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.
Azota
Los Prisioneros Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
aqui va...
La perfeccion !!!...y la compacion...
no siempre pueden....oler la razon
cuando se empieza a demorar
hay que azotar, y si se vuelve a equivocar
hay que azotar, y para manejar, hay que azotar
Azota, en la piel dale ahi, tabien, pa' delante
azota, azota...
si buscar una solucion, hay que azotar
pa' controlar la situacion, hay que azotar
bajo esa condicion, hay que azotar
mi hijo azota!!!...en la piel, mi hijo azota, pegale
...
la perfeccion !!!...y la compacion...
no siempre pueden....oler la razon
cuando se empieza a demorar
hay que azotar, y si se vuelve a equivocar
y para manejar hay que azotar
Azota, en la piel dale ahi, tabien, pa' delante
muevete, que se hace tarde, apunta bien
azota, en la piel dale ahi, tabien, pa' delante
muevete, que se hace tarde, apunta bien
azota, azota...
The song "Azota" by Los Prisioneros is a controversial one, as it addresses the issue of corporal punishment. The first verse talks about a new advice which is being sung, and then talks about the need for perfection and compassion. However, it also highlights that sometimes they cannot smell the reason. When someone makes mistakes, they need to be punished, according to the song. It suggests that if someone is delaying something, they need to be punished, and if they make a mistake again, they need to be punished once again. The song states that to manage a situation or to look for a solution, one needs to be punished. The use of the term "azotar," which means to whip or hit, is quite disturbing.
The chorus repeats the word "azota" and urges people to hit hard on the skin, and to move forward as time is running out. The lyrics suggest that even children should be punished with violence. The song creates a sense of fear and terror which is used as a way to control people. The song seems to glorify violence and implies that hitting someone is the only way to get things done or to succeed.
Line by Line Meaning
Es es un nuevo consejo pero que canto...
This is a new advice but it is being sung...
La perfeccion !!!...y la compacion...
Perfection and compassion...
no siempre pueden....oler la razon
cannot always smell reason
cuando se empieza a demorar
when things start to delay
hay que azotar, y si se vuelve a equivocar
you have to whip, and if they make another mistake
hay que azotar, y para manejar, hay que azotar
you have to whip, and to manage, you have to whip
Azota, en la piel dale ahi, tabien, pa' delante
Whip, hit the skin there, go ahead
muevete, que se hace tarde, apunta bien
move, it's getting late, aim well
si buscar una solucion, hay que azotar
if you're looking for a solution, you have to whip
pa' controlar la situacion, hay que azotar
to control the situation, you have to whip
bajo esa condicion, hay que azotar
under that condition, you have to whip
mi hijo azota!!!...en la piel, mi hijo azota, pegale
my son whips!!!...on the skin, my son whips, hit him
la perfeccion !!!...y la compacion...
perfection and compassion...
no siempre pueden....oler la razon
cannot always smell reason
cuando se empieza a demorar
when things start to delay
hay que azotar, y si se vuelve a equivocar
you have to whip, and if they make another mistake
y para manejar hay que azotar
and to manage, you have to whip
Azota, en la piel dale ahi, tabien, pa' delante
Whip, hit the skin there, go ahead
muevete, que se hace tarde, apunta bien
move, it's getting late, aim well
azota, en la piel dale ahi, tabien, pa' delante
whip, hit the skin there, go ahead
muevete, que se hace tarde, apunta bien
move, it's getting late, aim well
azota, azota...
whip, whip...
Contributed by Mackenzie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.