Chilean group formed in 1965 by Julio Carrasco, Eduardo Carrasco, and Julio… Read Full Bio ↴Chilean group formed in 1965 by Julio Carrasco, Eduardo Carrasco, and Julio Numhauser, later joined by Patricio Castillo. Since its beginning, Quilapayun's lyrics were inspired by social issues related to its country, combining them with autochthonous musical arrangements. In 1966, the band came in first place at the Festival de Festivales, releasing its first album that same year. Folk singer and songwriter Víctor Jara helped the band by promoting Quilapayun's music and making the record Canciones Folklóricas de América together. By the time Julio Numhauser decided to leave, Carlos Quezada and Guillermo Oddo joined in. As Chilean New Song's ambassador, Quilapayun went on its first European tour in 1968. When Julio Carrasco left, Hernán Gómez and Rodolfo Parada became part of Quilapayun's new lineup. Due to Chilean political and social changes in the early '70s, the group settled in foreign countries for more than a decade.

Milonga de Andar Lejos
Quilapayún Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Qué lejos está mi tierra
Y, sin embargo, qué cerca
o es que existe un territorio
donde las sangres se mezclan.

Tanta distancia y camino,
tan diferentes banderas
y la pobreza es la misma

los mismos hombres esperan.

Yo quiero romper mi mapa,
formar el mapa de todos,
mestizos, negros y blancos,
trazarlo codo con codo.

Los ríos son como venas
de un cuerpo entero extendido,
y es el color de la tierra
la sangre de los caídos.

No somos los extranjeros
los extranjeros son otros;
son ellos los mercaderes
y los esclavos nosotros.

Yo quiero romper la vida,
como cambiarla quisiera,
ayúdeme compañero;
ayúdeme, no demore,

que una gota con ser poco
con otra se hace aguacero.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Quilapayún's Milonga de Andar Lejos speak of the desire for unity among people despite their differences in nationality, race, and social standing. The first stanza acknowledges the physical distance between the singer and his homeland, yet emphasizes the proximity and connection shared by all those who have mixed blood flowing in their veins. The second stanza highlights the similarities in poverty and hope among people of different backgrounds, and the desire to create a map that includes everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity.

The third stanza uses imagery of rivers and veins to describe the interconnectedness of humanity, and how the blood spilled by those who fought for their country is the same color as the earth they died on. The fourth stanza challenges the notion of "outsiders" by labeling merchants and elites as the true foreigners, while those who have been forced into servitude are the true owners of the land. The final stanza implores the listener to help in breaking down the barriers that keep people apart, and reminds us of the power of collective action.

Overall, Milonga de Andar Lejos is a call for solidarity among people despite their differences, a statement that reminds us of our common humanity and the need for us to work together to create a more equitable and just world.

Line by Line Meaning

Qué lejos está mi tierra
My homeland seems so far away

Y, sin embargo, qué cerca
But somehow it feels close

o es que existe un territorio
Perhaps there's a territory

donde las sangres se mezclan.
Where our bloodlines intertwine

Tanta distancia y camino,
So much distance and travel

tan diferentes banderas
Different flags waving high

y la pobreza es la misma
But poverty remains the same

los mismos hombres esperan.
It's the same people who wait

Yo quiero romper mi mapa,
I want to shatter my own map

formar el mapa de todos,
And create a map for all

mestizos, negros y blancos,
Mixed, Black, and White together