La Lata

The song 'La Lata' by Supermerk2, an Argentine cumbia group known for their raw and energetic style, delves into the gritty street life and the pursuit of escapism through substance use. The lyrics tell a story of a person who has stolen a can of PVC glue from a shoemaker's house, which is a reference to inhaling the substance to get high. This act has made the protagonist popular in the neighborhood, as everyone is now looking for them, presumably to share in the high.

The repetitive chorus, with its call to 'raise your hands' if you want to partake, reflects a communal aspect of this escapism, where the substance is shared among peers. The song captures a sense of camaraderie among the 'pibes' (a colloquial term for 'boys' or 'young men' in Argentina) who are 'traveling' and 'flashing'—slang for experiencing the effects of the glue. The casual mention of theft and substance use points to a normalization of these activities as a part of everyday life in certain environments.

The final line, which suggests that if your father is a shoemaker you should steal the glue, is a provocative encouragement of the behavior described throughout the song. It's a stark portrayal of the cycle of poverty and substance abuse, where the thrill of the moment overshadows the consequences. The song doesn't glorify this lifestyle but rather presents it as a fact of life for some, offering a window into a subculture that finds fleeting joy in the highs of 'La Lata'.