Viejo Jardín

José Larralde's 'Viejo Jardín' is a poignant exploration of nostalgia, love, and loss. The song's lyrics paint a vivid picture of a past filled with joy and beauty, symbolized by a garden that once flourished. The 'ilusorio jardín del recuerdo' (illusory garden of memory) serves as a metaphor for the fleeting nature of happiness and the inevitable passage of time. The garden, once vibrant and full of life, represents a time of innocence and love, now only a distant memory.

The song's narrative takes us through a journey of reminiscence, where the singer recalls the 'dulce idilio de un pueblo lejano' (sweet idyll of a distant town) and the 'camino empolvado' (dusty path) leading to a humble mansion. These images evoke a sense of longing for simpler times, where love blossomed like the roses in the garden. The 'rosal que crecía entre risas, arrullos, perfumes y sol' (rosebush that grew among laughter, lullabies, perfumes, and sun) symbolizes the peak of this idyllic period.

However, the song takes a somber turn as it describes the arrival of winter, bringing 'sombra y frío' (shadow and cold) to the house. This change in seasons metaphorically represents the end of happiness and the onset of sorrow. The death of the beloved, who 'con la muerte que cruel te llevó' (with death that cruelly took you), marks the ultimate loss, leaving the singer to mourn the 'dicha que el tiempo truncó' (happiness that time cut short). The repetition of the opening lines at the end of the song reinforces the cyclical nature of memory and the enduring impact of past joys and sorrows on the present.