Se Quiere, Se Mata
Encyclopedia
"Se Quiere, Se Mata" is the fifth single released from Shakira
's third album, Pies Descalzos
(1996). Written and composed by herself, "Se Quiere, Se Mata" was a Top Ten Hit in Mexico
and on the Billboard
Hot Latin Tracks in the United States
. The song laments the story of a young couple, Braulio and Dana, and their choice to have an abortion
. Introduced as an innocent young couple well liked by their families, the two succumb to their sexual desires, and Dana becomes pregnant. However, rather than admit this to their families and neighbors, they choose to get an abortion. The abortion ultimately goes badly, resulting in Dana's death.
was directed by Juan Carlos Martin, and reached number one on the Telehit Top 25. Current leader of the Mexican band Zoé
León Larregui appears in this video, as Braulio. The video shows Shakira telling the story of Braulio and Dana; as the song goes on, there are shots of her in a short room, with a black dress, and others were she wears a red dress, in a green room covered with papers, most probably referencing the social rules. In the video, it shows in a censored way, how Braulio and Dana succumb to their sexual desires, and also a short scene of "The Doctor" who Dana goes to abort her unborn baby, resulting in her own death, as the lines of the song said "tu vecino esta en casa dandose un buen duchazo, y tu dos metros bajo tierra viendo crecer gusanos" (your neighbor is at home, taking a good shower, and you two feet under, watching worms grown).
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
's third album, Pies Descalzos
Pies descalzos
-Personnel:* Shakira – producer, songwriter, vocals* Luis Fernando Ochoa – producer, mixer, songwriter, background vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica, percussion* Alvaro Farfan – director* Victor DiPersia – engineer, mixer* Camillo Montilla – engineer, piano...
(1996). Written and composed by herself, "Se Quiere, Se Mata" was a Top Ten Hit in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Latin Tracks in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The song laments the story of a young couple, Braulio and Dana, and their choice to have an abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
. Introduced as an innocent young couple well liked by their families, the two succumb to their sexual desires, and Dana becomes pregnant. However, rather than admit this to their families and neighbors, they choose to get an abortion. The abortion ultimately goes badly, resulting in Dana's death.
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was directed by Juan Carlos Martin, and reached number one on the Telehit Top 25. Current leader of the Mexican band Zoé
Zoé
Zoé is a Latin Grammy Award-winning Mexican alternative/psychedelic band. They initially formed in Mexico City in 1994, although membership started to stabilize in 1997...
León Larregui appears in this video, as Braulio. The video shows Shakira telling the story of Braulio and Dana; as the song goes on, there are shots of her in a short room, with a black dress, and others were she wears a red dress, in a green room covered with papers, most probably referencing the social rules. In the video, it shows in a censored way, how Braulio and Dana succumb to their sexual desires, and also a short scene of "The Doctor" who Dana goes to abort her unborn baby, resulting in her own death, as the lines of the song said "tu vecino esta en casa dandose un buen duchazo, y tu dos metros bajo tierra viendo crecer gusanos" (your neighbor is at home, taking a good shower, and you two feet under, watching worms grown).
Charts
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|