Tristezas de la calle Corrientes

Homero Expósito's song "Tristezas de la calle Corrientes" paints a vivid and melancholic picture of Corrientes Street, a famous avenue in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The lyrics delve into the sorrow and struggles of the people who inhabit and traverse this urban landscape. The street is depicted as a place of economic hardship, where people scrounge for coins to buy bread, and as a river of unending suffering for the city. The imagery of pale lights and dreamlike signs evokes a sense of faded glory and lost hope.

The song's chorus highlights the duality of Corrientes Street's atmosphere. It is a place where laughter is often fueled by alcohol, and tears are turned into songs to sell the illusion of love. This market of 'sad joys' and 'bartered caresses' underscores the transactional nature of human interactions in this urban setting. The street's joy is tinged with sadness, and the pain of waiting permeates the lives of its inhabitants. The repeated use of the word 'triste' (sad) emphasizes the pervasive melancholy that defines the street's character.

Expósito also touches on the bohemian and impoverished individuals who frequent Corrientes Street. These vagabonds, with their worldly flattery and dreams of success, soften the harshness of their wait with the camaraderie found in bars. The street is likened to a valley of coins for bread and a river of suffering, where men are metaphorically sold like Christ and continuously bled by the city's iconic obelisk. This powerful imagery conveys a sense of betrayal and unending pain, capturing the essence of urban despair and the human condition in a bustling metropolis.