Dos Vicios
Los Cadetes de Linares
The Dual Passions of a Ranchero: An Analysis of 'Dos Vicios'
The song 'Dos Vicios' by Los Cadetes de Linares, a renowned Norteo music group, delves into the dual passions of a man's life that are neither wealth nor fame, but rather the love for a good horse and the allure of a woman. The lyrics are a candid reflection of the singer's simple yet profound desires that bring him joy and a sense of peace.
The song uses the metaphor of riding a good horse to describe the singer's approach to life and love. The 'lomo de un buen caballo' (back of a good horse) symbolizes a sense of freedom and the traditional lifestyle of a ranchero, someone who is deeply connected to the land and its customs. The 'ancas de una dama' (hips of a lady) represent the romantic and sensual desires that captivate him. The juxtaposition of these two 'vices' illustrates the singer's connection to both the ruggedness of the countryside and the tenderness of human affection.
In the final stanza, the singer expresses a wish for his remains to be used to craft a saddle for a woman to use, thereby uniting his two loves even in death. This poignant desire to be intertwined with his passions eternally speaks to the depth of his connection to both the horse and the woman. The song, therefore, is not just about the vices themselves, but about the singer's identity and the things that define his existence.