Los boliches

Alfredo Zitarrosa's 'Los boliches' is a poignant exploration of the melancholic atmosphere found in nocturnal bars, or 'boliches,' in Uruguay. The song paints a vivid picture of these dimly lit establishments, filled with the remnants of lost dreams and the haze of smoke and wine. Zitarrosa's lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia and sorrow, as he describes the quinieleros (betting men) and the old radios playing Gardel's tangos, creating a backdrop of a bygone era. The imagery of a drunkard holding onto the past, symbolized by the 'madera de un tango,' underscores the theme of clinging to memories in the face of a bleak present.

The song's second verse delves deeper into the physical and emotional decay within these boliches. The 'desgastadas paredes' (worn-out walls) and 'opacados espejos' (dimmed mirrors) reflect a life that has seen better days, mirroring the patrons' own faded hopes. The metaphor of a 'marioneta de pan en la niebla' (a bread puppet in the fog) suggests a sense of helplessness and disorientation, further emphasized by the 'Sol empañado de alcohol' (sun clouded by alcohol). This imagery conveys the idea that the boliches are places where people seek solace in alcohol, only to find themselves more lost and isolated.

The recurring motif of the 'gorrión' (sparrow) symbolizes fleeting moments of warmth and connection that are quickly lost to the 'aire del alma' (soul's air). The song's chorus, with its repetition of 'la soledad, con el alcohol' (loneliness, with alcohol), highlights the cyclical nature of seeking comfort in these bars, only to be left with a deeper sense of solitude. The final lines, where the narrator returns to the boliche in search of something that 'nunca volverá' (will never return), encapsulate the theme of longing and the inescapable passage of time. Zitarrosa's 'Los boliches' is a masterful portrayal of the human condition, capturing the essence of loneliness, nostalgia, and the search for meaning in the shadows of the night.