Mamma mia dami cento lire
Quilapayún Lyrics

The song "Mamma mia dammi cento lire" by Quilapayún tells the story of a young woman who wants to escape poverty and go to America. She asks for one hundred lire from her mother, but her mother refuses, so she takes the money from her siblings and sets off on a boat. However, the boat sinks, and the woman's mother tells a fisherman to go and fish for her daughter's body, as her blood will be drunk by the fish and her flesh will be eaten by the whale.

The lyrics of the song reflect the desperation and hopelessness that many people feel when they are faced with poverty and have no way out. The mother's refusal to give her daughter the money she needs to escape poverty reflects the fact that many people are trapped in the cycle of poverty because they simply don't have the means to escape. The fact that the woman's siblings allow her to take the money from them also speaks to the idea that sometimes it is only through the sacrifice and generosity of others that we are able to break free from poverty.

The final stanza of the song speaks to the idea of the importance of listening to the wisdom of our elders, rather than ignoring their advice and following the misguided ideas of our peers. This is an important lesson that is still relevant today, as many people are tempted to follow the crowd and take risks that could ultimately lead to their ruin.