Posted 1 year, 5 months ago in the late evening by oso
“One-third peeled.” That would have probably been my best guess if someone - say Flavorpill San Franciso - were to have asked me the meaning of aterciopelado. It’s not that I haven’t come across the term before. In fact, there is conclusive evidence that on Thursday, February 10, 2005 I read that:
Quick note to say ~~ if you don’t have Gozo Poderoso, the 2001 album from the Colombian duo Los Aterciopelados (which means “The Velvety Ones”), then you should run, don’t walk, to your computer to order it right now (oh, right, you’re here already…and yes I know it is 2005).
The obvious downside of this story is that my mental hard drive of cyber consumption appears to be along the lines of a 5.25 inch floppy diskette. The upside is that women, specifically my woman, remember(s) everything.
Tangent: you can imagine the odyssean challenge that is arguing with a lawyer who does not forget. (and on whose bookshelf sits Gerry Spence’s “How to Argue and Win Every Time”)
And so, when both Mari and I simultaneously received our Flavorpill newsletter, I stuffed mine into a bulging folder titled “shit to read someday” while she promptly wrote back correctly identifying the meaning of Los Aterciopelados as “the velvety ones.” Hence, free tickets to last last Sunday night’s show at Slim’s.
Tercio means one-third. Pelado is the past-participle of pelar, “to peel” or “to pluck.” And so it would be easy to mistake the etymology as “one-third plucked” - another remarkable name for a band.
Tangent: pelarse is also one of my favorite Northern Mexican modismos. Literally, to peel oneself. Let’s say you and the boys have been organizing a trip to the - pardon my uncivilized speech - titty bar. You’ve been talking about it at work every day. All you need to do is mumble the whitest of lies to your wife that you will be watching a “sporting event.” But then, lying in bed one evening, your until-death-do-us-part mentions a chapter she just read in her self-improvement book of the month: the importance of open and healthy communication in a relationship. “I just want to let you know honey,” she begins, just as Dr. Internet Diploma instructs, “that you can tell me anything, that I won’t get mad, that the most important thing is being honest with each other.”
The tone of her voice is promising like new lingerie and, on an impulse, you foolishly, mindlessly, imprudently, dumb-assedly tell her of your plan to view other women without their tops on.
The next morning you inform your dear friends that you will not be accompanying them to the titty bar, but rather you will be stopping by the florist on the way home and subsequently watching the entire first season of Sex and the City while getting nauseous off chocolate covered strawberries.
And this is what they tell you: ¡no mames guey! ¡Te pelaste! Literally, “don’t suck dumbass, you peeled yourself.” More like, “unfuckingbelievable, you’re a disgrace to the y chromosome.”
In fact, according to the Real Academia Española, Aterciopelado originates from tercero or tercer pelo, “third hair.” The question is why? Google offers little help. Wikipedia explains how velvet is made, but there is not mention of a third hair. Similarly, in Spanish, we are told that the cloth is difficult to clean, but not why it has it’s peculiar name.
Somebody help me.
The term is also of interest to Central American snake aficionados. Aterciopelo is the Costa Rican name for the Bothrops asper, a sexually dimorphic venomous pit viper found in Central and northern South America. Here’s a picture of someone’s leg after a Bothrops bite:
One eager snake stroker affirms on WordReference that:
Terciopelo is now the most commonly accepted name for Bothrops asper, the only species in its genus found in Central America. “Terciopelo” does mean “velvet” in Spanish and apparently refers to the texture of the skin (I’ve handled many and it is velvet-like). It is the most common venomous snake in most of Costa Rica and is frequently found around human dwellings; personally, I have encountered more near humans than in remote rainforests.
Further evidence that people who like snakes are weird.
But enough about lexical semantics, the concert was fucking awesome. Lead singer Andrea Echeverri has a sexy stage presence of Frida Kahlo meets Kill Bill. Both Mari and I were drawn in by her confidence and charm. We had to get up early the next morning, but we stayed for almost the whole set which featured - almost entirely - the new album Oye … with the satisfying addition of Mari’s favorite track, “Rompecabezas.”
In conclusion, it’s better to be a woman than a man unless you’re on a road trip and the Velveteen Rabbit used to be my favorite book as a little kid.
