El Escaparate

Alejandro Sanz's song 'El Escaparate' tells a poignant story of love, longing, and loss through the metaphor of a shop window display. The protagonist becomes enamored with a photograph of a woman displayed behind a glass window. This image, though lifeless and static, comes alive in his imagination, symbolizing an unattainable love that he cherishes from a distance. The shop window, or 'escaparate,' serves as a barrier between his reality and his dreams, highlighting the theme of unfulfilled desires.

The lyrics delve into the emotional depth of the protagonist's attachment to the photograph. He finds solace in merely being able to look at her, even though he knows she is just an image. This speaks to the human tendency to find comfort in illusions and the power of imagination to create emotional connections with inanimate objects. The shop window's lights turning off and the store closing represent the temporary nature of his happiness, as he can only 'be with her' during the store's open hours.

The narrative takes a dramatic turn when the store changes its display, removing the photograph. The protagonist's desperation leads him to search through discarded items, symbolizing his refusal to let go of his dream. When he finally finds the photograph, damaged and abandoned, he lovingly restores it, vowing never to be separated from it again. This act of 'rescuing' the image signifies his deep emotional investment and the lengths he will go to preserve his idealized love. The song concludes with a sense of permanence in his fantasy, as he imagines a world where the shop window never closes, and he can always be with his beloved image.