La Cigarra

Operación Triunfo's rendition of 'La Cigarra' is a poignant exploration of sorrow, unrequited love, and the inevitability of death. The song opens with a plea to the cicada to cease its incessant song, which pierces the singer's soul like a dagger. This metaphorical use of the cicada's song symbolizes the constant reminder of mortality and the pain that accompanies it. The cicada, known for its life cycle that ends in death after a period of intense singing, serves as a powerful symbol of the fleeting nature of life and the inevitability of death.

The lyrics then shift to a conversation with a sailor, asking if there is a color darker than the singer's sorrows at the bottom of the sea. This imagery of the deep, dark ocean represents the depths of the singer's despair and the overwhelming nature of their grief. The use of the sea as a metaphor for emotional depth is a common theme in literature and music, emphasizing the vastness and inescapability of the singer's pain.

In the final verses, the song tells the story of a wounded dove, symbolizing a heartbroken individual who has grown weary of seeking reciprocated love. The singer then finds solace under the shade of a tree, singing a huapango—a traditional Mexican folk song—accompanied by a guitar. This act of singing despite the awareness of life's end reflects a desire to embrace life fully and face death with dignity and joy, much like the cicada. The song's melancholic yet resilient tone captures the essence of human suffering and the enduring spirit to find beauty and meaning even in the face of inevitable demise.