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.
Latinoamerica Es Un Pueblo Al Sur De Estados Unidos
Los Prisioneros Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Es solo un lugar económico, pero inadecuado para habitar
Les ofrecen Latino América, el carnaval de Río y las ruinas aztecas
Gente sucia bailando en las calles, dispuesta a venderse por alguna USA dollars
Nadie en el resto del planeta toma en serio
A este inmenso pueblo lleno de tristeza
Se sonríen cuando ven que tienen veintitantas banderitas
Que tontería dividir es debilitar
Las potencias son los protectores que pruebas sus armas en nuestras guerrillas
Ya sean rojos o rayados a la hora del final no hay diferencia
Invitan a nuestros líderes a vender su alma al diablo verde
Inventan bonitas siglas para que se sientan un poco más importantes
Y el inocente pueblo de Latino América
Llorará si muere Ronald Reagan o la reina
Y le sigue paso a paso la vida a Carolina
Como si esa gente sufriera del subdesarrollo
Estamos en un hoyo parece que en realidad
Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Para que se sientan en familia copiamos sus barrios y su estilo de vida
We try to talk in the jet set languagepara que no nos crean incivilizados
Cuando visitamos sus ciudades nos fichan y tratan como a delincuentes
Rusos, ingleses, gringos, franceses se ríen de nuestros novelescos directores
Somos un pueblito tan simpático
Que todos nos ayudan si se trata de un conflicto armado
Pero es misma cantidad de oro la podrían dar
Para encontrar la solución definitiva al hambre
Latino América es grande
Debe aprender a decidir
Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Latinoamérica es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
The lyrics to Los Prisioneros's song "Latinoamérica es un Pueblo al Sur de Estados Unidos" criticize the way that Latin America is perceived and treated by the rest of the world, especially the United States. The song begins by saying that for curious tourists, Latin America is an exotic place to visit. However, for those who live there, it is an inadequate place to inhabit. The song mentions how Latin America is marketed to tourists with images of the Carnival in Rio and Aztec ruins but the reality for many is people dancing in the streets in exchange for a few US dollars.
The song then goes on to say that no one in the rest of the world takes Latin America seriously, despite being an immense and sorrowful people. Many in Latin America are proud of their individual countries and sovereignty, but the song suggests that dividing themselves only weakens them. The song also criticizes how Latin America is often used as a ploy for world powers to test their weapons in guerrilla warfare, and how leaders are encouraged to sell their souls for a little more importance.
Line by Line Meaning
Para turistas gente curiosa, es un sitio exótico para visitar
Tourists and curious people find it exotic to visit, but it's an economical place that isn't suitable for habitation.
Es solo un lugar económico, pero inadecuado para habitar
It's only an economical place, but it's unsuitable for habitation.
Les ofrecen Latino América, el carnaval de Río y las ruinas aztecas
They offer Latin America to tourists, including the Rio Carnival and Aztec ruins.
Gente sucia bailando en las calles, dispuesta a venderse por alguna USA dollars
Dirty people dancing in the streets, willing to sell themselves for a few USA dollars.
Nadie en el resto del planeta toma en serio
No one else on the planet takes Latin America seriously.
A este inmenso pueblo lleno de tristeza
To this immense and sad people.
Se sonríen cuando ven que tienen veintitantas banderitas
They smile when they see they have so many flags.
Cada cual más orgullosa que su soberanía
Each one prouder than the other of their sovereignty.
Que tontería dividir es debilitar
It's foolish to divide because it weakens us.
Las potencias son los protectores que pruebas sus armas en nuestras guerrillas
The world powers act as protectors while testing their weapons on our guerrillas.
Ya sean rojos o rayados a la hora del final no hay diferencia
Whether they're communist or capitalist, in the end, there's no difference.
Invitan a nuestros líderes a vender su alma al diablo verde
They invite our leaders to sell their souls to the green devil (money).
Inventan bonitas siglas para que se sientan un poco más importantes
They invent fancy acronyms to make themselves feel more important.
Y el inocente pueblo de Latino América
And the innocent people of Latin America.
Llorará si muere Ronald Reagan o la reina
They'll cry if Ronald Reagan or the queen dies.
Y le sigue paso a paso la vida a Carolina
And they follow Carolina's life step by step, as if those people suffered from underdevelopment.
Como si esa gente sufriera del subdesarrollo
As if those people were suffering from underdevelopment.
Estamos en un hoyo parece que en realidad
It seems we're in a hole, and that's the reality.
Latino América es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Latin America is a nation south of the United States.
Latino América es un pueblo al sur de Estados Unidos
Latin America is a nation south of the United States.
Para que se sientan en familia copiamos sus barrios y su estilo de vida
To make us feel like family, we copy their neighborhoods and lifestyles.
We try to talk in the jet set lengua para que no nos crean incivilizados
We try to speak in the jet set's language so they don't consider us uncivilized.
Cuando visitamos sus ciudades nos fichan y tratan como a delincuentes
When we visit their cities, they profile us and treat us like criminals.
Rusos, ingleses, gringos, franceses se ríen de nuestros novelescos directores
Russians, English, Americans, and French people laugh at our novelistic directors.
Somos un pueblito tan simpático
We're a very charming little nation.
Que todos nos ayudan si se trata de un conflicto armado
Everyone helps us in times of armed conflict.
Pero es misma cantidad de oro la podrían dar
But they could give us the same amount of gold to find a definitive solution to hunger.
Para encontrar la solución definitiva al hambre
To find a definitive solution for hunger.
Latino América es grande
Latin America is great.
Debe aprender a decidir
It must learn to make decisions.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jorge Humberto Gonzalez Rios
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind