La Guerrilla de La Concordia
Jorge Drexler
The Courage to Love: A Guerrilla of Concord
Jorge Drexler's song "La Guerrilla de La Concordia" is a powerful anthem that explores the themes of love, courage, and resistance. The lyrics juxtapose the complexities of love with the simplicity of hate, suggesting that while love requires bravery and vulnerability, hate is the refuge of cowards. Drexler uses the metaphor of a guerrilla to describe the act of loving, framing it as a revolutionary and courageous endeavor in a world where fear and hatred are prevalent.
The song opens with the lines, "Amar es ir a ciegas / El corazón despega mientras todo arde," which translates to "Loving is going blind / The heart takes off while everything burns." This imagery evokes the idea that love is a leap of faith, a journey taken without guarantees, and often in the midst of chaos. In contrast, the lines "Odiar es mucho más sencillo / El odio es el lazarillo de los cobardes" ("Hating is much easier / Hate is the guide dog of cowards") highlight the ease and cowardice associated with hatred.
Drexler calls for a collective uprising of love, urging listeners to arm themselves with courage and to spread messages of love and unity. The repeated refrain, "Amar es cosa de valientes" ("Loving is for the brave"), serves as a rallying cry, emphasizing that in a world filled with fear, choosing to love is a radical and brave act. The song's guerrilla imagery, with references to "octavillas" (leaflets) and "comando de poetas suicidas" (a squad of suicidal poets), paints a vivid picture of a clandestine movement dedicated to spreading love and poetry as forms of resistance.
"La Guerrilla de La Concordia" is not just a song about love; it's a call to action. It challenges listeners to confront their fears and to choose love over hate, even when it's difficult. By framing love as a form of guerrilla warfare, Drexler elevates it to an act of defiance and bravery, making it clear that in the battle for a better world, love is the most powerful weapon we have.