Desencuentro

The song 'Desencuentro' by Roberto Goyeneche, a prominent figure in the Argentine tango scene, is a poignant reflection on disillusionment and betrayal. The lyrics paint a picture of a person who is lost and disoriented, struggling to find a path forward in life. The use of the word 'trole,' which refers to a tram, symbolizes the search for direction in a world that seems to have none. The repeated encounters with betrayal, as depicted by the spider that bites after being saved and the helped man who harms in return, underscore a theme of disappointment in the expectations of faith and human decency.

The song delves deeper into the sense of betrayal by highlighting the hypocrisy and treachery found even in the most sacred of relationships. The reference to a 'carnaval' (carnival) where Jesus is deceived and the advice not to trust even a brother who might betray you, evoke a world where everything is upside down and values are inverted. The imagery of love that devours 'from behind, up to the kidney' and the scorned embrace that is met with a harpoon of spite, convey a visceral sense of pain and the harsh reality of a world that mocks kindness and sincerity.

Ultimately, 'Desencuentro' is a lament about the failure to live up to one's ideals of honesty and morality, which are seen as naive. The song closes with a bleak outlook, suggesting that even in the face of life's total failure, not even the 'final shot'—a metaphor for a last attempt or perhaps a merciful end—will work out. The song resonates with anyone who has felt the sting of life's injustices and the loneliness of being out of step with a world that often rewards the cunning rather than the kind.