historia de la silla
Silvio Rodriguez - Pablo Milanes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La rapiña merodea aquel lugar
La casaca del amigo esta tendida
El amigo no se sienta a descansar
Sus zapatos desgastados son espejos
Que le queman la garganta con el sol
Y a través de su cansancio pasa un riego
Que le seca con la sombra el sudor
En la punta del amor viaja el amigo
En la punta más aguda que hay que ver
Esa punta que lo mismo caba entierra
Que en las ruinas que en un rastro de mujer
Es por eso que es, soldado y es amante
Es por eso que es, madera y es metal
Es por eso que lo mismo siembra rosas
Que razones de banderas y arsenal
El que tenga una canción tendrá tormenta
El que tenga compañía soledad
El que siga buen camino tendrá sillas
Peligrosas que lo inviten a parar
Pero vale la canción buena tormenta
Y la compañía vale soledad
Siempre vale la agonía de la prisa
Aunque se llene de sillas la verdad
The song "Historia De Las Sillas" by Silvio Rodriguez is a poetic reflection on the trials and tribulations of life. The opening verse describes a dilapidated chair by the side of the road, with scavengers lurking nearby, waiting to pounce on any sign of weakness. The discarded jacket of a friend lies nearby, but he is too weary to sit and rest. The burnished shoes of the singer reflect the scorching sun, while a trickle of sweat is dried by the shade of a tree. This verse establishes the tone of the song, which is one of melancholy, but with a glimmer of hope.
The second verse describes a journey, the perilous journey of life. The friend travels on the edge of love, where the excitement and danger are at their highest. The consequences of that journey are dire, as the same edge that brings about the greatest joy also has the power to bury the traveler in the ruins of failure or women. The friend is a soldier and a lover, a paradoxical character who carries both roses and weapons. This verse contrasts the beauty and danger of love with the harsh reality of conflict and war, suggesting that life is full of contradictions.
The final verse concludes the song with a commentary on the nature of life itself. The singer acknowledges that life is never easy, and that along the way there will be many obstacles, represented by the chairs that are "inviting" the traveler to sit and rest. But the singer suggests that the difficulties of life are worth it, that even a difficult journey is better than no journey at all. In fact, the trials and tribulations of life can be seen as a kind of badge of honor, proof that one has lived, loved and fought for what is important.
Line by Line Meaning
En el borde del camino hay una silla
On the side of the road, there is a chair
La rapíña merodea aquel lugar
Predators lurk in that place
La casaca del amigo esta tendida
The friend's jacket is lying there
El amigo no se sienta a descansar
The friend doesn't sit to rest
Sus zapatos desgastados son espejos
His worn shoes are mirrors
Que le queman la garganta con el sol
They burn his throat in the sun
Y a través de su cansancio pasa un riego
And through his fatigue, a stream passes
Que le seca con la sombra el sudor
That dries his sweat with shade
En la punta del amor viaja el amigo
At the tip of love, the friend travels
En la punta más aguda que hay que ver
At the sharpest point one can see
Esa punta que lo mismo caba entierra
That point that both digs and buries
Que en las ruinas que en un rastro de mujer
In ruins, or in a woman's trail
Es por eso que es, soldado y es amante
That's why he's a soldier and a lover
Es por eso que es, madera y es metal
That's why he's wood and metal
Es por eso que lo mismo siembra rosas
That's why he can plant roses
Que razones de banderas y arsenal
Or reasons for flags and weapons
El que tenga una canción tendrá tormenta
He who has a song will have a storm
El que tenga compañia soledad
He who has company will have loneliness
El que siga buen camino tendrá sillas
He who follows the right path will have chairs
Peligrosas que lo inviten a parar
Dangerous ones that invite him to stop
Pero vale la canción buena tormenta
But a good storm is worth the song
Y la compañia vale soledad
And loneliness is worth the company
Siempre vale la agonía de la prisa
The agony of haste is always worth it
Aunque se llene de sillas la verdad
Even if the truth is surrounded by chairs
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Silvio Rodriguez
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind