A Million Friends (Un millón de amigos)

Music piece by:
Roberto Carlos
Testimony by:
Pedro Mella Contreras
Detention in:
Recinto CNI calle Pérez Rosales 764, Valdivia, September 1986

I was arrested when I was 32 years old, along with approximately 23 other people.

I was imprisoned in Valdivia and also in Santiago, for four years in total.

I spent seven days in the CNI(National Information Centre) Secret police of Pinochet’s dictatorship between 1977 and 1990. detention centre of Valdivia. Among all the atrocities that the agents did to us, they played music while they were torturing us.

They played a lot of songs but ‘A million friends’ is the only one I remember.

The experience of being tortured with that song left a strong mark on me. The song was in fashion at that time.

After being released, when “A million friends” was played on the radio, I didn't want to listen to it.


Tags:

Published on: 28 September 2019


I just want to see the fields
I just want to sing my song
but I don’t want to sing on my own
I want a choir of little birds.

I want to take this friendly song
to who might need it
I want to have a million friends
so I can sing louder
I want to have a million friends
so I can sing louder.

I just want a strong wind
to take my boat north
and during the trip I will fish
so I can split the catch when I land.

I want to make the peace of the future
I want to have an abode without walls
I want my son to walk on firm ground
singing out loud, smiling free.

I want love always in my life
feel the warmth of a friendly hand
I want my brother to always be smiling
see him cry but from happiness.

Come with me to see the fields
sing my song with me
but I don’t want to sing on my own
I want a choir of little birds.

I want to take this friendly song
to who might need it
I want to have a million friends
so I can sing louder
I want to have a million friends
so I can sing louder.

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