Un Muerto Encierras

Ismael Serrano's song 'Un Muerto Encierras' is a poignant narrative of a relationship that has lost its initial spark and is now suffocating under the weight of routine and unfulfilled desires. The song begins with a couple in a car, a setting that suggests intimacy and closeness, yet the darkness and namelessness of the street hint at the underlying disconnection between them. The act of making love is described mechanically, as 'work,' indicating that passion has been replaced by obligation.

The lyrics delve into the internal monologues of the characters, revealing their disillusionment. The man reflects on how life has lost its novelty and excitement, while the woman, once his source of light, now blinds him with 'golden prisons' and relentless love. The repeated line 'Ataremos bandadas de gorriones a nuestras muñecas' (We will tie flocks of sparrows to our wrists) symbolizes a yearning to escape the mundane, to break free from the chains of a love that has turned into a burden. The phrase 'Un muerto encierras' (You enclose a dead one) metaphorically suggests that within the relationship, something has died—perhaps love itself, or the person he once was.

As the song progresses, the couple's emotional distance grows. The man's gestures are hollow, and the woman's search for connection in his eyes is met with darkness. The angel passing by, finding another, signifies missed opportunities and the realization that their love is no longer a shelter but a trap. In the end, fear of loss and the unknown leads to a desperate affirmation of love, but it is clear that the relationship is a desert at heart, devoid of the life it once had.