La Ciudad de Los Muertos

Ismael Serrano's song "La Ciudad de Los Muertos" paints a vivid and haunting picture of a city where the dead seem more alive than the living. The lyrics describe a place where life and death intermingle in a surreal and poignant manner. Women hang clothes over nameless graves, children play among the tombstones, and the dead are ignored by society and international bodies like the United Nations. This city is a metaphor for marginalized communities that are neglected and forgotten by the world. The imagery of children playing to save their lives and hiding from hunger or death squads underscores the harsh realities faced by these communities.

The song continues to highlight the indifference of society towards these 'dead' people. Buses don't stop in this city, and the dead are left to fend for themselves in perpetual winter. The dead offer cigarettes and invite others to their mausoleums, symbolizing the camaraderie and solidarity among the marginalized. The lyrics criticize national and global institutions for ignoring these people, as they are not considered in national plans or World Bank statistics. The cutting down of willow trees for construction symbolizes the erasure of these communities for the sake of development and progress.

In the final verses, Serrano flips the narrative, suggesting that the dead are brimming with life and are ready to cross into the world of the living. The dead, tired of being ignored, will inhabit palaces, streets, ministries, and financial institutions. This powerful imagery suggests a revolution where the marginalized will no longer be ignored and will take their rightful place in society. The song is a poignant critique of social injustice and a call to recognize and address the plight of the forgotten and marginalized.