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.
Policías Y Ladrones
Los Prisioneros Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo soy un policía de esos con pistola y con pito
Y ahí parece que están robando
¡Ah! te pillé, ladrón!
Yo soy un ladrón con gorra y antifaz
Me gusta robar cuadros (de Picasso)
¡Me pillaste policía!
Son como gatos y ratones
Dirigentes laborales
Colaboran con la cesantía
Ladrones y policías
1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4,
Dick York como el mayor Nelson
Larry Hagman como Darrin
Larry Tape por video tate
Tábata, Samantha, Endora, Jennie
El mayor Haigly y Rakatán
Claudio Guzmán y Herval Rossano
Adriano Celentano y Ornella Muti
¡Mani de velutti!
Yo en la comisaría, me paseo como el Srgto. García
Me las tiro con alevosía
¡Fuiste mía! (un verano (naranja))
Coro
1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4, ¡ya!
The lyrics of Los Prisioneros's song Policías Y Ladrones, which means "Cops and Robbers" in English, is a satirical representation of the cat and mouse game between the authorities and criminals in society. The song is a commentary on the corrupt nature of both the police and the robbers. The lyrics represent a cop and a robber, both caught in the act of committing a crime, but instead of confronting each other, they affirm each other's existence by acknowledging that they both play an important role in society. The chorus "Policías y ladrones, son como gatos y ratones" translates to "Cops and robbers, just like cats and mice," emphasizes this relationship between the two.
The song also takes a political angle by referencing "Dirigentes laborales/Colaboran con la cesantía" which translates to "Labor leaders/ Collaborate with unemployment" highlighting the government's responsibility in creating a society where both robbing and policing cannot be avoided. The song also references famous TV characters including Dick York as Major Nelson from the American show "I Dream of Jeannie," and Larry Hagman as Darrin from "Bewitched." The reference to these characters gained popularity in the Latin America region during the airing of these shows.
The overall message conveyed by the song, through its lyrics and references, is that society is complex and that both cops and robbers are needed for it to function. The song serves as a reminder that true progress requires recognizing the flaws in the system and highlighting the need for change.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo soy un policía de esos con pistola y con pito
I am a cop, with a gun and a whistle
Y ahí parece que están robando
It looks like someone is stealing over there
¡Ah! te pillé, ladrón!
Ah! I caught you, thief!
Yo soy un ladrón con gorra y antifaz
I am a thief, wearing a cap and mask
Me gusta robar cuadros (de Picasso)
I like to steal paintings (by Picasso)
¡Me pillaste policía!
You caught me, cop!
Policías y ladrones
Cops and robbers
Son como gatos y ratones
They are like cats and mice
Dirigentes laborales
Labor leaders
Colaboran con la cesantía
Collaborate with unemployment
Ladrones y policías
Thieves and cops
Dick York como el mayor Nelson
Dick York as Major Nelson
Larry Hagman como Darrin
Larry Hagman as Darrin
Larry Tape por video tate
Larry Tape for video tate
Tábata, Samantha, Endora, Jennie
Tabatha, Samantha, Endora, Jennie
El mayor Haigly y Rakatán
Major Haigly and Rakatan
Claudio Guzmán y Herval Rossano
Claudio Guzman and Herval Rossano
Adriano Celentano y Ornella Muti
Adriano Celentano and Ornella Muti
¡Mani de velutti!
Mani di Velutti!
Yo en la comisaría, me paseo como el Srgto. García
I stroll around the police station, like Sgt. Garcia
Me las tiro con alevosía
I do it with premeditation
¡Fuiste mía! (un verano (naranja))
You were mine! (one summer (orange))
Coro
Chorus
¡Ya!
Now!
Contributed by Asher E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.