Ay Este Azul

The song 'Ay Este Azul' by Mercedes Sosa, a revered Argentine folk singer known for her powerful voice and deep connection to Latin American folklore, is a poetic reflection on memory, nostalgia, and the passage of time. The lyrics evoke a sense of longing and a deep emotional connection to the past, using the color blue as a central metaphor. The color blue, often associated with depth and stability, symbolizes the profound and enduring emotions that memories can evoke.

In the song, Sosa describes the blue as something that 'stays on my skin,' illustrating how certain memories can leave a lasting impression, almost as if they are a part of us. The reference to the swallow ('Golondrina') returning suggests a cyclical nature of memories and the past, always coming back to us, much like the birds that return with the changing seasons. The blue is also described as 'provincial,' breaking in her voice like an 'old farewell vidala,' which is a traditional folk music form from Argentina, further grounding the song in a sense of place and cultural identity.

The lyrics also play with the idea that this blue is a source of light, initiating her 'into the light' with 'bells of astonishment,' suggesting that memories can also be revelatory, shedding light on aspects of our lives that we may not have fully understood before. The blue is personified as a playful spirit, a child perhaps, indicating a purity and innocence associated with the past. Overall, 'Ay Este Azul' is a lyrical journey through the colors of memory, evoking a sense of wonder and introspection about the past and its lasting impact on our lives.