Te Quiero Igual (I Love You the Same) is another gem from my favorite Latin rock artist, Andrés Calamaro. I was introduced to the music of the Argentine rock-great a few years ago by my daughter, Katherine, and I’ve been a fan ever since. Like a woman possessed, she played his phenomenal track Flaca (Skinny) on repeat – and I can’t blame her, as it has since become one of my favourite Latin rock songs too. Kat also introduced me to today’s featured track, Te Quiero Igual.
I’ll never forget the first time I watched the video below and realized that Calamaro was pulling off a pretty sweet Bob Dylan tribute, even incorporating the iconic signage imagery from Subterranean Homesick Blues. Also, when Calamaro sings repeatedly ‘Te Quiero‘ (I Want You) he’s channelling yet another Bob staple – yes you guessed it – I Want You.
Beyond its unmistakable Dylan-esque vibe, Te Quiero Igual stands out to me as a masterfully crafted song. Much like its sister track Cuando No Estás (When You Are Not Here), it encapsulates nearly everything I cherish about contemporary music, seamlessly blending poetic lyricism, raw emotion, and a wonderful production into a single alluring piece. It is a great testament to the complexity of love, acknowledging the pain of absence while still celebrating the love that remains.
Te Quiero Igual comes from his double album Honestidad Brutal (Brutal Honesty), see image inset, which is considered one of his most acclaimed works. With 37 songs in total – one for each year of life that its author had at that time – positioned Calamaro at the top of the Spanish-speaking music scene, but not before working on it for a whole year.
During 1998 and early 1999, Calamaro went from recording studio to recording studio in Miami, Madrid, New York and Buenos Aires with the musicians who accompanied him on his tour. Among them were his brother Javier and Coti Sorokin. For 9 months, they recorded every day, spontaneously and as they came, around 100 songs that were later reduced to the final 37. Figures such as Pappo, Maradona, Mariano Mores, Daniel Melingo and Moris, among many others, participated in the sessions. This double CD was created after the breakup with his girlfriend, which is reflected in the songs.
Calamaro added: “We were ready to record this album, even to never finish it. Much gratitude to all those involved in this unusual recording, ready for anything, in fifteen studios, in different countries, without stopping.“
In 2000, he recorded 103 songs in his five-CD album El Salmón.
A loose English translation follows:
I love you but you took the flower
And you left me the vase
I love you, you left me the ashes
And you took the ashtray
I love you but you took March
And you gave up in February
First, I love you the same
I love you, you took my head
And you left me my hat
I love you but you forgot April
In the closet but I love you the same
I don’t like to wait
But I wait for you anyway
First, I love you the same
I don’t know if I’m awake or my eyes are open
I don’t know if I’m awake or my eyes are open
[Verse 2]
I love you, I don’t know if I’m awake
Or my eyes are open
I know that I love you and that they’re waiting for me
More airports
I love you, you took the candle
And you left me the burial
First, I love you the same
References:
1. Andrés Calamaro recordó “Honestidad Brutal” a 20 años de haberlo lanzado – Filo.news
“The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realize, the less I know.”- Michel Legrand
Observation Blogger 
First time I heard of Andrés Calamaro – sounds like nice melodic rock – me gusta! 🙂