underpin songs like “Pedro Navaja” came during an eighteen-month immersion in the Colombian wilderness, nestled in a mountain village not far from Medellín. As a blues musician attuned to storytelling, I was immediately struck by the raw energy and potent narratives woven into local music. These were songs capable of shaking you to your core, full of life lessons and stark realities. Inspired, I began translating these powerful pieces, aiming to share their raw essence with a wider audience through this series.
The spirit of “Pedro Navaja” resonated with an early, somewhat startling experience in Colombia. Imagine waking up on a tropical morning, heading out to a banana tree for a moment of nature, only to be confronted by five guns pointed directly at you. That bewildering moment, unsure of which hand should be where, was met with the disarming laughter of “soldados.” “Tranquilo parsero! No pasa nada!” they reassured, explaining they were searching for bandits after a recent mayoral ambush. This encounter highlighted a stark reality of Latin American life – armed robbery, a phenomenon so prevalent it has inspired countless stories, including those immortalized in salsa music.
Ruben Blades, a towering figure in salsa, masterfully captured this reality in “Pedro Navaja.” This iconic track isn’t just a song; it’s a vivid tableau of street life, painting a picture of a notorious character and the harsh truths of his world.
Decoding “Pedro Navaja”: A Street Ballad
Let’s dissect the narrative woven into this compelling “Pedro Song”:
Around the corner of the old town, I saw him pass by
With the sway that handsome men have when they walk, his hands in the pockets of his coat as always
so that they wouldn’t know in which one he carries the knife.
Blades immediately introduces Pedro Navaja, a figure of streetwise charisma and concealed danger. His very posture, hands strategically placed in his coat, hints at the hidden menace he carries, creating an air of suspense from the outset.
He wears a wide-brimmed hat tilted to the side and trainers, so that he can make off if there’s trouble,
dark glasses so they won’t know what he’s looking at and a gold tooth that shines when he laughs.
The description continues to build the image of Pedro Navaja. The hat and trainers speak to practicality and readiness to escape, while the dark glasses and gold tooth add layers of mystery and a flash of ostentation, painting a complex portrait of a man living on the edge.
About three blocks away from that corner, a woman is walking down the pavement for the fifth time,
she enters a building and has a drink to forget that the day is slow and she has no clients.
Juxtaposed with Pedro is a woman, equally entrenched in the harsh realities of street life. Her repetitive pacing and search for solace in a drink reveal a struggle for survival, highlighting another facet of the urban landscape Blades portrays.
A car passes very slowly down the boulevard, it isn’t marked, but they all know it’s a cop.
Pedro Navaja, with his hands inside his trench coat, looks and smiles, and the gold tooth shines again.
The slow-moving, unmarked car adds another layer of tension, the ever-present threat of law enforcement in this underworld. Pedro’s smile, flashing his gold tooth, is a defiant gesture, a mark of his confidence or perhaps a mask for underlying fear.
As he walks, his eyes wander from corner to corner. There isn’t a soul, the boulevard is deserted,
suddenly that woman comes out of the doorway and Pedro Navaja clenches his fist inside his coat.
The deserted boulevard heightens the sense of isolation and danger. The encounter with the woman becomes the focal point, a moment of impending conflict. Pedro’s clenched fist signals his predatory intent.
He looks one way, he looks the other and sees no-one and at a run, but without noise, he crosses the street
and meanwhile, on the other pavement, there goes that woman grumbling, because she didn’t make money to eat.
The narrative accelerates as Pedro moves in for the kill. Unbeknownst to him, the woman is also armed, driven to desperation by her own circumstances.
As she walked, she took out a revolver from her old coat. She was going to put it into her purse to keep it out of the way.
A .38, Smith & Wesson Special that she carried to be safe.
The woman’s hidden weapon introduces a twist. She, too, is prepared for the dangers of the street, carrying a .38 Smith & Wesson for protection. This detail subverts expectations and sets the stage for a dramatic confrontation.
And Pedro Navaja, dagger in his hand, went after her, the gold tooth was lighting up the whole avenue, it was easy!
As he laughed, the dagger sank in mercilessly when all of a sudden a shot like a cannon fired.
The climax is swift and brutal. Pedro, confident and ruthless, attacks, only to be met with unexpected resistance. The “shot like a cannon” marks a turning point.
Pedro Navaja fell on the pavement and saw that woman who, with the revolver in her hand and mortally wounded, told him
“I was thinking: today is not my day, I’m out of luck”. “But Pedro Navaja, you’re worse, you’re beyond help”.
The tables are turned in a shocking moment of irony. Both are mortally wounded, victims of the violent world they inhabit. The woman’s chilling words highlight the ultimate futility of Pedro’s predatory lifestyle.
And believe me, although there was noise, nobody came out. There were no onlookers, no questions, no one cried.
Only a drunk tripped over the two dead bodies, he took the revolver, the dagger, two pesos and went away.
The aftermath is stark and desolate. The indifference of the city, symbolized by the lack of witnesses and the scavenging drunk, underscores the harsh reality of street life where violence is commonplace and life is cheap.
And stumbling he went off singing out of tune the chorus that I have brought you, hear the message of my song:
Life brings you surprises, Life is full of surprises, oh God!
The song concludes with a poignant chorus, a stark reminder of life’s unpredictable nature. “Pedro Navaja,” the “pedro song,” is more than just a story of a street thug; it’s a reflection on fate, survival, and the harsh realities of urban life. Ruben Blades masterfully uses the salsa rhythm to deliver a powerful narrative, leaving listeners contemplating the song’s profound message long after the music fades.
This “pedro song” is a testament to Ruben Blades’ genius, his ability to weave compelling stories into music, making “Pedro Navaja” a timeless classic that continues to resonate with audiences worldwide.
Tagy Songs Written With a Machete Colombia
If you have found an error or typo in the article, please let us know by e-mail [email protected].
Matěj Ptaszek
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