Señales
Mario Benedetti Lyrics

The song "Señales" by Mario Benedetti is a beautiful melody that focuses on how two individuals navigate both their individual isolation and their desire for connection. The lyrics describe how these two individuals come with their own baggage and emotions, but despite that, they are committed to making a connection with each other. The first stanza, "In my hands I bring you old signs / They are my hands of now, not before" talks about the singer's current state and how they have moved on from their past. The next stanza highlights their willingness to offer what they can to make the relationship work despite not having much. This is further emphasized in the line "I do what I can and I am not ashamed of my feelings."

The song seems to imply that past traumas and past lives can make it hard for people to connect with each other. The third stanza, "If dreams and daydreams / Are like rituals / The first to come back / Is always the same" suggests that while people may change, certain traits always remain and that can affect their connections with others. However, the singer is willing to try and overcome these obstacles. In the fourth stanza, they describe how the other person's "bare feet" elevate them over the "walls" they have built, indicating that the other person has an effect on them that helps them overcome their doubts or fears.

The fifth stanza, "Chance offers us / Its double way / You with your solitudes / And me with mine" further emphasizes the idea of obstacles that they both face, but the next stanza talks about how the singer is willing to let the other person into their memory, which in turn will overcome their emotional distance from each other. The eighth stanza describes how their individual struggles affect them, with the mention of the moon "(...) where is your light-eyed moon?" and the following line, "Your insomniac glances / cannot make it" highlights their shared difficulty in connecting.

However, despite all these obstacles, the singer asks the other person to take a closer look. The ninth stanza asks the other person to really see them before they change into someone else without warning. The final stanza talks about how the other person's presence is enough to anchor the singer and help them find contentment – "It doesn't matter if the landscape / Changes or breaks... I'm satisfied with your valleys / And your mouth".

Overall, "Señales" is an ode to connection and the willingness it takes to make it work. While there are mentions of past struggles and obstacles, the song ultimately suggests that a connection between two people is worthy of the effort it takes to overcome those obstacles.