Sólo necesitamos

Les Luthiers, a renowned Argentine comedy-musical group, is known for their satirical and humorous take on various aspects of life and society. Their song 'Sólo necesitamos' (We Only Need) is a playful yet poignant critique of the modern pursuit of happiness and the environmental and social issues that hinder it. The lyrics list simple things that are believed to make one happy, such as breathing clean air, eating natural food, and making love on the beach, but each of these is immediately countered by a modern-day problem, like pollution or synthetic food, that makes the simple joy unattainable.

The song uses irony to highlight the contradictions in our society. For instance, the desire to play a guitar made of wood leads to deforestation, which in turn is ironically done to produce more guitars. The group also touches on the theme of alienation in cities, where people live distanced from one another, crowded yet isolated. The humor in the song comes from the absurdity of the situations and the circular logic that ultimately defeats the quest for happiness. The final stanza humorously suggests that to achieve happiness, one must find a non-polluted place, cut down trees for guitar wood, and make love on a clean beach, but then it comically concludes that this should be done with all one's friends, adding a nonsensical twist to the already impossible scenario.

Through their music, Les Luthiers invites listeners to reflect on the state of the world and the human condition. 'Sólo necesitamos' is a clever commentary on the environmental degradation and social disconnection that plague modern life, wrapped in a comedic package that both entertains and provokes thought. The song's message resonates with anyone who has ever felt the tension between the desire for a simple, happy life and the complex, often self-defeating structures of contemporary society.