Sur

Anibal Troilo's song 'Sur' is a poignant exploration of nostalgia, change, and the passage of time. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the old neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, specifically San Juan and Boedo, and Pompeya. These places are not just geographical locations but are imbued with personal memories and emotions. The mention of 'tu melena de novia en el recuerdo' (your bride's hair in memory) and 'tu nombre florando en el adiós' (your name floating in the goodbye) suggests a deep, personal loss, possibly of a loved one or a significant relationship that has ended. The imagery of 'la esquina del herrero, barro y pampa' (the blacksmith's corner, mud, and pampas) and 'un perfume de yuyos y de alfalfa' (a scent of herbs and alfalfa) evokes a sense of a simpler, rural past that contrasts with the present.

The chorus, with its repetition of 'Sur' (South), serves as a lament for what has been lost. The lines 'Ya nunca me verás como me vieras, recostado en la vidriera y esperándote' (You will never see me as you saw me, leaning against the shop window and waiting for you) and 'Ya nunca alumbraré con las estrellas nuestra marcha sin querellas por las noches de Pompeya' (I will never light up with the stars our march without quarrels through the nights of Pompeya) highlight the irreversible nature of change. The singer acknowledges that the past cannot be reclaimed, and the places and people that once defined his life have transformed or disappeared.

The song also touches on broader themes of urban transformation and the inevitable march of time. 'Nostalgias de las cosas que han pasado, arena que la vida se llevó' (Nostalgia for things that have passed, sand that life has taken away) and 'pesadumbre de barrios que han cambiado y amargura del sueño que murió' (sorrow for neighborhoods that have changed and bitterness for the dream that died) reflect a universal sentiment of longing for the past and mourning for the dreams that never came to fruition. Troilo's 'Sur' is a melancholic tribute to a bygone era, capturing the essence of personal and collective memory in the face of relentless change.