The band started when Jorge González and Miguel Tapia decided to start their own band while being high school students. They were inexperienced but enthusiastic, after many practices and writing songs, they asked Claudio Narea if he would like to join them, and impressed by the music they were making, he accepted. Towards the early 80's they went through some name changes and before settling on "Los Prisioneros" they had the name "Los Vinchukas" as their original name. In 1983, they had played a number of local shows and that's when they met Carlos Fonseca, their future manager. Through him, they managed to score a record deal with Fusión Producciones.
In 1984, the band's debut album was released, with the hit song "La Voz De Los '80" (which was never a single). They reached acclaim in the radio and by the next year they would be touring. In 1986, their long awaited second album "Pateando Piedras" went double Platinum album in Chile. By that time, the group was invited to perform at Argentina's Chateau Rock Festival and later to a similar event in Montevideo, Uruguay. They continued touring and they became more successful mainstream wise.
The band disbanded in 1992, then as a quartet with additional members Cecilia Aguayo (keyboards) and Robert Rodríguez (guitar), since Claudio Narea had left the band earlier in 1990.
The original lineup of the band decided to get back together in 2001, offering two massive concerts in the National Stadium of Santiago, and then releasing "Los Prisioneros", their first original studio album in 13 years. However, internal problems between González and Narea led again to the departure of the guitarist in 2001. Los Prisioneros continued working as a duet with guest members like Álvaro Henríquez whom with they released a cover album. In 2004 two additional musicians joined the band: Sergio "Coty" Badilla and Gonzalo Yáñez, releasing their sixth album Manzana the same year. A little while after the release of the album band members decided to establish themselves in Mexico, attempting to get more international exposure. Yáñez decided not to leave Chile and left the band. After touring through several locations in North and South America, they finally disbanded in 2006.
¿Por Qué No Se Van
Los Prisioneros Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Te quejas de nuestra gente y de su ropa
Vives amando el cine arte del Normandi
Si eres artista y los indios no te entienden
Si tu vanguardia aquí no se vende
Si crees ser occidental de segunda mano
Por qué no te vas
Por qué no se van
No se van del país
Por qué no se van
No se van del país
Si viajas todos los años a Italia
Si la cultura es tan rica en Alemania
Por qué el próximo año no te quedas allá
Si aqui to tienes los medios que reclamas
Si aqui tu genio y talento no da fama
Si tu apellido no es Gonzáles ni Tapia
Por qué no te vas
Por qué no se van
No se van del país
Por qué no se van
No se van del país
Por qué no se van
No se van del país
Por qué no se van
No se van del país
Por qué no se van
No se van del país
Por qué no se van
No se van del país
Por qué no se van
No se van del país
Por qué no se van
No se van del país
This song ¿Por Qué No Se Van? by Los Prisioneros addresses the issue of Chileans who express dissatisfaction with their country and culture, yet refuse to leave for supposedly better places like Nueva York, Europa, Italia or Alemania. The lyrics describe these people as those who complain about the clothes that Chileans wear, who love the cinema of the Normandi, and who feel that their avant-garde art is not appreciated by the indigenous people of Chile. They are those who believe they are "second-hand Western" because their work is not valued here.
The chorus repeatedly asks why these people do not leave the country if they are unhappy with it. However, it is these same people who have the means and resources to make their life better in Chile, but refuse to do so. The song portrays a Chilean society where certain individuals constantly seek to distance themselves from their heritage and roots, leaving others to deal with the social and economic consequences of their departure.
Los Prisioneros were known for creating music that critiqued societal issues and policymakers, and fans associated with the band's left-wing lyrics embraced the message of the song. The group's leader Jorge González called the song an ode to imbeciles, which expresses his frustration with people who choose to flee their own country instead of helping to contribute to its development.
Line by Line Meaning
Si sueñas con Nueva York y con Europa
If you dream of New York and Europe
Te quejas de nuestra gente y de su ropa
You complain about our people and their clothing
Vives amando el cine arte del Normandi
You live loving the art cinema of the Normandi
Si eres artista y los indios no te entienden
If you are an artist and the indigenous people do not understand you
Si tu vanguardia aquí no se vende
If your avant-garde art doesn't sell here
Si crees ser occidental de segunda mano
If you believe you are a second-hand Western person
Por qué no te vas
Why don't you leave?
Por qué no se van
Why don't they leave?
No se van del país
They don't leave the country
Si viajas todos los años a Italia
If you travel to Italy every year
Si la cultura es tan rica en Alemania
If the culture in Germany is so rich
Por qué el próximo año no te quedas allá
Why don't you stay there next year?
Si aquí tienes los medios que reclamas
If you have the means you claim to have here
Si aquí tu genio y talento no da fama
If your genius and talent don't bring you fame here
Si tu apellido no es Gonzáles ni Tapia
If your last name isn't Gonzáles or Tapia
Por qué no te vas
Why don't you leave?
Por qué no se van
Why don't they leave?
No se van del país
They don't leave the country
Por qué no se van
Why don't they leave?
No se van del país
They don't leave the country
Por qué no se van
Why don't they leave?
No se van del país
They don't leave the country
Por qué no se van
Why don't they leave?
No se van del país
They don't leave the country
Lyrics © SADAIC LATIN COPYRIGHTS, INC.
Written by: JORGE GONZALEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mikhagonzales6440
Si sueñas con Nueva York y con Europa
Te quejas de nuestra gente y de su ropa
Vives amando el cine arte del Normandie
Si eres artista y los indios no te entienden
Si tu vanguardia aquí no se vende
Si quieres ser occidental de segunda mano
¿Por qué no te vas?
¿Por qué no se van
No se van del país?
¿Por qué no se van
No se van del país?
Si viajas todos los años a Italia
Si la cultura es tan rica en Alemania
¿Por qué el próximo año no te quedas allá?
Si aquí no tienen los medios que reclamas
Si aquí tu genio y talento no da fama
Si tu apellido no es González ni Tapia
¿Por qué no te vas?
¿Por qué no se van
No se van del país?
¿Por qué no se van
No se van del país?
¿Por qué no se van
No se van del país?
¿Por qué no se van
No se van del país?
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
González ni Tapia
¿Por qué no se van
No se van del país?
¿Por qué no se van
No se van del país?
¿Por qué no se van
No se van del país?
¿Por qué no se van
No se van del país?
Oh, oh-oh
Oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh
@wilynaveros2429
Estos muchachos ya hicieron lo que tenían que hacer en esta vida, dar un gran mensaje a su pueblo y al nuestro. Gracias hermanos Chilenos.
@MariaPerez-rj7oy
Falta una nueva generación, que sume arte.
@alexespejo721
No al comunismo
@talitoayala248
Nada mas que decir son historia en chile
Lo mas grandes ...
Y de generacion en generacion ...jamas seran olvidados
@carlosalfredocondorimamani4275
Soy peruano y como me gusta la música siempre lo escuchó y me traslada a los años 90 lo mejor de lo mejor gracias hermanos chilenos
@luisxxx100
@María Pérez yo :v
@oscarruizcardozo6058
Los Prisioneros no solo representan a Chile también al pensamiento de Latinoamérica entera.
@ranatoguillermo1447
Inolvidables. Toda la razón del hermano peruano. Son latinos geniales.
@luisxxx100
Es cerdad compatriota ( soy chileno-peruano)
@sebascaride4582
La verdad no, no soy comunista gracias