La Tieta

Joan Manuel Serrat's song 'La Tieta' paints a vivid portrait of an aging woman's life, filled with routine, solitude, and unspoken regrets. The song begins with a description of her waking up alone, a recurring theme that highlights her isolation. The cold, empty bed and the search for another hand that isn't there poignantly illustrate her loneliness. Serrat uses the imagery of the wind and the cold sheets to evoke a sense of the chill that pervades her life, not just physically but emotionally as well.

As the song progresses, the lyrics delve deeper into the daily life of 'La Tieta,' a life marked by monotony and the echoes of a youth long passed. The cracked mirror and the old cat are symbols of the passage of time and lost vitality. Her interactions are superficial, such as the brief exchange with the doorman, and her work is unfulfilling, serving only to pass the days. Serrat captures the essence of a life lived on the periphery, where even significant events like illness or holidays are treated with a dismissive 'it doesn't matter.'

The song concludes with a stark look at death, portraying it as just another routine event, meticulously prepared for like everything else in her life. The detailed planning of her own funeral contrasts sharply with the forgetfulness and neglect she experiences in life. This final verse serves as a poignant reminder of the invisibility and inevitable mortality that 'La Tieta' faces, a theme that resonates deeply in Serrat's reflective and melancholic musical style.