Vigilante Medio Argentino
calamaro andres Lyrics

The lyrics of "Vigilante Medio Argentino" reflect on the complex and contradictory nature of the Argentinean society, especially in relation to the role of the "vigilante" - the doorman or security guard who usually oversees residential buildings. The song portrays the vigilante as a figure who holds a lot of power over the lives of the people he guards, but who is also subjected to economic and social pressures that limit his agency and autonomy.

The first verse of the song sets the stage for this exploration: "Now that I'm grown up, I must have realized/ That not everything is so good/ Behind the entrance door of Ezeiza/ There's steak and wine/ There are neighbors almost always obeying/ The destiny of the middle-class Argentinean vigilante/ There's the woman everyone adores/ She's the perfect grandma/ But to a poor kid/ Who smoked in a corner/ Without bothering anyone/ She sent the police/ The kid had to suffer/ Two days inside/ And the old lady never knew/ That the snitch was her own grandson".

This verse unpacks some of the contradictions that define the vigilante's role: on one hand, they are tasked with ensuring the safety and wellbeing of their tenants, but on the other, they are also expected to keep order and prevent any transgression of the norm. The figure of the old lady, who is both loving and authoritarian, symbolizes this paradox. Moreover, the specific example of the grandson who is betrayed by his own family member highlights the way in which the vigilante operates as an extension of the state, enforcing (sometimes unjust) laws and regulations that affect the common people.

The second part of the song expands on this idea, bringing up examples of vigilantes in other provinces and contexts: "There's the doorman or building manager/ Sometimes he's a friend but, in general/ He's the one who carries the gossip to the police station/ They're all in the Federal District!/ In provinces, the feudal vigilante/ The owner of lives, for example in Catamarca/ He puts black people in jail and closes the door on them/ And his well-behaved children/ Gave the blow to Maria Soledad/ He's the progressive legislator who ends up voting/ For the benefit of his neighbors/ The same thing seems to him to be a transvestite or a murderer/ It's the divine destiny, so subtle, so Western and Christian/ Cosmopolitan and Parisian/ So typical of the hood, but not that of Don Gato/ The Argentinean vigilante is also cheap/ He's also cheap/ It's the style, so refined/ Of the middle-class Argentinean vigilante".

This part of the song shows the way in which the vigilante's position intersects with issues of class, race, and power in Argentinean society. The examples given - from the doorman who spreads rumors to the politician who betrays his promises - show the varied ways in which the vigilante operates as a mechanism of social control and repression. At the same time, the song recognizes that the vigilante is also subject to external constraints and pressures, such as poverty or political coercion.

Overall, "Vigilante Medio Argentino" is a critical reflection on the complex dynamics of Argentinean society, as seen through the figure of the vigilante. Through its vivid lyrics and images, the song unveils the contradictions and injustices that stem from this role, while also acknowledging the humanity and struggles of those who hold it.