La Zarzamora
Lola Flores Lyrics

The lyrics of Lola Flores's song "La zarzamora" describe the unforgettable performance of a singer named Zarzamora in the popular Café de Levante, where she enraptures the audience with her soulful voice and the upbeat rhythm of palms and alegrias. According to the nickname she has been given, her big and beautiful eyes resemble the color of blackberries. She captures the attention of a merchant who is among the audience and then later a marquis, who showers her with jewels from head to toe, which she joyfully embraces with "olés" (a passionate Spanish interjection used to convey enthusiasm, joy or admiration).

However, the song goes beyond just describing the scene and portrays a larger metaphor for the darker side of entertainment and the price of fame. In Spanish culture, the reference to "zarzamoras" or blackberries symbolizes sin, corruption, and deception. The fact that the singer has been given this name implies that she is not an innocent performer but someone who is actively engaged in exploiting and manipulating her audience to reach the top. The pursuit of fame and material wealth is portrayed as a never-ending cycle of seduction and betrayal, as the singer moves from one influential man to another, leaving behind a trail of broken hearts and empty promises.