Los Prisioneros was a Chilean rock band formed in San Miguel, Santiago, Chi… Read Full Bio ↴Los Prisioneros was a Chilean rock band formed in San Miguel, Santiago, Chile in 1982 by Jorge González (bass & vocals), Claudio Narea (guitar) and Miguel Tapia (drums). They began as a local band during the early 1980s, playing small shows in their neighborhood and high school. After selling a limited press number of their first album in Chile under the independent Fusión producciones label, they signed to EMI in 1985, re-releasing the same album on an LP record and Cassette. From that point on they reached mainstream success in Chile, then Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. Eventually in the early 90's their albums were re-released completely in remastered Compact Disc form, this is when Chile was no longer run by a military regime which oppressed their music in the late 1980s. Throughout the 1990s their music spread out, reaching all of South and Central America as well as some parts of the U.S., Canada and Europe.

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.

Mr. Right
Los Prisioneros Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Allá entre el cerro y el mar

Vive un tal Mister Right

Con aire anglosajón

Les cuento en mi canción

Mi gente quiso cambiar

La historia mejorar

Más este viejo cabrón

Optó por la traición

Ah Mister Right

Su diario particular

Fundó Patria y Libertad

Los empujó a matar

Les juro todo mal

Con monedas del Pentágono

Financió mentira y fusiles

Consiguió que llueva la sangre

La miseria y el infierno

Ah Mister Right

You're asking for freedom

And to improve yourself

If you wanna get freedom

And improve yourself

American democracy

It's the only way to go

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Los Prisioneros's song "Mr. Right" narrate the story of a man named Mister Right who lives between the hill and the sea and who founded the Patria y Libertad organization, pushing them towards violence and betrayal to achieve his own interests. The singer describes how Mister Right financed lies and guns with money from the Pentagon, causing misery, hell, and a lot of bloodshed.

The lyrics also suggest the irony in the title "Mister Right," which usually refers to someone who is supposed to be the ideal partner. However, in this case, the character is an allusion to someone who is far from the perfect partner and, instead, is a dangerous and manipulative person.

The song's message goes beyond storytelling, and it is a criticism of the sociopolitical situation in Chile at the time. The lyrics call for the country to seek freedom and improve itself, but they also point out the dangers of violent and corrupt individuals who seek their interests at the expense of others.

Line by Line Meaning

Allá entre el cerro y el mar
In a place between the hills and the sea

Vive un tal Mister Right
Lives a guy called Mister Right

Con aire anglosajón
With an Anglo-Saxon look

Les cuento en mi canción
I'll tell you in my song

Mi gente quiso cambiar
My people wanted to change

La historia mejorar
To improve their history

Más este viejo cabrón
But this old bastard

Optó por la traición
Opted for betrayal

Ah Mister Right
Oh Mister Right

Su diario particular
His personal diary

Fundó Patria y Libertad
Founded Fatherland and Liberty party