El Romero No Lo Quiero

Violeta Parra's song "El Romero No Lo Quiero" delves into the poignant theme of unrequited love and the emotional turmoil it brings. The lyrics are rich with metaphors and cultural references, painting a vivid picture of a love that is not reciprocated. The song begins with the singer mentioning a flower that she will not name, hinting at the rosemary (romero) which she explicitly states she does not want. This sets the tone for the rest of the song, where the rosemary symbolizes a love that is ungrateful and unfaithful.

The chorus, "El romero no lo quiero, Ingrato mal pagador," translates to "I don't want the rosemary, ungrateful bad payer," emphasizing the singer's rejection of a love that has not been reciprocated or valued. The lyrics further explore the pain of realizing that the person she loves may be interested in someone else, leading to the end of her own feelings of love. This realization is a harsh sentence for her, as she feels the love slipping away while the other person remains indifferent.

The song continues to describe a moment of deep emotional pain when the singer tries to look at her beloved, only to have him turn away, causing her to cry. This act of turning away symbolizes the beloved's inability to love her back, highlighting the theme of unrequited love. The final lines of the song offer a poignant conclusion, stating that there is no remedy for forgetting in any pharmacy, underscoring the enduring pain of unreciprocated love. Violeta Parra's heartfelt lyrics and emotive delivery make "El Romero No Lo Quiero" a powerful exploration of the sorrow and frustration that come with loving someone who does not love you back.