Southwest Side
Southwest Side Chronicles: A Mosaic of Cuban Dreams and American Realities
Lyrics
There's a Spanish girl with ebony eyes
Describes a Spanish girl with dark eyes
Selling Cuban coffee and guava pies
She sells Cuban coffee and guava pies
While the boys hang at the corner store
Boys hang at the corner store, playing dice
Drinkin Iron Beer rollin' dice on the floor
Reference to locals drinking Iron Beer and rolling dice
There is two old timers talking politics
Old timers discussing politics, including Bay Of Pigs and Alfa '66
About the Bay Of Pigs and Alfa '66
Reference to historical events and political discussions
Willie Chirino on the radio
Willie Chirino on the radio; Cheguevara is not seen as a hero
Cheguevara is no hero
Commentary on the radio content and political views
It's just another day
Emphasizes that it's just another ordinary day
On the Southwest side
Emphasis on the location, the Southwest side
There's a soldier standing in silk fatigues
Describes a soldier in silk fatigues determining who stays and leaves
Dictating who stays and who leaves
Highlighting authority and control
While a desperate man crashes through the gates
A desperate man breaking through gates
There's an uprising at Guantanamo Bay
Reference to an uprising at Guantanamo Bay
You don't know what you've got till it's gone
Reflects on the value of freedom
So embrace your freedom don't ever let it go
Encourages embracing and preserving freedom
There's an American flag waving in a Cuban breeze
Describes an American flag in a Cuban breeze
Fidel Castro is no José Martiz
Contrasts Fidel Castro with José Martiz
It's just another day
Reiterates that it's just another ordinary day
On the Southwest side
Repetition of the emphasis on the Southwest side
It's just another day
Repetition of "It's just another day on the Southwest side"
On the Southwest side
-It's just another day
-On the Southwest side
Continuation of the ordinary day theme
They were born in the ocean
Metaphorical birth in the ocean, baptized by the sea
They were baptized by the sea
Symbolic reference to the sea's influence
They find a revolution to fight
Seeking a revolution to fight for freedom
Freedom in Miami Beach
Freedom found in Miami Beach
It's just another day
Repetition of "It's just another day on the Southwest side"
On the Southwest side
-It's just another day
-On the Southwest side
-It's just another day
-It's just another day
-It's just another day
-On the Southwest side
-Oh say can you see
Reference to "Oh say can you see" from the U.S. national anthem
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