El Chacal
Jose Conde & Ola Fresca Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴"Obligaron a ponerte
En historica altura
Promovieron tu bravura
Al mundo entero con tu muerte

Aqui se quedo tu cara
En camisetas y postales
No dicen todas las verdades

Del Chacal de la Cabaña

Tu mano apreto tan furte
Que sobre la historia dispara
Un imagen desde Santa Clara
Donde el poder te sedujo

Aristidio te siguio
Hasta el dia que se cansó
Cuando te dijo que se iba
Con una 32 usted lo silenció

Aqui de moda sigue tu cara
Y aunque limpies la camisa hasta la entraña
No lava la sangre en las manos
Del Chacal de la Cabaña

De La Cabaña fuistes el gerente
Condenastes a miles al matadero
Mas te gustaba jugar guerrero
Dispidiendo tu mismo los inocentes
Ahora a′y de moda está tu cara
A las mujeres que dejaste viudas le extraña
Como puede estar en todos lados
El Chacal de la Cabaña

Fuistes heroe pa unos, y otros criminal
Muchos conocen tu cara y causa ideal
Pero por el sendero de la violencia nunca se podrá llegar
Tu passion te consumió y te covertistes en chacal

Aqui de moda está tu cara
En camisetas y postales
Y la gente no sabe las verdades
Del Chacal de la Cabaña

Ya la historia ha comprovado
Que nos e gana paz con balas

En cualquier tiempo o situación
Lo que hace falta es compassión."

Overall Meaning

The song "El Chacal" by Jose Conde & Ola Fresca reflects on the life and legacy of the infamous revolutionary figure, Ernesto "Che" Guevara. The lyrics address his controversial actions, both heroic and criminal, and the way his image has been used and exploited in modern times. The first verse refers to how Che's death elevated his reputation to historic heights and turned him into a symbol of bravery for the whole world, but the second verse warns that the whole truth about his life has not been told. The chorus speaks to the enduring popularity of his image on shirts and posters, but the fact that it can never wash away the blood on his hands.

The third verse points out that Che was in charge of La Cabaña prison and condemned thousands to their deaths. Despite his role as an executioner, he still saw himself as a warrior, even as he ordered the deaths of innocents. The last part of the song is a reflection on the futility of violence in creating peace and the necessity for compassion in every situation.

Overall, "El Chacal" offers a nuanced and critical view of Che Guevara's life, while also recognizing his iconic status in history. The song invites the listener to consider the complexities of revolutionary action and their consequences.

Line by Line Meaning

Obligaron a ponerte
You were forced into the spotlight

En historica altura
To historical heights

Promovieron tu bravura
Your courage was promoted

Al mundo entero con tu muerte
To the entire world after your death

Aqui se quedo tu cara
Your face stayed here

En camisetas y postales
On t-shirts and postcards

No dicen todas las verdades
They don't tell the whole truth

Del Chacal de la Cabaña
About the Jackal of La Cabaña

Tu mano apreto tan furte
Your hand gripped so tightly

Que sobre la historia dispara
That it shoots through history

Un imagen desde Santa Clara
An image from Santa Clara

Donde el poder te sedujo
Where power seduced you

Aristidio te siguio
Aristidio followed you

Hasta el dia que se cansó
Until the day he got tired

Cuando te dijo que se iba
When he told you he was leaving

Con una 32 usted lo silenció
With a .32, you silenced him

Aqui de moda sigue tu cara
Your face is still in fashion here

Y aunque limpies la camisa hasta la entraña
And even if you clean your shirt to the core

No lava la sangre en las manos
It won't wash the blood from your hands

Del Chacal de la Cabaña
Of the Jackal of La Cabaña

De La Cabaña fuistes el gerente
You were the manager of La Cabaña

Condenastes a miles al matadero
You sent thousands to the slaughter

Mas te gustaba jugar guerrero
But you enjoyed playing the warrior

Dispidiendo tu mismo los inocentes
Firing upon the innocent yourself

Ahora a′y de moda está tu cara
Now your face is in fashion

A las mujeres que dejaste viudas le extraña
The widowed women miss you

Como puede estar en todos lados
How can you be everywhere

El Chacal de la Cabaña
The Jackal of La Cabaña

Fuistes heroe pa unos, y otros criminal
You were a hero to some and a criminal to others

Muchos conocen tu cara y causa ideal
Many know your face and ideal cause

Pero por el sendero de la violencia nunca se podrá llegar
But one can never reach peace through the path of violence

Tu passion te consumió y te covertistes en chacal
Your passion consumed you and turned you into a jackal

Aqui de moda está tu cara
Your face is in fashion here

En camisetas y postales
On t-shirts and postcards

Y la gente no sabe las verdades
And people don't know the truths

Del Chacal de la Cabaña
Of the Jackal of La Cabaña

Ya la historia ha comprovado
History has already proven

Que nos e gana paz con balas
That peace cannot be won with bullets

En cualquier tiempo o situación
In any time or situation

Lo que hace falta es compassión.
What is needed is compassion.

Writer(s): Jose Luis Conde

Contributed by Layla C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it