Parece mentira
Homero Manzi
The Haunting Nostalgia of Unchanged Love
The song "Parece mentira" by Homero Manzi is a poignant reflection on the pain of realizing that the person you once loved has changed beyond recognition, while everything else remains the same. The lyrics express the narrator's disbelief and heartache as he observes that his own life and surroundings have not altered, yet the person he cherished has transformed in a way that makes her seem like a stranger. The repetition of 'Parece mentira' (It seems like a lie) underscores the shock and denial he feels in the face of this change.
The imagery in the song is rich with contrasts, using metaphors such as 'dos luceros' (two bright stars) and 'dos abrojos hechiceros' (two bewitching thorns) to describe the eyes of the loved one. These lines evoke the duality of beauty and pain, suggesting that the memories of love are both luminous and piercing. The narrator's sorrow is further amplified by the description of his own emotions as 'cien tormentas' (a hundred storms) and 'cien condenas' (a hundred sentences), which convey the depth of his suffering and the sense of being trapped by his unrequited love.
The setting of the song, with its unchanged streets and the same moon hanging over the alley, serves as a backdrop that highlights the stark difference in the loved one's demeanor. The unchanged environment amplifies the narrator's sense of loss, as it reminds him of a past that can no longer be reclaimed. The song is a testament to the enduring nature of love and the haunting experience of holding onto the past while facing an altered present.