Si Usted La Viera

The song "Si Usted La Viera" by Guaco, a Venezuelan band known for their unique blend of salsa, pop, and other Caribbean rhythms, tells a story of forbidden love and the struggle between desire and duty. The lyrics unfold as a conversation between the protagonist and his confessor, presumably a priest, who advises against the love affair. The confessor warns that the protagonist's love is driving him to distraction, neglecting his duties, and causing gossip in the village. Despite the warnings, the protagonist remains steadfast, insisting that if only the confessor could see the object of his affection, he would understand.

The protagonist defends his beloved, describing her purity and beauty in poetic terms, comparing her to a lily and her lips to marjoram and verbena. He expresses an inability to live without her enchantments, suggesting a deep and consuming love. The confessor, however, remains unconvinced, viewing the protagonist's love as a dangerous fantasy. It is only when the protagonist shows the confessor a portrait of his beloved that the priest's perspective shifts. Mistaking her for the Virgin of Sorrows, the confessor is taken aback by her beauty and, upon realizing his mistake, softens his stance, suggesting that if she is as good as she is beautiful, then the protagonist should be at peace with his love.

The song captures the tension between societal expectations and personal feelings, as well as the transformative power of beauty and love. It also touches on themes of religious authority and the conflict between spiritual and earthly desires. The narrative resolution, where the confessor is swayed by the woman's image, suggests that love can transcend rigid moral frameworks and that even those who enforce such frameworks are not immune to its power.