Canción de Alicia En El Pais

The song 'Canción de Alicia En El Pais' by Serú Girán is a rich tapestry of metaphor and social commentary, woven into the fabric of Argentina's tumultuous history during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The title itself, which translates to 'Song of Alice in Wonderland,' hints at the use of Lewis Carroll's famous character, Alice, as an allegorical figure to explore the surreal and often oppressive reality of Argentina under military dictatorship.

The lyrics paint a picture of a country that is both bewildering and menacing, where the nonsensical becomes the norm, much like the world Alice encounters in her adventures. Phrases like 'El trabalenguas, traba lenguas' (The tongue-twister, twists tongues) and 'El asesino te asesina' (The killer kills you) reflect the confusion and fear that permeated society, where words could be twisted and life could be taken arbitrarily. The song suggests a loss of innocence and the end of a happier time, as indicated by 'Se acabó ese juego que te hacía feliz' (That game that made you happy is over).

The repeated questioning of where else one could go ('Pero te quedas, ¿dónde más vas a ir?') underscores the feeling of entrapment experienced by many Argentinians during this period. The song's refrain to not speak of what was seen or what lies behind the mirror serves as a warning about the dangers of dissent and the pervasive surveillance and censorship. Serú Girán, through this song, delivers a powerful and poetic critique of the political climate of their time, using the whimsical world of Alice as a stark contrast to the harsh reality of their homeland.