"El Hambre" is a song by Joan Manuel Serrat, a famous Spanish singer-songwriter, released in 1969. The song expresses the theme of hunger and its impact on society, particularly focusing on the suffering and desperation it causes. The lyrics emphasize the historical context of hunger, reminding us of its dark past, where bosses would pay their workers with bullets. It portrays hunger as the first knowledge we acquire, as it is the primal need that humans learn to fulfill. The ferocity of our feelings originates from the stomach, where hunger ignites. The song describes how hunger drives humans to navigate through difficult situations, like a labyrinth, where life is grimly solitary. Hunger brings back the beast within us, awakening our instincts, paws raised, resentful, and with a desire for vengeance. The lyrics suggest that hunger strips us of our education and wisdom, revealing our true nature. It highlights how in the face of hunger, humans abandon scientific knowledge and cultural barriers to unleash their primal desires for survival. The hunger-stricken person becomes a beast, willing to do whatever it takes to protect their territory and food, creating a vision of a world full of aggressive tigers. However, in the final verses, Serrat asks for help to remain human and not let the hunger turn him into a wild creature. He pleads for compassion and unity, emphasizing that they, the oppressed and hungry, should not become like their oppressors. He rejects the idea of seeing life as a bloody booty, akin to sharks and voracious panthers, and instead aims to give humanity through his song. "El Hambre" is a powerful composition that sheds light on the pain and desperation caused by hunger and serves as a call for empathy and solidarity towards those who suffer from it.
