La voz de los ’80 by Los Prisioneros: four decades of addressing a mobilized Chile

Abstract

This document intertwines various aspects of La voz de los ’80 (1984) by Los Prisioneros. First, it situates the flourishing of the cassette format in Chile and examines how it fostered the band’s early career. Second, it addresses the emergence of La voz de los ’80 and the decision to choose one album cover over another. Third, it offers a musical analysis of the eponymous song. Fourth, it examines the journalistic coverage—at times favourable—that the band received. In this regard, La voz de los ’80 (1984) functions as a declaration of principles, with an aesthetic linked to the punk style of The Clash and a discourse that directly addresses a generation. “La voz de los ’80” seeks to persuade, mobilize, and challenge multiple subjects. Through an energetic melody, it announces the twilight of the previous decade, conveying a sense of optimism toward what lies ahead. Lyrically, the song consistently employs consonant rhyme, such as aburrimiento–estancamiento (boredom–stagnation) and ocasión–comercialización–intención (occasion–commercialization–intention). In that same year, La Tercera became the first newspaper to acclaim the band, publishing a review entitled “Viene la fuerza, la voz de los ’80: New wave al ataque” (“Here comes the force, the voice of the ’80s: New wave on the attack”). Despite acknowledging the impact of this new band, the chronicle focuses on a “stoned” audience who “dance […] with some smoke in their brains.” Such assertions in the press would only intensify; by 1986, the band would be labelled as aggressive and resentful. Finally, this study shows how La voz de los ’80 has become an anthem of resistance within the sociopolitical processes of Chile in recent years.