La Plegaria Del Paparazzo

Jorge Drexler's song "La Plegaria Del Paparazzo" offers a satirical and poignant commentary on the world of paparazzi and celebrity culture. The lyrics are framed as a prayer, where the paparazzo beseeches a higher power for the tools and luck needed to capture the perfect shot. This prayer-like structure adds a layer of irony, as it juxtaposes the sacred with the often intrusive and morally ambiguous world of tabloid journalism.

The song opens with the paparazzo asking for a steady hand and a clear focus, emphasizing the technical aspects of their job. The mention of the "elixir dulce de la hipocresía" (sweet elixir of hypocrisy) highlights the duplicity inherent in both the paparazzi's work and the public's consumption of celebrity gossip. The line "Que ahuyente las tinieblas el flash nuestro de cada día" (May the flash of our daily bread chase away the darkness) cleverly plays on the idea of the camera flash as a source of illumination, both literally and metaphorically.

Drexler continues to build on this theme by invoking a divine figure as the "Dios proveedor de las fotos robadas" (God provider of stolen photos) and the "Santo patrono de los paparazis" (Patron saint of paparazzi). This divine figure is asked to bless the telephoto lens and grant the paparazzo the necessary traits—olfactory skill, audacity, and patience—to succeed in their profession. The song's tone is both humorous and critical, shedding light on the ethical dilemmas and societal implications of the paparazzi industry.

Through its clever use of religious imagery and biting satire, "La Plegaria Del Paparazzo" invites listeners to reflect on the nature of fame, the ethics of media consumption, and the often unseen labor behind the glossy images that saturate our culture.