Sadness (Tristeza)

Music piece by:
Hermanos Núñez
Testimony by:
Germán Larrabe

A very sad song, often performed by parents of young children.


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Published on: 05 March 2015

Don’t complain child, if I neglect you
I fight to death for you my treasure
Don’t complain child if I’m late.
Oh, what a rocky road
anguish close by and my child far away!
Oh, what a rocky road
anguish close by, my child far away!

Do not ask me child why I'm crying
What shall I do if life demands so much of me
Go to sleep and I will cover you.
Oh, what a rocky road
anguish close by and my child far away!
Oh, what a rocky road
anguish close by and my child far away!

Sunday sun, shine with all your might
for I’ll go with my child to gather caresses.
I will dress as a mother, with her smiles.
Oh, what a rocky road
anguish close by and my child far away!
Oh, what a rocky road
anguish close by and my child far away!



Related testimonies:

  • Lament for the Death of Augusto the Dog (Lamento a la muerte del perro Augusto)  Sergio Vesely, Campamento de Prisioneros Melinka, Puchuncaví, 1975

    Augusto the dog (not to be confused with the journalist Augusto Olivares, affectionately nicknamed 'Augusto the Dog', who was murdered in the Presidential Palace on 11 September 1973), was the mascot of the political prisoners held at the Ritoque concentration camp, and accompanied his master when the military junta decided to close that prison and transfer the inmates to the neighbouring Puchuncaví concentration camp.

  • Ode to Joy (Himno a la alegría)  Luis Madariaga, Cárcel de Valparaíso, 1974 - 1976

    In prison, we would sing the 'Ode to Joy' when a comrade was released or sent to exile.

  • Today Was Visitors’ Day (Hoy fue día de visitas)  Sergio Vesely, Cárcel de Valparaíso, 1976

    Visitors’ day was an exceptional day that broke the monotonous routine of all the other days of the week.

  • Song of a Middle-Class Man (Canción de un hombre medio)  Sergio Vesely, Cárcel de Valparaíso, 1976

    In our political discussions, we always spoke disdainfully of the middle class. In the view of the Marxist ideologues in prison, that sector of society supported the dictatorship and it was necessary to reverse that trend.

  • How Can I Describe This to You? (Cómo hacer para darte una idea)  Sergio Vesely, Cárcel de Valparaíso, 1976

    This is one of two songs I wrote in prison for my beloved Graciela. In the song I tried to draw her closer to me, describing my everyday world and my experience of life as a captive.