Downloads of the day:
- Complemento from Oye
- Don Dinero from Oye
- Interview with Andrea Echeverri (8 minutes)
The Universal Myths: Heroes, Gods, Tricksters, and Others (Meridian)
Buenos Aires Tiene Historia: Once itinerarios guiados por la ciudad
Kafka on the Shore
The Genius of Language: Fifteen Writers Reflect on Their Mother Tongue
Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
When I first heard the band name I thought it was ‘A Terco Pelados’, and I imagined some sort of bound and forced shaving of long hair by parents insisting on proper grooming and proper manners, all while the rebel rockers struggled to keep their hair and identity. When I realized it was ‘velvety ones’ I was thoroughly dissappointed! Still like their music though…
I’m glad you had a good time at the concert… but the snake picture - that was just gratuitous! I hear that we are going to see you on Friday. See you then.
yeah. they’re awesome. caribe atómico is a great album, too.
I love Andrea Echeverri’s guitar, her dozen bracelets around her wrists and her hippiness. I’ve seen los Aterciopelados twice, the first time I didn’t really appreciate their genius, but by the second time I was more familiar with their catalog and appreciative.
Andrea Echeverri’s self-titled solo album was fantastic. It made me want to be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen (doing something aside from cooking, ’cause we all know I don’t cook) humming along to “A Eme O”. It’s sweet without being sanguine and such a departure from the bitterness in songs like “Rompecabezas” (I love this one too), “La Estaca” and “Bolero Falaz”. I can’t get the last one out of my head despite the fact I’m not feeling very bitter these days.
Next time, please give a warning if you’re going to include a really gross picture in you’re post. I don’t think that’s good for someone still getting over food poisoning.
Es solo un hasta luego!!
del Blog si es un à dios…. volverè en otra cosa… espero..
TU BLOG ESTA CONMADRE WE!!!!
Well, I was reading all fine and dandy until suddenly in the backgrounnd of the story there is a distrubing image to which I try to continue to ignore in order to reach the paragraph that would explain it’s necessity…then I get to it, by then I am nauseous. It is relevant as in your explaination which includes velevety appearance. I as able to find another definition..which is much better than a rotting leg.. “Vino suave, sedoso, que acaricia el paladar.” In the wine glossary.
Love both “Gozo P” and “Oye”, but I loved Andrea’s solo album first. “Amniotico” is one of my favorite songs, period. This is all to say, I’m jealous you got to see them in concert!
And yes, that pic is grody.
Hmm, the term for our Northern MX brothers and sisters - pelarse is quite different from how we use to it. Cada quien, right? Dig the pic. Keep them coming, LOL
Chavo,
Bravo. “Los Torcidos Peludos” also comes to mind.
Greg,
I can’t wait. I assume you mean “gratuitous” as in “without charge.”
Jen,
Agreed.
Cindylu,
Yeah .. her guitar is badass - gives Willie Nelson’s competition for most character. I need to find the “guide me holy jesus” sticker. I also, clearly, need to listen to her solo album.
Catarf,
No te vayas hermano.
Yolanda,
It’s good to know that the vocabulary of vino is just as presumptuous in Spanish.
e,
I’m definitely gonna search out the solo album. This might warrant a rare trip to the records store.
Julissa,
How’d you guys use the term? I should have clarified that it has a lot of meanings. Of course, the obvious “cutting your hair”, but also “you messed up” “you lied” “you’re wrong” and “you couldn’t do it.” Lots and lots of context here. It seems the term has slightly different meanings in Mexico, Venezuela, and Argentina.
I can’t stop looking at the picture. It’s so gross and yet SO fascinating..
Esa foto esta HORRIBLE!
muy bien, i like this site.
saludos,
yo
Hate me. I don’t like the band. Now, with that picture etched into my brain mucho menos! ha ha
Happy turkey day bear!
“a picture of someone’s leg after a Bothrops bite”, I had nightmares (not kidding) after seeing that picture. Thanks for the image!
So…. “deadweight on velveteen” - jose gonzalez. Is that what you are alluding to subtle sucka?!
i love the band….i read somewhere too that it meant “velvety ones”.
apparently they were fans of the Velvet Underground (at least that’s what I heard)